23x22 - A Final Call At Forlini's Bar

[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.

Noah is thriving.

My career is going pretty well.

So why do I wake up
at : a.m.,

anxious, and unhappy?

When did you start feeling unhappy?

About a year ago.

You know, Noah and I were fine,
during the pandemic.

But now,

just don't have any, you know, closure.

It's so interesting, you talk about closure.

What else happened in this past year?

A lot of change.

My chief,

my squad.

Anyone else?

Mr. Barba?

No, there's no closure with Barba.

I'm also thinking about
you and Elliot Stabler.

Delia, have you had the locks changed yet?

The super said he would,

and, I still got the order
of protection against Ty.

He's violated the OOP before.

The last time, he broke your wrist.

Yeah, and I called the cops,
and they arrested him,

and, ring around and ring around.

Look, I just want you to be smart,

- and safe.
- You want me to be safe?

- Tell the judge to lock him up.
- We're trying.

You know, I can get Victim
Services to change that lock.

I got it.

Promise.

That's good, Delia.

See you Thursday?

Right.
Sure.

Most of your coworkers
are in stable relationships.

Yeah, they are.

And I am,

really happy for them.

You're not wondering
when your turn will come?

Not really.

You know, between Noah and work...

Okay, so,

you think that I have intimacy issues.

Is that what you're hearing me say?

Can we just stop the shrink talk

and you just tell me what you think?

What I actually think?

Yeah.

I think,

that you and Elliott either

need to see whether there's more there,

or, move on.

[PENSIVE MUSIC]

This idealized relationship
is hanging over you.

Prevents you from true intimacy, Olivia,

either with him, or with anyone else.

That's what I think.

Well, how long?

I need that lock replaced, Marco.

You're the super.
That's your job.

Okay, I'm sorry.

Well, when you can.

Thank you.

[GASPS]
Oh!

Changing the locks on me.

You're not supposed to be here, Ty.

This is my apartment.
You're my wife.

[TENSE MUSIC]

Get that scared look off your face.

There's nobody here to buy
your little victim act.

Ty, please, just...

Just leave, okay?

I'm calling the cops.

No, you're not.

Come on, I sh*t that guy,
like, six times in the head.

Die, man.

[PHONE RINGS]

Phoebe.

Another minutes?
That's cool.

Okay.
I'll see you then.

Okay, let's go.
Head sh*t, baby.

[UPBEAT HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

That's game, baby!

You want to run it back?

Nah.

No, no, these guys have been waiting a while.

Go ahead, guys.
We're done.

How about a beer?

Uh, rain check.
I gotta meet up with Rollins.

You guys are solid, huh?

Let me ask you a question.

How did you know she was the one?

I guess I knew for sure when she...

when she was giving birth to Jesse.

You know, there were complications,

doctors rushing in,
and I looked at her, she was...

She was vulnerable.
She was...

She was so strong,
you know, the way she fought.

Yeah, that was, that was it for me.

That's...
That's when I knew.

Something you said in our first session.

You said you didn't think,

happiness was in the cards for you.

Wow.
I said that?

Yeah, you were living a narrow life.

You went to work, you came home
to a dark apartment.

Well, I didn't have a lot to celebrate then.

There is now.

You're a role model for survivors,

for women officers.

You have friends.

You have a happy child.
You have a happy life.

So...

Why am I feeling so sad?

Oh, Olivia.

Everyone is feeling depressed now.

You and I, have talked,

a lot, about what you want.

What you need.

I'd like you to start thinking
about something else.

And what's that?

[PENSIVE MUSIC]

What you deserve.

You deserve happiness, Olivia Benson.

[SCREAMING]

[TENSE MUSIC]

Let's go.
Come on, come on, come on.

[SCREAMING]

Ma'am! Ma'am! Back off!

- Drop the bat!
- Back off!

- Drop the bat! Drop the bat!
- Ma'am, drop the bat!

Hey, hey, hey!

