23x21 - Confess Your Sins to Be Free

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". Aired: September 1999 to present.*

Moderators: Trialia, Sarah Elseify

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"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" follows the detectives of New York City Police Department's Manhattan Special Victims Unit, based out of the 16th precinct, as they investigate s℮xually based offenses.
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23x21 - Confess Your Sins to Be Free

Post by bunniefuu »

In the criminal justice system,

sexually based offenses

are considered especially heinous.

In New York City,
the dedicated detectives

who investigate these vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad

known as the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

It's been four weeks,
since my last confession.

I've committed the sin of adultery...

Twice.

And I'm afraid I'm gonna do it again.

My husband is working late
next Friday.

The last time my lover came over,

I left the door unlocked.

And he wants me to do it again.

Open the door to Jesus, my child,

but, lock the door to sin.

I always say I will.

I know it's wrong.

But I get weak, Father.

I'm Burton,

and I'm an alcoholic.

I've been sober for five months,

two weeks, and three days,
but, who's counting?

And in that time,
my life has changed...

A lot.

But, like others here,

before I found these rooms,

there was no bottom for me.

[QUIET DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Think a lot of people
identified with what you shared.

Mm.

So, now tell me how it's really going.

Well, I've had my ups and downs.

But, I haven't picked up, um.

I'm working my program.

Finish your eighth step?

I have.

The list of people I've harmed
is long.

And now the ninth step.

How do you even begin to make
amends to all these people?

You're a novelist.

Pick a place to start.

Maybe the beginning?

Come back to Staten Island with me.

I can cook.

You could spend the night.

[SIGHS] Can you wait here?

- I need to go to confession.
- Again?

Didn't you just go last week?

Are you okay, Audrey?

[SIGHS]

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

I failed God.

As much as I tried to resist,

I still planned to commit adultery.

But, I paid the price for betrayal.

I was r*ped,

last night.

God's truly angry.

[QUIET DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Hey, Caitlin.

- Sonny!
- [CHUCKLES]

- How you doing?
- Hi, I'm good.

What are you doing
off of Staten Island?

At a church, no less.
What, did you finally un-lapse?

[SCOFFS] Bite your tongue.

I... I'm waiting for Audrey.

Yeah, sure, Audrey,
your little sister.

I see her at mass all the time.
We say hello.

Yeah.
What are you doing here?

You need to spill your sins too?

Ah, no, I'm actually I'm just...

I'm saying hello to Father Duffy.

Look at you, Sonny.

A detective, and then law school...

I heard you're an ADA now.

- I guess I'm a late bloomer.
- [CHUCKLES]

I should go.
Um...

Audrey's going
through... a time.

- It was good to see you, Sonny.
- Yeah, you too.

Dominick, sorry to keep you waiting.

Hey, Ryan.
Sorry, Father Duffy.

How you doing?
Thanks for meeting me.

Hey, Father Regis, how are you?

Very exciting news, I hear, Dominick?

Aren't you here for a Pre-Cana?

- [SIGHS]
- You set a date yet?

Well, she hasn't even said yes.

In fact, I haven't even asked her yet,

so it's still early stages.

You need me to put in a word upstairs?

Oh, I'm sure he's got
enough on his plate,

- but thank you.
- Okay. Ryan.

Let's go to the rectory.

Hey, can I...

can I ask you something?

Audrey O'Neill, she seemed...

- She seemed upset.
- You know I can't really speak to that.

Why, 'cause you took her confession?

I'm sorry,
I know I can't ask that either.

No.

But, she's a friend?

Never hurts to reach out.

I'm just asking you to listen.

I'm not asking you to forgive me.

Okay.

I'm listening.

I'm aware that the last time we met,

I wasn't at my best.

You threw a glass at me.

Uh-uh, at the door.

Well,

turns out, that night,

I hit bottom.

You said you wanted acknowledgement,

that what happened between us
when you were was wrong.

- And, I think I said...
- You said,

"Well, you're not gonna get it."

Did I?
Okay, that sounds right.

I was, drinking a lot.

- I don't remember exactly what...
- I do.

You're still angry.

Yeah,

I'm angry.

Would it help if you
threw a glass at me?

No, Burton, it wouldn't.

I'm sorry.

I'm... I'm... I'm...

Olivia, I'm trying to make amends.

You're sorry?

You're sorry for what?

You're sorry for abusing women?

