Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Beautiful Frame (2013)

Mariska Hargitay: Detective Olivia Benson

Quotes 

• Olivia Benson : So, Jessie, aside from Tommy, you were also in a relationship with Michael Provo?

  Jessie Sturgis : He's sort of there when Tommy isn't.

  Nick Amaro : And the black gunman in the town car, he's not real, is he?

  Jessie Sturgis : No, I'm sorry. I made him up. I didn't want Tommy to know.

  Nick Amaro : To know what? That you called Michael three times? That you got in a car with him? Jessie, you weren't raped, were you?

  Jessie Sturgis : I didn't make that part up. I was raped by Michael Provo. I begged him to stop.

• Rafael Barba : [about Jessie after she's arraigned for murder]  We're in someone else's courthouse and it's not our case. She's their defendant.

  Olivia Benson : I know, but she's also our victim.

• Rafael Barba : [to Provo]  You remember Carol McEwan. She made the second 911 call, reporting gunshots that nobody else heard moments before Jessie even got there.

  D.A. Pam James : This is my witness. She's on my list.

  Rafael Barba : She's on mine now. She's going to testify that she was blackmailed by Provo into making a false report.

  Michael Provo : That lying bitch.

  Olivia Benson : Your frame's collapsing, huh, Provo?

• Jessie Sturgis : It's over now? They can't hurt us anymore?

  Nick Amaro : Provo's going away for a very long time.

  Jessie Sturgis : What about the rest of the case? What Michael did to me?

  Nick Amaro : [to Jessie's son, Matthew]  Hey, Matty, why don't you show me that missing tooth, huh?

  [walks off to the side with Matthew] 

  Olivia Benson : Jessie, we had to withdraw charges.

  Jessie Sturgis : What? But he raped me. He beat me. He left me bleeding in the street.

  Olivia Benson : Barba had to make a deal to get you out right away. That was... that was the priority.

  Jessie Sturgis : And the rape never happened?

  Olivia Benson : Legally, no. Jessie, take Matthew home. You won.

• Nick Amaro : [about Jessie]  Raped, put in jail, her kid taken away. I don't know how she held it together.

  Olivia Benson : She did it for her son.

• Odafin Tutuola : [to Olivia]  Liv, when's the last time you heard from Jessie Sturgis?

  Olivia Benson : Jessie, the single mom who was raped in the Meatpacking District.

  Amanda Rollins : Yeah, that was Labor Day Weekend. That still hasn't gone to trial yet, right?

  Nick Amaro : The D.A'.s office hated that case. She was drunk and her story was a mess.

  Olivia Benson : But she was raped.

  Nick Amaro : I'm not arguing that.

  Olivia Benson : She knew her assailant, I remember. She was afraid that her boyfriend would find out.

  Odafin Tutuola : Okay, her boyfriend, Tommy, last night, Jessie was arrested for killing him. A.D.A. Barba wants to see us now.

• Olivia Benson : [while going over the case with Barba]  Four months ago, Jessie Sturgis was raped by a Michael Provo.

  Nick Amaro : Provo's side, it was consensual sex and she lied 'cause she was afraid of her boyfriend.

  Rafael Barba : Tommy Bandolce. The guy that Jessie's accused of murdering last night?

  Nick Amaro : Right.

  Rafael Barba : That's why Ms. James wants to see your case. She wants background on Jessie. She's also worried Provo was falsely accused.

  Olivia Benson : Did she tell you that Michael Provo is a CI for their office, helped make her the DA? She's just looking to protect her own.

  Rafael Barba : Didn't come up. Either way, she wants us to open our kimono.

  Odafin Tutuola : Excuse me?

  Amanda Rollins : She wants to see all of our casework, all the D.A.'s files.

  Olivia Benson : So she can build a case against Jessie. I assume you told her no.

  Rafael Barba : Detective, there's a protocol among D.A.'s. I can't just say no.

• Jessie Sturgis : [to Olivia and Amaro]  So you can prove it? That Michael killed Tommy and set this whole thing up?

  Nick Amaro : Our D.A.'s adding conspiracy and murder to Provo's rape charge.

  Jessie Sturgis : Oh, thank God. Can I go home tonight? My boy's in foster care.

  Olivia Benson : See, Jessie, that's the bad news, is that the Suffolk County D.A. won't drop the charges.

