Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)
Unstable (2009)
Christopher Meloni: Detective Elliot Stabler
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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Elliot Stabler : What if Tate is innocent?
Odafin Tutuola : The man had a fair trial. If he's not the rapist, the entire system failed. Not just you.
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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.
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Detective Nate Kendall : You SVU?
Elliot Stabler : Stabler, Benson.
Detective Nate Kendall : Nate Kendall, the 2-4. Your victim ran into my crime scene.
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Rena West : I knew he was gonna kill me. So when he went in the other room, I just got up, and I was out the door, running for blocks.
Detective Nate Kendall : First smart thing you did.
Olivia Benson : It's not your fault.
Detective Nate Kendall : The hell it's not. Her gut was churning the second he approached her on the street.
Elliot Stabler : You're in the way. Leave.
Rena West : No, no. Nate's right. He--the--the guy was wearing a nice suit, and he was polite, but I knew--I knew that something was off.
Detective Nate Kendall : Only a racist acts afraid of a black guy. That's what you told yourself. And he read you.
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Elliot Stabler : The guy who raped you will rape another woman, and another, and another.
Rena West : I don't care. I'm alive. You said that that's all that matters. So just, just take me home.
Detective Nate Kendall : You aren't going anywhere. The bastard who did you is out hunting his next mark. You're gonna let her get screwed because you're fragile? Park it.
Rena West : I don't think I ca--can do this.
Detective Nate Kendall : There's only one way to find out.
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Detective Nate Kendall : Average height, weight, and build. Round up the usual suspects.
Elliot Stabler : If you knew how to talk to victims, you'd get more facts.
Detective Nate Kendall : Here's one: Victims make lousy witnesses. Hope you catch your man.
Donald Cragen : You're not done yet, detective. I need you to stay with Ms. West.
Detective Nate Kendall : I am not a babysitter.
Donald Cragen : You talk like you have a choice.
Detective Nate Kendall : Sounds like you already boned me with my captain.
Donald Cragen : You're mine until I don't need you anymore.
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Tom Conlon : Spencer? These are Detectives Benson and Stabler. They want to see your footage from yesterday.
Spencer Conlon : I know you. You were in the store.
Olivia Benson : Yes, I was. We just came from there.
Spencer Conlon : Two years ago.
Olivia Benson : Uh, it's possible, but I think I would remember.
Tom Conlon : No, trust me, my brother never forgets a face.
Elliot Stabler : You have an awful lot of surveillance equipment in here.
Tom Conlon : Spencer's autistic, detective. Uh, loud noises and human contact unnerve him. This is his way of being social.
Spencer Conlon : April 12, 2007, 5:28 a.m.
Elliot Stabler : [looking at Olivia] Late night?
Spencer Conlon : I did good, Tommy?
Tom Conlon : You did great, buddy.
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Olivia Benson : Excessive force with a car. Are you out of your mind?
Detective Nate Kendall : You I.D.'d yourself, he ran, period.
Elliot Stabler : Your stunt could have damaged our case.
Detective Nate Kendall : You don't have a case yet.
Olivia Benson : Rena West picked Foster out of a photo array.
Detective Nate Kendall : And it took her 15 minutes to do it. Memory recall is immediate.
Elliot Stabler : Are you saying she's lying?
Detective Nate Kendall : I'm saying Rena thinks it's true, so this whole mess will be over.
Olivia Benson : Badly enough to pick out the wrong perp?
Detective Nate Kendall : She's white. He's black. Cross-race identification isn't reliable.
Elliot Stabler : You know, not all black people look alike.
Odafin Tutuola : Thanks, but you're not a victim. Mistaken I.D.s happen all the time.
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[Benson and Stabler find Kendall berating and manhandling Mrs. Foster in her home]
Elliot Stabler : What the hell are you doing here?
Detective Nate Kendall : I came to get Foster's alibi. Stupid bitch is useless. She was sucking on that pipe when I got here. The kid's filthy. There's no food in the fridge.
Elliot Stabler : That doesn't give you the right to rough her up.
Detective Nate Kendall : She's lucky I didn't shoot her.
Olivia Benson : If you need something to do, why don't you take the little girl to Social Services? Now.
Detective Nate Kendall : [approaching and speaking softly to the girl] My little girl likes cheeseburgers. How about you?