For using women?

For hiding behind

alcohol as an excuse?

Look, I just want to make sure
that you understand,

what making amends means.

And not just to me, Burton,

but to the other women.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

To acknowledge what you did to them.

That's exactly why I'm here.

I hear you.

And I'm trying.

Well, good.

Good.

So let me know when you've done that.

♪ ♪

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Um, thank you for meeting me.

I'm glad you called.

You're worried about Audrey.
I am too.

I mean, look, it's,
it's none of my business,

but, I just seen that look
of trauma before, and...

Did, did she tell you anything?

Not much.

She did confide in me,
that she's having an affair.

And, I think maybe,

her husband, Shane, found out.

And he knocked her around?

I've seen him at mass.

He's an intimidating guy.

He's a guard at Rikers.

Moonlights as a nightclub bouncer.

Drinks a lot.

I...

I told her to come and stay with me,
but she refused.

Swears Shane didn't hurt her.

I worry she's just protecting him.

Well, maybe you could get her to...

To talk to me,

or my old boss at SVU, Olivia Benson?

Nothing formal, it's just,
sometimes it's easier to

share with people
outside of the family.

I think another woman,
would be a good idea.

Burton Lowe, that creep?
What's he want?

He says that he wants to make amends.

What's he really want?

I think he really wants
to make amends.

Well, it's not up to you
to let him off the hook.

I told him that, Fin.

But, I don't know, I...

I was up all night,
thinking about him.

- Thinking about who?
- Guess who's back?

- Burton Lowe.
- What did he do now?

He asked for Liv's forgiveness.

Why, so he can write
another book about it?

I think we can assume
that he hit bottom.

So if he is trying
to turn his life around,

isn't the right thing to do,

- to hear him out?
- Yeah, probably, I mean,

I never liked that guy from the get,

but, let he who is without sin...

Uh, speaking of which,

I, uh, I have an old friend.

Her sister might be in some trouble.

I don't know if it's DV,
or something else.

You think she needs
to talk to someone?

I didn't really want
the police involved.

My husband can't know any of this.

Where is your husband now?

Shane's working a double at Rikers.

Hey, whatever happened to you, Audrey,
we're just...

we're just here to listen.

Okay? You don't have to
worry about filing a police report.

Okay.

Well, what happened is,

I was r*ped.

I-I have no idea by who.

Okay, um...

is there anything that you can tell us,
like,

when it happened, or where?

Friday night, my apartment.

Shane was working late.

I know that Caitlin told Sonny
my marriage is in cold storage.

I've been...

Having a fling with
my upstairs neighbor...

- BENSON: Okay.
- For about a month.

I'm no perfect Catholic.

- Hey, none of us are.
- Look, we're not...

We're not here to judge you.
Okay?

So, um,

do you have any idea,
how he got into your apartment?

I left the door unlocked
for my neighbor.

Vince was supposed to come
over at : ,

but right before that, some stranger

comes in with a ski mask and gloves.

Before I could scream,

he, started choking me
with a, a belt, I think.

He, uh, forced himself inside me.

It was quick, and then, he just left.

And you're sure it wasn't this...

This guy, Vince?

I don't think so.
I...

He felt different.

Vince is well-endowed.

Okay.

Okay, did anybody else know

that you were gonna leave
the door unlocked?

No.
But...

Vince came in right after
the guy who r*ped me left,

and found me.

He was pretty upset.

How well do you know Vince?

Not that well.

Separated from his wife, I think.

Moved in a couple months ago.

[SCOFFS]

I guess I don't really know him
at all.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

VELASCO: Vince Costa, .

Declared bankruptcy
after a messy divorce.

He works at a car dealership.

- He got a record?
- Minor stuff.

Bookmaking, credit card fraud.

Might be a wise guy,
trying to pay off a debt,

offering up Audrey
as some kind of payment.

Vince Costa!

Detective Velasco,

Sergeant Tutuola, Special Victims.

This about Audrey?

Yeah, what do you know about that?

Listen, I was the one who found her.

All right?
She was hysterical.

I-I told her to call .

She must have told you that, right?

Do you have any idea who,
who it was, or?

TUTUOLA: We're hoping you could help us.

Somebody knew
the door was gonna be unlocked.

You tell one of your pals
about your fling?

Listen, man,
I'm going through a divorce.

My wife doesn't let me
bring the kids here.