Detective Rollins, SVU.
What's going on?

- What you see, she's crazy.
- Okay.

Drop the bat!

Easy, easy, easy, all right?

- What's your name?
- What do you care?

- She's trying to help you!
- Listen.

Drop...
Drop the g*n!

See?
Nobody's pointing anything.

I just, I want to get you someplace safe.

I just want to talk to you,
and see what's going on.

I just want him to k*ll me, please.

No.
What's your name?

I'm Delia.

You don't need the bat, right?

Can I have the bat maybe?

You don't need that, right?

Look, see, I got the bat.

- Okay.
- [SOBBING] k*ll me.

No, no, honey, nobody's
gonna k*ll anyone, okay?

I got you.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

It's over.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

- Hey, Rollins, are you okay?
- Hey.

- What happened?
- I'm okay.

It's lucky I came along when I did.

This rookie had his g*n drawn.
There was a taser.

How is she doing?
What's her name?

Delia.

I talked to her social worker.

She's got a DV file ten years thick,

two failed marriages, a stint in rehab,

and today, her third husband
violated his OOP.

She have any broken bones?
Any bruising?

No, nothing visible.

He's a pro.

She's used to the beatings.

My gut is, he sexually assaulted her,

- put her over the edge.
- Where's he now?

- That's an a*t*matic arrest.
- Yeah. Ty Hackman.

He works construction.

Social worker thinks he's on a job site.

- I'm just glad you're safe.
- Mm.

Detective Rollins.
Nurses say you can talk to Delia now.

- Oh.
- You okay alone?

I got families back in my office.

I'm fine.
Thanks.

- I'll stay with the girls, okay?
- Okay.

Keep me posted.

Delia.

How are you feeling?

- Oh, thank you.
- Oh.

They gave me something,

and, so now I'm smoothed out.

- Okay.
- So, you can arrest me now.

I'm not gonna do that.

Why not?

- I vandalized a cop car.
- Is that why you did it?

'Cause you wanted to be locked up?

So, then he can't get to me.

I know you've been told this before, but...

[SOLEMN MUSIC]

You don't have to live like this.

Oh, yeah?
What do I have to do?

This poor woman.

So she was r*ped.

Not for the first time, but,

she's never reported it,
'cause they were married,

so, she didn't think it was r*pe.

- And she's still married?
- Yeah.

Divorced, once,

and remarried five years ago for round two.

How-how is this guy not locked up yet?

He got lucky with the judges.

Most of his charges got dismissed.

She's not the most reliable witness.

Late for court, recanting allegations.

Right, well, that's par for the course

for a long-term DV victim.

But this is our case now,

and, if we can get him on the r*pe charge,

- he goes away.
- She agreed to a r*pe kit.

He's gonna claim consensual.
Any outcry witnesses?

Me, at the hospital.

We located Ty Hackman at a
construction site in Chelsea.

Great.
Pick him up.

And before he can react...

Get him on our side.
We got it.

Ty Hackman?

NYPD.

My boss tipped me off.

I should have skipped.

That would have been a problem.

It's a good thing you didn't.

But you already know the drill.

Yeah, I got family on the job,

and technically,
I know I'm in violation, but,

she asked me to come over, she...

She was a mess.

Yeah, well, no good deed, right?

I hope you guys are getting overtime,
because,

we know how this ends.

I mean, the judge looks at me,
working all day, looks at her.

Right, sees crazy.

- Yeah.
- Yeah, man, we parked around the corner.

We didn't want to have to
cuff you in front of your crew.

- I appreciate that.
- All right.

The judge let Hackman walk.

Yeah, on violating the OOP.

You didn't go for the r*pe charge yet?

No, because I didn't want to start
the - clock ticking

till Delia's on board and consistent.

Okay, so we'll go over
her statement tomorrow.

- [PHONE RINGS]
- Oh.

Uh, yeah, hi, Delia.

Hi.

- Sorry to call so late.
- Oh, that's...

