Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)
Unstable (2009)
Christine Lahti: EADA Sonya Paxton
Quotes
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Detective Nate Kendall : [after Mark Foster dies from falling out of the bathroom window at the precinct] I didn't touch the hump. I'll wait upstairs for lAB.
[walks off]
Olivia Benson : He did it.
Elliot Stabler : Who gives a damn? At least Foster won't be able to rape again.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : Stabler, he also can't testify in court now which leaves Victor Tate stuck in prison.
Elliot Stabler : What are you talking about? We've got new evidence.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : No, it's hearsay.
Elliot Stabler : We have Foster's confession on tape.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : A dead man's confession doesn't meet the rules of evidence or allow cross in front of a jury. It's inadmissible.
Olivia Benson : What about early parole? We can appear on Tate's behalf.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : No, an inmate has to admit guilt before a parole board will let him go.
Elliot Stabler : I just told an innocent man he's getting released.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : Yeah, you jumped the gun.
Elliot Stabler : I'm getting him out of there if I have to hire a lawyer myself.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : You can do that, but it's not gonna change anything. He's still gonna end up serving the whole bid.
Olivia Benson : That's another 15 years, Sonya.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : Look, I don't know what to say. I'm sorry.
[starts to walk off, but Elliot pulls her back]
Elliot Stabler : Tell me what to do.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : Unless you know the governor, there's not a single thing you can do.
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Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : [When Olivia and Elliot are interrogating Mark Foster] The suspect asked for his lawyer and you kept questioning him for 93 seconds. That's a violation of his right to counsel.
Olivia Benson : We'll leave you to your client, Counselor.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : No, no, no, no. I may be wearing couture, but I don't represent scumbags.
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Donald Cragen : Executive ADA Paxton got the first capital conviction when Pataki brought back the death penalty.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : Yes, I did. So when I say, stop playing fast and loose with defendants' rights, that's what you'll do or you won't be working here.
Donald Cragen : That is the Commissioner's decision, Sonya, not yours.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : That's where you're wrong, Don. There have been far too many overturned convictions, especially in the "He said, she said" unit, so Jack McCoy sent me here to clean house. Oh, and One PP thinks it's a really swell idea.
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Olivia Benson : [When Mark Foster is released on bail] So he throws five grand at a bondsman and he's free to murder.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : You know what? Blame the Constitution, okay? You want to be a prosecutor? Go to law school. Or better yet, just do your jobs, guys.
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Elliot Stabler : [to Paxton] Well, no disrespect, but we do things a little differently down here in New York City.
Executive A.D.A. Sonya Paxton : Oh, really? I was trying homicides when you were fresh out of the Academy, walking a beat and trying not to piss yourself.