There's no way I'm telling
anybody about an affair, no.

Any chance somebody overheard
you and Audrey talking?

No way.

I mean, I don't know, maybe her uh,

husband's tapping her phone?

I mean, have, have you talked to him?

You know?
He's built like a...

He's built like a w*r memorial.

And Audrey says he has
friends that are ex-cons.

Could have sent one of
them over to att*ck her.

That dude is scary.

And you were sleeping with his wife?

[SCOFFS]

Wasn't supposed to find out, you know.

Well, he will now.

Might want to watch your back.

Burton.

Hi, I'm in the middle

of a very busy day, and I... I...

I can't talk to you right now.

I was just at a meeting
in the neighborhood, and,

had a thought.

I'm qualifying tomorrow
at my home group.

And, um,

maybe you'd want to come?

It, wouldn't be about us.

Maybe that's loaded for you.

- Anyway.
- Yeah.

Um,

- I'll think about it.
- All right, all right.

- Well, thanks, anyway.
- Yeah, sure.

No, Fin, don't...

Don't ask.

Where are we on Audrey's case?

The neighbor boyfriend's
a bottom-feeder,

but, I don't think it's him.

Well, I think it's highly unlikely,

that someone was checking doorknobs.

I mean, the timing...

Look, this guy was clearly tipped off

about the open door.

No security cameras,
nothing on the canvass.

But, Audrey has agreed to
let CSU search the apartment.

So, the husband knows?

Not about the affair.

But, she said she'd tell him
about the as*ault.

There's no chance that
the husband was the r*pist?

Club security footage
puts him at work,

but, he could have sent

one of the g*ons that works for him.

Well, if he did hire
one of his ex-cons,

then they'd be in the system.

So maybe we get lucky with the DNA.

How much longer is this gonna take?

Fingerprints, I get.

But they're looking
for hidden cameras?

We're trying to figure out how someone

knew about your affair.

Can you tell them to hurry?

O'NEIL: This is my apartment.
Let me in.


The hell's going on?

Shane, you're home early.

I thought you said you told him.

- Told me what?
- Let's stay calm, Mr. O'Neill.

Who the hell are you, pal?

Manhattan ADA Carisi.

Your wife has given us
permission to search this apartment.

- She's a crime victim.
- What?

I didn't want to upset you.

But, I was r*ped.

You mean, you knew I
was working a double shift,

and you had some guy over here.

He sent you flowers the next day?

- Those are from the parish.
- You're lying.

- You are lying.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Listen, we're all
brother officers here.

Listen, man, your wife
was sexually assaulted.

She didn't tell you

'cause she was afraid
you'd react like this.

Why don't you prove her wrong?

He thinks I'm lying.

I swore before God about everything.

You mean in confession?

Yeah.

I asked for the strength
to stop cheating on my husband.

So...

Aside from your sister and Vince,

a priest, also knew about your affair?

Yeah, he absolved me.

Audrey...

Did you tell the priest

that you were gonna leave
your door unlocked for Vince?

So Audrey told a priest,

in confession, that she was going

to leave her door unlocked?

I take it that we don't know
which priest that was?

No.

But, at the parish that Saturday,

it would have been one of two:

Father John Regis...

He's the church pastor...

Or, Father Ryan Duffy...

He's the associate pastor.

We don't really think
it was a priest, do we?

I mean, maybe somebody overheard.

Well, that's why priests speak softly.

Full disclosure, um,

Father Duffy and I have been
friends since middle school.

Liv, I really don't see this.

Wouldn't be the first time
we perp-walked a priest.

Okay, we're all aware, Fin.

Uh, but this would be
a pretty big jump.

CSU found no prints, semen, touch DNA,

nothing from the r*pe kit.

Is it possible that...

That Father Regis, or, Father Duffy,

mentioned the affair, or,

you know, the unlocked door to...

To somebody else?
Like, in passing?

You mean gossip?
No.

That would be in violation
of the confessional seal.

Somebody knew that the door
would be unlocked, Carisi, I...

I know that this is an
uncomfortable conversation, but...

But somebody has to ask.

This is about Audrey O'Neill,
isn't it?

- Did you speak to her?
- Yeah.

Yeah I did.

Turns out she was r*ped.

Oh, that poor woman.

Hope you were able to help her.

We're investigating.

So far, our only lead leads us here.

I'm not sure I understand.