That's all right.

Is everything okay?

I got a, a question, um.

I want to modify the order of protection.

- How do I do that?
- She wants to modify the OOP?

That cannot be her decision.

I'm not sure that that's such a great idea.

Can you tell me why?

Yeah, I just think it would
make things a little less tense.

Okay.

Well, I'm with the ADA now,

and he says that you'll...

You'll have to go before a judge.

- You're still at work.
- Yeah.

Never mind.

But Delia, I can come to you.

We can talk.
I can...

- I can help you figure...
- That's okay.

It's okay, I, um...

I actually gotta...
I gotta go.

Delia, I can...
I can...

Who was she looking at?

You saw her looking up, right?

He's not stupid enough to be
in her apartment, is he?

Call the local precinct.
Now.

[TENSE MUSIC]

So...

When do you go to see the judge?

Soon.

So, you can go now.

I'm not going anywhere.

♪ ♪

She needed help to reboot her wi-fi.

Yeah, you're still under arrest.

- Let's go.
- No good deed, right?

- Captain Benson, SVU.
- Yeah, we got your call.

Husband didn't resist.
No sign of forced entry.

Yeah, thank you for the quick response.

- She's down there.
- Hey, Delia?

- He didn't hurt me.
- Yeah.

Did you call him?

Well, it's just, my TV's not working,

and, my internet and
everything, he does all that.

Delia, I'm Captain Benson.

He didn't do anything wrong.

It's not Ty's fault.

Am I in trouble?

No, you're not in any trouble.

So, he shouldn't, he shouldn't be, either.

Um, can we...

- Can we forget?
- Delia, we can't.

- We can't. No.
- Listen, listen.

Delia, how about you come
with us, down to the station,

okay, and we can talk about what happens next.

Do you have your apartment keys?

- I think they're in my purse.
- Okay.

- Let's go inside and find them.
- Okay.

My client was just helping his wife.

Stop.

An order of protection doesn't have
a carve out for rebooting wi-fi.

- I'm sorry.
- So we go before the judge,

and my client gets his other wrist slapped.

Yeah, well, he's got bigger problems.

You're looking at sexual as*ault charges.

What?

Come on. Jesus.

Ty, let me talk.
Based on what?

- Delia wanted to have sex!
- Come on.

I know that we shouldn't, but,

love is crazy.

That's not what she told our detective.

You mean after she went nuts,
smashing up cop cars?

I saw the news.

Yeah, if I was picked up for threatening cops,

I'd try crying r*pe too.

Any allegations are obviously fabricated.

Look.
[SIGHS]

I love D.

But, she is a mess.

If I don't take care of her, she goes under.

[TENSE MUSIC]

So he tried to explain
the reboot over the phone,

and, then he just said it would be easier,

if he came over in person.

How did you end up calling us about

modifying your order of protection?

Okay, so we're on the
ground floor, and we have mice,

and he said that, with the OOP,

it's just too hard, for him to help me.

Did he hurt or thr*aten you today?

Well, when I asked him to leave,

he kind of smushed my head into the wall.

BENSON: Delia,

if you need another apartment,

we can call your social worker,

and we can figure something out.

But you have to get Ty out of your life, right?

I know, I'm, I-I-I feel nervous all the time.

I'm sick all the time.

I, I can't even think straight.

But, he can, right?

And he's smart enough, not to use a w*apon,

or, or anything, that will
get him real prison time.

Except for the r*pe.

If we charge him with that,

he goes away.

And, you would finally get a chance to,

to get on your feet,

instead of him knocking you
off-balance all the time.

I asked them to hold Ty overnight.

I'll arraign him on the OOP tomorrow.

Well, what about the r*pe?

We have her accusation,

his DNA on the r*pe kit.

- That's probable cause.
- Yeah, if she sticks to her story.

One thing I learned from Barba is,

you never get ahead of your victim.

Barba? Please.
Carisi, can we not go there?

Oh, come on, are you still not talking to him?

