Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Season 7

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present) is a long-running crime drama, part of the popular Law & Order franchise created by Dick Wolf. The show focuses on the Special Victims Unit, a special squad dealing with sex crimes and crimes against children.

Devere:
Some of you might think that Nathan Phelps acted out of simple vengeance. Ted Carthage murdered his mother, so he murdered Ted Carthage. That is what the assistant district attorney will argue. She will tell you that anyone who kills out of retaliation should go to jail. I agree with her. But that is not what my client did. Did he hate Ted Carthage? Absolutely. Did he kill him? Yes. So, if not out of retaliation, what made Nathan do it? This is a new study published in Science magazine. It found that people who have witnessed gun violence are twice as likely, sometimes 3 times as likely, to commit an act of violence themselves. Nathan witnessed Ted Carthage shoot his mother. And just as this study predicts, he reacted with violence. This study equates gun violence with an infectious disease. Anyone exposed to it is infected. Now, you may not agree or like this study. Gun manufacturers don't like it, either. It goes against their mantra: "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." But this study points to something that is almost unspeakable in today's gun culture, and that is that the blame for violence can be directly placed on the gun. Once you see someone squeeze the trigger, it's easier to do it yourself. Nathan saw his mother shot to death in front him, and at that moment he contracted the disease. It wasn't his choice, any more than it is your choice to catch a cold after someone has sneezed on you. Violence is the disease. Guns are the virus. And we have an epidemic on our hands.

[during Ella's arraignment]

Judge Preston:
How do you plead?

Ella:
Not guilty.

Judge Preston:
I'll hear the People on bail.

Novak:
Well, a million has a nice ring to it.

Berger:
Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Novak:
The defendant is a flight risk.

Berger:
To where? Jersey? She's a U.S. citizen.

Novak:
Given the severity of her crimes, and the fact that she killed a baby once before...

Berger:
My client was never charged with that crime. In fact, there was no crime. That fetus was stillborn.

Judge Preston:
Mr. Berger!

Berger:
Your honor, this poor girl lost a child. How dare the People twist that tragic incident to suit their own needs.

Novak:
You have got to be kidding.

Berger:
No! You are. My client doesn't have as much as a parking ticket!

Novak:
I'm sure if she did, she'd just throw it in the trash along with her babies.

Judge Preston:
Oh, all right. That's enough out of both of you. As I believe the defendant is not a threat to anyone but her own offspring, the court is requesting that in exchange for a lower bail amount, she does not get pregnant again before trial.

Berger:
That's unconstitutional!

Judge Preston:
I'm not ordering that she be sterilized, Mr. Berger. [to Ella] But if you do become pregnant again, young lady, you will be found in contempt of this court, and bail will be rescinded.

Berger:
Your honor has no right to legislate procreation.

Judge Preston:
You think you could manage to comply with that order, Miss Christensen?

Ella:
I don't know.

Judge Preston:
Bail is set at 2,000,000, cash or bond. 10-minute recess. [bangs gavel]


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