The r*pist knew

Audrey was gonna leave
her door unlocked

- the night of the as*ault.
- I see.

And as far as we can tell,

she didn't tell anyone else
she was gonna do that

except for a priest.

Yeah.

I've already told you, I...

We're not asking if
you took her confession.

Is there any chance that...

Maybe somebody overheard you, or you,

inadvertently shared that information?

Dominick...

even when we played little
league together, remember?

I'd never share our signs with anyone.

This is not a game, Father.

Let alone confessional secrets.

I take this news very seriously.

Look, whatever I can do to help,

without breaking my vows.

Okay, Father.

Where were you Friday night,
around : ?

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

In my bedroom, reading.

Can someone verify that?

No, I was alone,

door closed.

Where was Father Regis?

♪ ♪

Well, you'd have to ask him.

Yes, I heard
about Mrs. O'Neill.

This city's getting worse.

I'm praying for her.

Well, um, we need
more than that, Father.

How can I help?

We need to find out

if something Audrey said in confession

might have been mentioned
to someone else.

By the priest?
No, that's...

That's not possible.

If you read your catechism, Sergeant,

you'd know that no
priest worth his faith,

would ever repeat anything
outside of the confessional.

We didn't mean intentionally.

We're all human.
Sometimes things slip.

They do, but not something like that.

I will reach out to Mrs. O'Neill,

and, let her know I'm here for her,

if she needs counseling.

- Thank you, Father.
- Thank you.

One more thing, Father.

Where were you at : , Friday night?

Me?

I was in my room,
writing my Sunday homily.

- Alone?
- I'm a priest, detective,

not a rabbi, or a minister.

Yes, we are alone in our rooms.

I wish you luck finding this man.

Meantime, as I said,

I will be praying for her.

Okay, so either Father Duffy,
or, Father Regis

could have taken her confession.

But, neither one can talk about it

because of the confessional seal.

Lucky for one of them.

Do either one of them
have a good alibi?

Not really.

But, I checked with TARU,
and neither of their phones

left the rectory that night.

That just means that
the r*pist was smart enough

to leave the phone at home.

I hate to point to a priest, but...

We don't have another suspect.

It's not like either one's
gonna confess.

Look, guys, this may be a long sh*t,

but maybe...

Maybe we try to catfish the priest.

We send in a UC,

to confess to both priests,

about being alone,
waiting for a lover...

And see if one of them takes the bait.

Got you, captain.
We're on it.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

It has been three months
since my last confession.


In that time, I have been
cheating on my husband.

He's a kind man, but I've met someone,

and, I've been unable to control
my urges to be with him.


♪ ♪

I told my lover
to meet me again tonight.


I work at a gallery downtown
called Art Thou Mad.


There's a back room,

where we could be alone together,
after closing.

I gave him the security code
to the entrance.


Forgive me, but I changed the code

to the day of Saint Dwynwyn.

I have prayed for the strength
to remain faithful,


but, I know I won't be able to tonight.

- Saint who?
- Dwynwyn.

The patron saint of lovers, right?

I figured both priests would know it.

I made the same confession, twice.

Now what?

We wait for the sinner.

I got incoming.
Male, about six foot.

No visuals on his face,

but, it looks like he's
punching in the code.

- [LOCK BUZZES]
- TUTUOLA: Copy that.

Standing by.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

- NYPD.
- Hands where we can see them.

Don't sh**t, don't sh**t!

Father Duffy.

What... there...
this isn't how it looks.

It looks bad, Father.

I never would have hurt you.

Put your hands behind your back.

It's ring around the collar time.

[SIGHS]

Tell Dominick,

I'm sorry.

I used to tell myself,

that, unlike both my parents,

I had things under control.

That I was drinking,

just up to the point,
but, not past the point,

where I was drinking so much that,

God forbid, I'd have to quit.

[CHUCKLING]

I was not only ignoring the damage

I was doing to myself,

but to my friends,

family...

Others.

[QUIET DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

And, by others, I mean women.

The list of women I hurt,

trying to fill this...

Bottomless hole,

mortifies me.

Including my first real girlfriend.

And she was, just a girl.

I met her, when I was years old.

I was just about
to get kicked out of college.


Thank you for coming to the meeting.

I know how busy you are.

I'm glad that I came.

I could see you've...

Done a lot of work on yourself.

Mm.