Carisi,

he never should have defended Wheatley.

Olivia, he was protecting you.

- [SCOFFS}
- Look, any other defense attorney

would have annihilated on it.

Oh, I think he went after me pretty hard.

Yeah, well, from what I saw,
he was pulling his punches.

You know, we both had a long day.
Let's just...

Let's just call it a night.

On the charges of criminal contempt,

intimidating a witness, and r*pe one,

court will accept the
defendant's plea of not guilty.

People on bail.

The defendant has a long,

documented history of as*ault,

against the victim, his wife.

He's already violated numerous OOPs,

and his behavior is escalating.

The People request remand.

- Counselor?
- While we acknowledge,

Mr. Hackman's marriage is tumultuous,

as we will show in court,

it takes two to tangle.

Court should also be aware,

that Mrs. Hackman is financially
dependent on her husband.

So, they would both suffer if he can't work.

In view of that, I'll set bail at , ,

cash or bond.

The defendant will wear an ankle bracelet,

and may only go from his home, to work.

- He got out?
- Yes, but,

he's being monitored, and if he violates,

he goes straight to Riker's.

Delia, this is also on you.

Do not contact him in any way,
do you understand that?

Yeah, I do.

I'll go ahead and take you home, but,

if Ty contacts you,

you call immediately.

I really don't deserve all this.

Delia,

you deserve a life.

And you deserve to be free, and not afraid.

We're here to help you.

[APPREHENSIVE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Home, sweet ratty Airbnb.

Word of advice.

Cut the jokes, and, stay away from Delia.

Yeah, don't call or text her, either.

Don't worry.

Your wife accuses you of r*pe,

it kind of takes the bloom off the rose.

Thanks, guys.

Delia's home.

Stopped and got her some groceries.

Her refrigerator was empty.

Does she have anybody who can stay with her?

No, she's got an older
daughter that's upstate,

but, she doesn't want to call her.

She's just...

Alone, in the world.

- These kinds of cases...
- Make you feel so helpless.

Yeah.

Go home, Rollins.

Carisi cooking?

Yeah, he, um,

he's expanded his
repertoire to Middle Eastern.

Don't tell his mother.

You two are doing well, huh?

Mm-hmm.

You and Stabler, you two worked
on a case while I was away.

Yeah.
We're always a good team.

Yeah.

Yeah?

What?

Uh, I...

A year ago,

when I was talking to my mom about Carisi,

she said,

"Why don't you two just go get a hotel room,"

"and, get it out of your system?"

- [PHONE BUZZES]
- That's...

Some advice.

I told Delia to give me
a call if she needed anything.

Let me take this.
Hello?

[TENSE MUSIC]

We got here, the body was on the ground.

- Homicide's upstairs.
- What the hell happened?

Yeah, I don't know.
You gotta ask Homicide.

Hey.

Captain Benson, SVU.

- What are we looking at?
- Marital dispute.

Wife stabbed him in the back
with a kitchen Kn*fe.

She wasn't even supposed to be here.

I got my guys with her in the kitchen.

- SVU, she's one of our cases.
- Yes, ma'am.

Delia, what...

What happened?

He took my phone charger, and I needed it,

so, I came over.

And then he wouldn't let me leave.

And then...

♪ ♪

I...

I just wanted to be free.

[DOOR BUZZER BLARES]

Delia.

You didn't eat anything.

Oh, um, I'm not very hungry.

How are you doing?

Pretty good.
Really, it's nice...

It's nice and quiet here.

I felt safe.

Your lawyer's here.

I had to go to Ty's,

'cause he took my charger.

And I was at %.

And what happened when you got there?

He dangled it in front of me, like...

You know, like, Keep Away.

I tried to grab it.
And then,

he, um, sat down, and, he put it in his pants,

and, he just said, you know,

"Get on your knees if you want to get it."

What did you do?

What he said.

He...

Pulled my head, into his lap,

you know, yanking my hair.