  Jessie Sturgis : Why? That's impossible. Michael did it.

  Nick Amaro : We believe you were framed. They think you did it. It's two separate counties, two separate trials.

  Jessie Sturgis : This is insane. He raped me, killed Tommy, put me in here. You're telling me you can't get me out? What if they convict me?

  Olivia Benson : We're building your case, we're working with your defense team. The D.A. will not give up. I just... we just need you to hang in there a little longer, okay?

  Jessie Sturgis : Just hang in there? Get out. Leave.

  [yells] 

  Jessie Sturgis : Get out!

  [Olivia and Amaro leave] 

• Eddie Baker : [when Amaro and Olivia arrive to Carol's house]  Who the hell are you?

  Nick Amaro : Looking for Carol McEwan.

  Eddie Baker : Yeah, what do you want with her?

  Olivia Benson : Carol, can we speak with you privately, please?

  Eddie Baker : No.

  Carol McEwan : We're married ten years. I'm more comfortable with my husband here.

  Nick Amaro : Okay, we're here...

  Carol McEwan : I know why you're here. My 911 call. The D.A. told me not to talk to anyone before I testify, not even cops.

  Nick Amaro : Okay, but, uh, you live a half hour from the crime scene. You just happened to be driving by that night?

  Carol McEwan : I was taking a shortcut to meet my husband. It was our anniversary.

  Eddie Baker : Okay? Good-bye. Go back to the city. She got nothing else to say to you.

  Olivia Benson : Carol, please.

  Carol McEwan : No, I'm sorry.

  Olivia Benson : If you're scared of Michael Provo...

  [Eddie shuts the door in their face] 

• Carol McEwan : [When Amaro and Olivia approach Carol]  I'm not supposed to talk to you.

  Olivia Benson : Says who? Your husband or Michael Provo?

  Nick Amaro : You know you could be charged with perjury for lying in front of a jury?

  Carol McEwan : Who said I was going to lie?

  Nick Amaro : You told us you heard shots on the way to your anniversary dinner, but it turns out you two are common law.

  Carol McEwan : So what? I didn't say it was a wedding anniversary.

  Olivia Benson : No, it was another kind of anniversary. It's been a year since Eddie was paroled from prison.

  Nick Amaro : Where Michael Provo helped to send him.

  Carol McEwan : So you know we don't owe him anything.

  Nick Amaro : Except we checked and Eddie was supposed to do 15 years upstate. Instead, he does five in Queensboro Correctional in Long Island City. That's a lot closer to your house.

  Carol McEwan : He got time off for good behavior.

  Nick Amaro : Yeah, after Michael Provo got the D.A. to intercede on his behalf. See, we know Provo's M.O. He was having a relationship with you while your husband was away.

  Carol McEwan : You can't prove that.

  Olivia Benson : Carol, it's what he does. He takes advantage of women who are already in trouble.

  Carol McEwan : I love my husband.

  Nick Amaro : Did Provo threaten to tell Eddie about your affair?

  Carol McEwan : I'm Eddie's whole world. If he finds out, he'll kill me, then he'll kill himself.

  Olivia Benson : And we don't want to have to tell him, but there's an innocent woman who's looking at 25 to life.

  Carol McEwan : So you're gonna blackmail me into doing what's right? Who's taking advantage of who now?

• D.A. Pam James : Mr. Barba, you have to understand, these allegations come as a complete shock to me. You can be assured that my office will conduct a thorough investigation.

  Rafael Barba : I've no doubt you will.

  Amanda Rollins : And in the meantime, all your charges against Jessie can be dropped.

  D.A. Pam James : Due diligence first, Detective.

  Olivia Benson : Due diligence? I'd call it saving face. Jessie Sturgis is innocent. She has a child in foster care.

  Rafael Barba : More to the point, once I get Mr. Provo convicted of conspiracy, every one of your cases he was involved with will be under the microscope. So will your office. Think about what that means, Pam.

  D.A. Pam James : Don't threaten me. Either of you.

  Rafael Barba : Counselor, no threat was intended.

• Jessie Sturgis : You're the one who talked me into pressing charges. Why haven't you arrested him yet?

  Olivia Benson : We just want to make sure that there aren't any surprises.

  Jessie Sturgis : Am I on trial or is he?