Still needs doing.

[CHUCKLES]

First I dried out,

went back to therapy,
found these meetings.

You've already heard most of my spiel,

but, there is something,

that I need for you to know.

However inappropriate it was,

and God knows you were right,

the age difference,

the power imbalance, but...

Olivia,

I really was in love with you.

I was in love with you, too, Burton.

- But that...
- I know.

Doesn't make anything right.
I know, I know.

- [PHONE BUZZES]
- BURTON: I know.

Sorry.

I'm... I'm sorry.

I have to go.

My squad just,

arrested a man for r*pe.

Hey.

Detective Ruz did great.

Her confession about being alone,

waiting on a lover...

that was all Duffy needed to hear.

Okay, did Father Duffy say anything?

He said it wasn't what it looked like.

Well, maybe it wasn't.
Maybe we should hear his side.

His side?

He showed up on time.

He was dressed in black.

He used the security code.
He let himself in.

This is the same MO as Audrey.

Okay, where is Father Duffy now?

Dominick, I wish I could tell you

why I was there tonight, but I can't.

I'm not asking what you heard
in the confessional,

- because I know what you heard.
- Yeah, I realize that now.

You sent in a detective,

to take advantage of
the confessional booth?

Don't you want to know, who took

advantage of the confessional booth?

The priest that r*ped Audrey O'Neill.

I didn't as*ault Audrey O'Neill.

And I wasn't at that art gallery

to as*ault anyone tonight.

Then why were you there, Ryan?

I've done nothing wrong.

Well, then you better get a lawyer.

The diocese is sending one.

[TENSE MUSIC]

But I-I can't tell him
why I was there either.

Ryan, you are swimming
in some dangerous,

unholy waters right now.

Now, we've been friends
for a long time.

- I need you to listen to me.
- I need for you,

- to believe me.
- I want to.

But, I don't know how.

Then pray for me.

Counselor Carisi,

Father Duffy's lawyer's here,

and, you shouldn't be.

Counselor...


[SOMBER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

You have my client
on trespassing at best.

But burglary and attempted r*pe?

Father Duffy had no intention
to as*ault your detective.

Uh-huh.

So why'd you break
into the gallery, Father?

- You an art thief?
- Easy, Fin.

Just tell us
why you were there, Father.

Help yourself.

I was concerned.

Concerned about what?

I wanted to make sure
the woman there was safe.

How'd you even know she was there?

[SIGHS] I can't answer that either.

That line's getting old
real fast, man.

There are edicts,
that Father Duffy is bound to oblige,

under canon law,
he violates any one of those,

he faces excommunication
from the Church.

And if he doesn't come
with a better story real soon,

he's gonna be indicted,
convicted, and sentenced.

That's his choice.

Well, I'd,
I have to choose prison then.

Well, suit yourself.

If you live long enough to get out,

you'll be an ex-priest and an ex-con.

And this colloquy is over.

I've known him since we were kids,
Liv, he's...

He's no r*pist.

We've all been blind-sided,
Carisi, right?

Sometimes, people just aren't who we,

we thought they were,
or hoped they were.

Still...

Why else was he there?

There's only one other possibility.

That he knows,

who Audrey's r*pist is, and...

And he thought
he was gonna strike again.

Why wouldn't he just tell us that?

[SOMBER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Because the r*pist confessed to him.

Father Duffy got arraigned.

That must have been tough on Carisi.

Just on the trespassing charge.

Carisi'll have to recuse himself

- if this goes to a r*pe trial.
- But it won't.

Carisi thinks the actual r*pist
confessed to Father Duffy.

Ruz goes to confession.

She tells two priests
she'll be alone that night.

One priest shows up.

What am I missing?

Maybe the other priest, Father Regis.

- Priests go to confession too.
- Right.

So Father Regis
confesses to Father Duffy,

that he had the urge to r*pe again.

And Father Duffy shows up
at the gallery to intercede.

If Father Regis is the r*pist,

then he has a particular pattern.

How long has he been at the parish?

Three years, but, I checked
with the local precinct,

and there's no open
r*pes on any married,

Catholic women during the timeframe.

Priests do get transferred.

So, find out where he was before,

and see, if there are any
unsolved r*pes at that parish.

Copy that.

Yes, I was r*ped three years ago

when my husband was out of town.

Police report said no forced entry.

I kept a key hidden under a statue

of the Virgin Mary on my stoop.