And, um, I said, I di...
I said no.

And he said,
"You need to relax."

So, he went to make me a drink,

in the living room.

And, um...

[TENSE MUSIC]

I'm sorry, it's just getting
really blurry after that.

Delia, just stay with us.

Just, tell them what you told me.

Okay.

Okay, um.

I was in the kitchen,

and, I just felt like I had to get out, like...

Like, I had to get past him.

So, I took the Kn*fe off the kitchen counter,

and...

And then, he heard me.

And, um...

I just kind of stuck him, to get past him.

Delia,

so, the ME said that,

he was bleeding out, for about, minutes.

Okay.

Why didn't you call ?

Well, I had to wait for my phone to charge.

And then, when it charged up,

I called Detective Rollins.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

Do you need a minute with your client, or...?

We're good.

You can just tell the DA
we're ready to talk deal.

♪ ♪

Delia Hackman, married four times,

twice, to the husband she k*lled.

In and out of rehab
and asylums the past ten years,

and she's got a record.

Drunk and disorderlies,

destroying police property,

- four arrests for DV.
- BENSON: This is minor,

compared to the times
that the husband was arrested,

for assaulting her.

Broken bones, concussions, punctured lung,

fractured eye socket,

all pled down to a misdemeanor, or,

she recanted, or,
she refused to press charges.

Plus, he violated his OOPs multiple times.

Yeah, but in this case, she is
the one who initiated the contact.

Because she needed her cell phone charger.

So, she stabbed him to death?

With a kitchen Kn*fe,
in his kidney from behind.

She waited a half-hour to call for help.

- The guy bled out.
- [GROANS]

This is a tough case for self-defense.

This woman was r*ped.
She was beaten.

And she was psychologically terrorized,

for over ten years.

So, her lawyer will go

for the battered woman syndrome defense.

Her lawyer's looking for a deal.

She'll take man one, single digits.

This woman has been imprisoned,

her entire life.

I was in an abusive marriage for years.

I got out.
I didn't k*ll him.

And I'm sorry.

But, I have to assume,

that you had more resources.

Mm, that's a story for another time.

So, this is a violent felony.

If we take this to trial,
and she gets convicted on m*rder two,

that's years to life.

Don't leave that deal on the table for long.

Listen.
Her public defender,

had minutes for her,

and, if she had a competent lawyer,

this might go a different way.

Oh, Captain,

nobody takes these DV cases.

The women are either k*lled, or, they go to jail.

Either way, they break your heart.

[TENSE MUSIC]

How'd it go at the DA's office?

Carisi is gonna wait hours,

before he finalizes a deal.

You gonna get her another lawyer?

Uh, is that on us?

Not really.

But, her public defender is in over her head.

I'm not gonna say m*rder's okay,

but, if anybody had it coming...

Look, I called Rita Calhoun,

Baird Ellis,

even Barth.

Nobody has time for this.

You want to talk about
the elephant in the room?

There is someone you're leaving out.

[APPREHENSIVE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Hello, Liv.

Hello.

You and I spent a lot of time in this place.

It's a shame they're closing, huh?

Everything comes to an end.

Um...

I wanted to thank you, for represented Delia.

Rollins asked for the favor.

How many lawyers you call first?

Three.

You think you can get an acquittal?

I'll do my best.

Cabernet?

I can't stay.

It's possible, to sit with someone,
and have a drink,

and not say a single word to each other.

I miss you, Liv.

I gotta go.

♪ ♪

The victim was stabbed in the
lower left side of his back,

and the blade pierced his kidney,

nicked the renal vein.

In my estimation, he bled out
in about minutes.

Dr. Truman, based on the location,

and the angle of the victim's wound,
is there any way,

that he was facing the defendant,
when he was stabbed?

No, he was definitely
facing away from his assailant.

In other words, stabbed in the back.

Thank you, Doctor.
No more questions.

Dr. Truman,
when you say bled out,

are we talking about a geyser of blood?