He must have found it.

But the detectives didn't believe me,

when I told them that.

We're sorry.

We're here because we think
your r*pist may have struck again.

His pattern is attacking
married, Catholic women.

Well, I'm not married anymore.

I was having an affair.

Um,

it came out during the investigation.

The night of the r*pe, I was,

expecting my boyfriend.

When my husband found out,
that was it.

So, before the as*ault,

did you tell anyone about the affair?

Like, a family member or a therapist?

I couldn't tell anyone.

I was too ashamed.

So not even a priest?

Actually, I did confess,

a few times.

Do you know which priest
heard your confession?

It's a small parish.

At the time, it was Father Regis.

He's such a lovely man.

He even sent flowers.

White lilies, by any chance?

Yes.

You don't think Father Regis...

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

That's impossible.

He's a priest.

So,

another woman who confessed to
Father Regis, about an affair was r*ped?

And, Father Regis was transferred,

to your Hell's Kitchen parish,

six weeks later.

Somebody in the church knew.

- Anything else?
- Yes.

He sent her white lilies the next day.

Just like Audrey.
Son of a bitch.

Look, obviously,

nobody in the Church
is gonna let us talk to

Father Duffy, or, Father Regis.

- So the question is, do we have enough?
- No.

And even if Father Duffy
breaks his vows,

that confession
wouldn't be admissible.

So is the DA's office gonna allow you

to take either one of them to trial?

As of now, no.

I gotta, I gotta figure something out.

Excuse me, Captain,

there's a Beverly Morrison
here to see you.

Okay.
Did she say what it's about?

No, but she seems pretty upset.

All right, bring her in.

Hi.

- Captain Benson.
- Yes, do I know you?

No, no.
But I know all about you.

Six months ago, I was r*ped,

in a hotel room,
that you had just been in.

The man who assaulted me,

came to see me,
to make amends last night.

And, I recorded the conversation.

Okay.
Um, step into my office.

♪ ♪

Saint Anthony.

Helping us to find
things that are lost.

That he does.

Why are you here, Sonny?

You know I-I can't talk to you.

I'm here because...

'Cause we've known
each other for a long time,

and, I need your help.

I already told you, I can't.

I'm not here as an ADA.

I'm here because I need
your help for myself.

I'm in crisis, Father.
I'm...

I'm losing my faith,
and I don't want to.

I want to help you.

- But...
- Yeah.

Well, maybe Saint Anthony
can help us both.

And find a way for you to tell me

why you were at
the gallery that night.

Tell me you were there
to stop a mortal sin.

You must have a different pipeline

to Saint Anthony than I, Sonny.

We both know Father Regis is guilty.

Audrey?
Other women?


How many more are out there, Ryan?

I don't know what you want me to say.

[SIGHS] Ryan.

I was so proud of you,
when you were ordained.


But taking the blame,

for the sins that Father
Regis committed...

You're letting him choke you
with your own collar.

- I don't have a choice.
- Yes, you do.

And you and I both know
how our Church works.

He confessed to you.

You absolved him.
And now...


Now they're gonna transfer
him to another poor parish,

where he's gonna r*pe again.

Sonny,

are you still asking a priest,
to break his vows?

No, I'm asking you
to look into your heart.

I'm asking you to look into your soul.

At what point do your vows,

become more important
than your fellow human beings?

What if he r*pes a child?
Huh?

Or he murders somebody.
Are you gonna absolve him then?

Let him keep doing what he's doing?

- Is that what you're gonna do, Ryan?
- You swore to uphold the law.

I vowed,

to uphold a higher law.

The God I believe in,

would not sanction r*pe,
to protect canon law.

Are you asking me to leave the order,

my calling,

to reveal a confessional secret?

Maybe I am, Ryan.

Because I believe that
if you stay silent right now,

on Judgement Day,

you'll answer to God for it.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

I cannot tell you
what he's confessed to me.

But, I can tell you,

that he doesn't just
confess to priests.

Olivia, come in.

I could have met you, or,

- come to your office.
- Uh, no, it's fine.

It just needed to be private.

- Oh.
- So you're living here?

Yes.

My old agent's pied-à-terre.

He's letting me stay here,
while he's in Florida,

as long as nobody knows.

Have a seat.

Something...
Something serious?

Yeah, it is.

A woman named Beverly Morrison,

- came to see me.
- Beverly?