No, that's really more of a movie trope.

The bleeding was internal.

Is it possible, given the small
amount of blood, that Delia saw,

that she didn't realize the
deceased was in mortal danger?

Objection.
Calls for speculation.

- Sustained.
- That's all right.

We all know it's possible.

I asked the responding
officers to secure the scene,

and isolate the suspect, Delia Hackman.

And how did you ID her as a suspect?

She was the only one in the
apartment, and she confessed.

Thank you.

Can I ask you, Detective,

to describe Mrs. Hackman's affect?

- I'm not sure what you mean.
- Was she um...

Contrite?
Upset? Defensive?

No, I wouldn't say that.

Would you say she seemed more defeated?

Objection.

To anything specific, or my
cross-examination in general?

Calls for speculation.
That work for you?

Sustained, Mr. Barba.

I'll accommodate
the prosecution, Your Honor.

Detective, can you describe
Mrs. Hackman's behavior?

Was her head held high?
Was she looking right at you?

No, she was looking at the floor,

you know, holding her head in her hands.

Kind of distraught.

Or, like you said, defeated.

When I arrived, Homicide
detectives were on the scene,

and, the body, was in situ.

And where was the defendant?

Delia was in the kitchen,

obviously in distress.

What did you hear her say?

According to multiple witnesses,

she said,
"I just wanted to be free."

Did you hear her say that?

Yes, but,

- I took that to mean...
- Thank you. Captain,

you had me at "yes,"

and we both know how much
Mr. Barba abhors speculation.

I know the ADA cut you off,

but, I'm sure the jury
would like to hear the rest of

- that thought, Captain.
- Objection.

Sustained.

[TENSE MUSIC]

Captain Benson,

we've heard a lot of testimony
about Ty Hackman's back being turned.

In your experience, is it possible,

for a battered woman to feel threatened,

even if her abuser isn't facing her?

Yes.

A victim of DV,

can fear for her life,
even if her abuser is asleep,

- or, not in the same room.
- Thank you.

I know that, as an SVU captain,

this is difficult for you,
that you'd rather not

testify against any victim
of domestic v*olence.

Your Honor, I know Mr. Barba
loves the sound of his own voice,

but could you please ask
him to stop testifying himself?

- Walk it back, Mr. Barba.
- I apologize.

I'm just passionate about
defending my client,

Your Honor.

Was it difficult, Captain,

testifying for Mr. Barba,

when you were Carisi's witness?

- I was testifying for Delia.
- I know.

You were going pretty hard at Barba.

Yeah, well,

how'd he even end up taking this case?

I thought him and Benson
weren't even speaking?

Yeah, they're not.

Technically, it was me who asked him.

I should have, I should have told you.

Yeah.
Yeah, you should have.

I'm sorry.

I went to get my phone charger,

but, Ty said,

I had to have sex with him first.

He went to the living room, to, um,

make me a drink, so I could relax.

What happened then?

Well, I felt trapped,

like, I had to get out.

And, I saw a Kn*fe,

on the kitchen counter, and I just,

I grabbed it, just in case.

And, um,

I tried to be really quiet going out.

His back was...

Was towards me,
'cause he was pouring the drink.

And, I just heard him laugh, and I,

- I panicked.
- Well, why is that?

'Cause I knew his moods.

I was used to him yelling a lot.

But it was that weird laugh...

Like, that's when I knew
things were gonna get really bad.

- Mm.
- I was really scared,

that, if he turned around,
and saw me with that Kn*fe,

that he was gonna k*ll me.

What happened next, Delia?

Well, all I knew is that I was, like,

waving my arms around, and,

and, the Kn*fe was in his back.

And then he was on the floor.

Did you try to revive him?
Did you call for help?

Well, I thought he would come to

'cause there wasn't a lot of blood.

Uh-huh.

I had to get the phone charger out of his pants.

Why didn't you just go?

Well, I didn't want to leave him lying there.

So, I waited for my phone to charge up,

and, then I called Detective Rollins.

Thank you.

Nothing further.

Mrs. Hackman, when,

you stabbed your husband,

his back was to you.

- Yes.
- He wasn't moving towards you.

He wasn't physically threatening you.

Well, no, but he had earlier.

Yeah, but not in that moment, correct?

Correct.

Did he have a w*apon in his hand?

- No.
- Did he say anything to you?

No.

I mean...

- He was laughing.
- He was laughing, okay.

Couldn't you have just,

ran out the door, past him,

called the neighbors for help?

I didn't know the neighbors,

and, I wasn't supposed to be there.

No, no, you weren't,
Mrs. Hackman.

And if you needed a phone charger,

w-why didn't you just go to
any bodega, and buy one?

Well, it was the middle of the night,

- and I had no power in my phone.
- Right.

- No, I understand that, but...
- I don't...

Couldn't you, have just stayed at home,

safe in your locked apartment,

and just waited till morning?

- I guess.
- Wouldn't that have been a better choice

than going over to your husband's place,

alone, in the middle of the night?

Objection.
Badgering.

Move it along, Mr. Carisi.

Wouldn't it have been a much better choice,

for you, to just simply walk out of the door,

instead of stabbing your husband to death.

- I thought he was gonna k*ll me!
- No, no, no, Mrs. Hackman,

you just told us,
that he was not moving toward you.

He did not have a w*apon.

Did he say that he was gonna k*ll you?

He's too smart for that.

Okay, well, if you felt
so threatened at the time,

why didn't you tell that to
the police, when they showed up?

I don't know.
I don't remember.

Well, they do.

They testified,
that the only thing that you said,

was that you wanted to be free.

I'm sorry.
I don't remember.

- I don't remember.
- BARBA: Objection, Your Honor.

- BARBA: Badgering.
- JUDGE: Sustained.

What did you mean, by "you wanted to be free"?

Free from your husband?
I mean, isn't that what you said?

I'm sorry, if you say I said that,
then I said that.

[CRYING]
I'm sorry.

My head's kind of hurting.

She needs a recess.

Mrs. Hackman, I just
have one more question.

[SOBS]

- Okay?
- Okay.

When you realized,

that your husband was dead,

how did that make you feel?

♪ ♪

[SNIFFS] I was...

I was happy, that he was dead, and I was alive.

I was...
I was happy.

[SOBS]

I felt happy.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.
My head's really hurting.

♪ ♪

No further questions.

We're in recess.

The witness may step down.

Okay.

- Bailiff.
- BARBA: Wait.

No, I've, I've got her.

I've got her, Your Honor.

Delia.
Delia.

- I'm sorry.
- You did great. No.

You did great.
You did great.

Oh!
I got you.

Okay.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

BARBA: Just go sit down.

♪ ♪

How is Mrs. Hackman,
Counselor?

She was examined at Bellevue, and released.

She's ready to resume, Your Honor.

People have no more questions.

Great, then I'd like to call my next witness.

Dr. Sopher?
Testifying to what?

Dr. Sopher performed
a neurological exam.

She found my client suffers
from undiagnosed brain trauma.

Oh, please don't tell me,

you're saying she lacked mens rea.

The jury decides her intent.

This testimony can inform the verdict.

Hold on, Counselor.
What are you arguing?

Self-defense?
Battered woman syndrome?

Not guilty due to mental defect?

All of the above.

Unless Mrs. Maxwell
wants to do the right thing,

and drop these charges.

That's not happening, Counselor.

Then I'm allowing, this witness.

Dr. Sopher, as a neuroradiologist,

and a psychiatrist, at Bellevue,

you treated my client?

Yes, her MRI revealed

an alarming number of tau protein deposits

throughout her brain,
specifically along the cortex.

What would that indicate, exactly?

That she'd been suffering from
chronic traumatic encephalopathy,

CTE, for some time.