She's one of my magazine editors.

Yeah, I just made amends to her.

Well, she doesn't see it
as amends, Burton.

She sees it as a confession.

She says that she forgives you,

but, she wants justice.

She wants to press charges.

And she taped,

what you said.

She taped my amends?

Is that legal?

It is.

She also claimed that,
she was too drunk,

to give consent.

How can she prove that?

Well, she got a DUI

ten minutes after she left
your hotel room.

She didn't mention that.

So, what happened, Burton?

After you left my
hotel room that night,

I just kept drinking.

I called Beverly.

I said I needed a friend to talk to,
so...

She came over.

We both just kept drinking.

So what did you do?

We had sex.

But, I honestly,

don't remember, what happened.

Well, she does.

Her side,

is that she was not able,

to give consent.

Two drunks in a room.

I don't know.

Was it "enthusiastic consent"?

Maybe,

"intoxicated acquiescence"?

I don't actually know.

I asked her what I could do
to remedy the harm.

She said she didn't know.

Well, she does now.

She wants you,

to go to prison.

♪ ♪

And now, you're apologizing,

and you think that that's
gonna make everything better.


Couldn't you tell

that I didn't want that to happen?

I couldn't. I couldn't tell anything.

I swear. I was so drunk.

I... Is there anything I can do?

Anything.

I don't know.

I just don't know.

What did Burton say?

He said he's gonna
continue practicing humility,

and that he doesn't
want to defend himself.

He doesn't want to put
Beverly through a trial.

Well, you know,

technically, you weren't even
supposed to go to Burton with this.

I'll, I'll talk to Beverly.

Burton said, that he's willing
to plead guilty to r*pe.

He's willing to do anything,

to make this right, Carisi, he...

Whatever that is.

It's funny, Father Duffy told
me almost the same thing.

- He's willing to break his vows?
- No.

But, he pointed me
towards somebody else

Father Regis confides in.

Well, when are we
gonna interview this person?

We can't.
She's dead.

But he still confides in her.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Are we sure Father
Regis is showing up?

Father Duffy told Carisi

he comes to his mother's,
twice a week, after lunch.

His father k*lled his mother
when he was nine?

He strangled her with a belt,
in front of Regis,

after he caught her cheating.

No wonder he's got issues.

Yeah, raping women
who cheat on their husbands,

I guess so.

Here he comes.

Lilies are in bloom.

Your favorite.

It's spring, Ma.

Oh, what's happened
since my last visit?


I was worried they were
coming after me for Audrey,


but, it looks like,

Father Duffy's gonna take the fall.

I confessed to him,

what I did to Audrey,
but, he can't tell anyone.

Nah, can't break the seal.

God leaves no sin unpunished.

You and Dad, are rotting in hell,

for eternity.

But not me.
I'm...

God absolved me already.

If he wanted me punished,

for raping Audrey and the others,

he would have done that already.

So I guess...

I guess all this is just God's will.

TUTUOLA: John Regis,

put your hands behind your back.

What the hell is this?
What...

Uh, you're arresting me?
For what?

For the r*pe of Audrey O'Neill.

Based on what?

Did Father Duffy say so?

You know you can't use
anything he said.

- That's inadmissible.
- No, you dimed on yourself.

We just recorded every word you said.

Father Regis pled guilty,

to seven r*pes, over the last decade.

The Church officially defrocked him.

Good.

He was a stain on it.

I'll still pray for him,

and the victims.

Hopefully, this gives them peace.

I spoke to Audrey.

She's gonna move in with her sister,

try to figure things out.

It's a lot, but,

she still has her faith.

I hope you do too, Sonny.

I'm trying.

Two priests, one good, one bad.

Sounds like the kind of story
I'd do a podcast about,

back when they let me do podcasts.

So, Carisi tells me,
that you've accepted a plea deal.

Sexual misconduct.

I go on the registry.

Six years' probation.

Your lawyer's good with that?

Oh, no, not at all.

He wanted to take this to trial.

But that isn't why
I started this journey.

I told you.

I wanted to take
responsibility for my actions,

and the harm, I've caused others.

I knew this wasn't gonna be easy.

I want to forgive you.

You don't have to.

You were kind enough to listen to me.

That means a lot.

You got a long road
ahead of you, Burton.

All you can do is take it
one step at a time.

Hope I make it.
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