This was further confirmed after a spinal tap

revealed more tau proteins,

in her cerebral spinal fluid.

Is this uh,

something that could result
from minor concussions,

- or, a few bonks on the head?
- No.

This would only be the result of years,

of traumatic injuries.

I see.

Is it possible, that someone
suffering from this condition,

might be unable to account for,

or, even, remember their actions?

Of course...

That's probably one of the
most significant of the symptoms.

[TENSE MUSIC]

Dr. Sopher, I was under the impression that,

CTE could only be diagnosed by autopsy.

As an official diagnosis, yes, but...

For the record, Mrs. Hackman
is still among the living.

Yes, she is.

And her husband is not.

Nothing further.

Delia, over the past ten years,

how many times would you say,

you'd been struck in the head,
by your husband?

Do you mean with the bat, or, with his fists,

or, like, my head slammed against the wall?

Anytime he hit you in the head.

Five, or six times a year.

He said I had a thick skull,

'cause he only knocked me out a few times.

Over blows to the head.

Did you receive medical
treatment for these injuries?

Well, he would take me to the ER,

if I had to get a bone set,

or, if...

W-when I lost a tooth.

Otherwise, I would just take aspirin.

Do you still have headaches?

- Most days.
- Problems with concentration?

Oh, all the time.

That drove Ty crazy.

- He said I was stupid.
- Dizziness?

- Lack of balance?
- Yes.

So, I got, I gotta be careful with that,

'cause, like, sometimes,

when I stop suddenly,

my head thinks I'm still moving,

so, like, I'll trip down subway stairs, or,

basically, just, you know, clumsy.

What about mood swings,

or, difficulty performing small tasks?

So, this is how the eighth floor looks.

What do you want, Mr. Barba?

An apology from the people of New York,

for bringing this to trial.

Don't push it, Rafael.
We're waving the white flag here.

I'd love this to go to jury.

They'll be back before you
have time for a cup of coffee.

Criminally negligent homicide.

How about misdemeanor as*ault,

with jail time and fines waived?

I've already written my closing arguments.

Have a seat, Mr. Barba.

Hey, how did Ms. Maxwell take the loss?

Eh, she handled it with grace.

And you?

I felt relieved.

Mm.

Don't quote me.

You know, it's one of those things
you hesitate to say out loud.

Like "I love you."

[CHUCKLES]

[SOFT MUSIC]

I do, you know.

- Still nice to hear.
- Mm.

I love you too.

♪ ♪

You showed up.

Last call at Forlini's.

Thank you, for what you did for Delia.

How is she?

Her social worker
is putting a team together...

PT, therapy, cognitive rehab.

And...

Turns out that Ty had a settlement,

from a construction site accident,

which is now hers, so,

all things considered,

she's in a better place.

Unlike the two of us.

You're still holding onto this.

[PENSIVE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

I asked you,

not to defend Wheatley.

And now he's dead.

We've been over this.
I was trying to protect you...

I didn't, ask you to.

No.

I guess you didn't.

I hear you.

Thank you.

What I don't get...

Why you feel more anger at me,

than you ever let yourself
feel toward Stabler.

You don't know anything
about my feelings for Elliot,

and, you don't know him.

I got a glimpse.

I've known him for years,

and, he's always had my back.

And you grew up without
a father to protect you...

- Please don't. Please don't.
- I know how much that means.

I grew up in a home,
in a neighborhood where I got bullied.

We're gonna see him
through different prisms.

This isn't about him.

This is about you and me,

and, how you betrayed me.

I asked you not to defend Wheatley,

and, you did anyway.

We're going around in circles.

You're denying, you're deflecting.

You defend him.

It's all right.
I get it.

That's what you do,

when you love somebody, unconditionally.

Please don't tell me,

how I feel.

In this case, I can,
because I do know what it means

to love someone unconditionally.

When you're ready to stop
feeling betrayed by me,

I'll be here.

Rafa.

What?

I miss you too.

♪ ♪