MARISKA HARGITAY, ICE-T, DANNY PINO AND KELLI GIDDISH OF “LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” TO HOST “NO MORE EXCUSES” MARATHON ON USA NETWORK

USA Network Press Release
April 24, 2014

MARISKA HARGITAY, ICE-T, DANNY PINO AND KELLI GIDDISH OF 

“LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” 

TO HOST “NO MORE EXCUSES” MARATHON ON USA NETWORK

NEW YORK – April 24 , 2014 – In an effort to increase awareness and help stop domestic violence and sexual assault, USA Network has teamed up with Mariska Hargitay’s Foundation, Joyful Heart, the NO MORE campaign, and the cast of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” to hold a 16-hour “No More Excuses” marathon on Sunday, April 27 from 10am-2am ET. Mariska Hargitay, Ice T, Danny Pino and Kelly Giddish will host custom wraps throughout the marathon, which will also feature star-studded PSAs that say “NO MORE” to domestic violence and sexual assault.

“I am grateful to USA for their courage, vision and generosity in joining us to say NO MORE to domestic violence and sexual assault,” said Mariska Hargitay. “Being part of NO MORE from the beginning has been a great privilege. Society continues to misplace shame and blame on survivors – both women and men. That has to end. NO MORE confronts the myths and excuses that perpetuate domestic violence and sexual assault. I am filled with confidence and renewed determination that, together, we can and will put an end to this violence.”

NO MORE is a public awareness movement focused on sexual assault prevention. Supported by the major national and local organizations working to address these urgent issues, the goal of the NO MORE PSA campaign is to help normalize the conversation and break the social stigma surrounding domestic violence and sexual assault. By increasing visibility and fostering more dialogue, NO MORE seeks to change social norms, improve public policies, and generate more resources dedicated to prevention. More information is available at www.nomore.org.

In addition to the current cast, former and guest “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” stars appearing in the televised spots include: Shohreh Aghdashloo, Maria Bello, Andre Braugher, Dann Florek, Marcia Gay Harden, Peter Hermann, David Marciano, Chris Meloni, Debra Messing, and Blair Underwood. [See the promo listed below.]

The 16-episode marathon will address various themes including domestic violence, sexual assault in the military, teen dating violence and child sexual abuse. During each episode, viewers will be encouraged to seek out additional information and resources online, including national help hotlines to speak with trained counselors and advocates. Throughout the day, USA, the Joyful Heart Foundation, and NO MORE also will use social media platforms to encourage conversation and inspire greater action to stop and prevent domestic violence and sexual assault.

Created by Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” now in its fifteenth season, is the longest-running primetime drama currently on television. This hard-hitting and emotional series from NBC's "Law & Order" brand chronicles the life and crimes of the Special Victims Unit of the New York City Police Department, an elite squad of detectives who investigate sexually based crimes. The series stars Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Danny Pino, Kelli Giddish and Raul Esparza.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is a Wolf Films production in association with Universal Television. Dick Wolf is creator and executive producer; Warren Leight, Julie Martin and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.

The Joyful Heart Foundation, created by Hargitay, has a mission is to heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, and to shed light into the darkness that surrounds these issues. For more information, please visit: http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/



The #1 network in all of basic cable for an unprecedented eight straight years, USA Network is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes. USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals, spectacular live television and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at www.usanetwork.com.



EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS:

10:00AM A SINGLE LIFE – Cragen (Florek) and Benson (Hargitay) find it easy to identify with a young woman, as they both have ghosts of their own from which they must escape. Guest Stars include Dennis Boutsikaris, Laila Robins and Paul Hecht.

11:00AM ASUNDER – The truth behind the alleged rape of a woman by her police officer husband comes to light when a history of domestic abuse is uncovered. Nestor Serrano guest stars.

12:00PM CONSENT – A college girl is raped during a frat party, but can’t remember anything that happened. The detectives then discover that she had a date rape drug in her system, leaving the detectives with many suspects and accomplices. Guest stars include Tammy Blanchard and Chris Beetem

1:00PM SILENCE – When Detectives Benson (Hargitay) and Stabler (Meloni) are called to the scene of a murder in a church, they find that Bobby Douglas (Sean Dugan), the young man responsible for the crime, had been receiving payoffs from the church to cover up his sexual abuse by a priest. Eric Stoltz also guest stars.

2:00 PM BROTHERHOOD – A local fraternity pledge master is sodomized and murdered, which the detectives link to a pornographic website that features college girls at a local bar. The investigation later re-focuses on ceremonies held for prospective pledges in the fraternity, even though the members won’t talk. Gary Cole guest stars.

3:00 PM PTSD – The murder of a marine, along with the removal of her baby from her womb, puts the unit at odds with the Navy JAG Corps when it fights to keep the case. Skeptical of JAG’s handling of the case to date, Fin (Ice-T) and Benson (Hargitay) press forward with their investigation, even as Olivia’s flashbacks of her own assault impede it and put a suspect at risk. Guest stars include Ryan Kwanten and Frank Whaley.

4:00 PM BURNED – Stabler (Meloni) thinks a possible rape victim is enhance her divorce settlement. But Benson (Hargitay) thinks it’s a sign of her husband’s escalating violence and believes that Stabler’s judgment is clouded because of his divorce. Guest stars include Blair Underwood, Tiffany Evans and Michael Michele.

5:00 PM CRUSH – A teenage girl who sent text messages containing nude pictures of herself is found beaten up. She faces a harsh sentence from a judge, after being arrested for producing and distributing child pornography. Guest stars include Carly Schroeder and Ezra Miller.

6:00PM BEHAVE – Detectives Benson (Hargitay) and Stabler (Meloni) find their hands tied when a victim of multiple rapes refuses the rape kit because of the terror of her circumstances. Benson is determined to help and presses forward with the investigation, finally unearthing a lead in Los Angeles that might produce some peace for her victim. Skeet Ulrich guest stars.

7:00 PM PERSONAL FOULS – As Coach Ray Masters (Dan Lauria) is inducted to be the Metro Basketball Hall of Fame by former students Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh, an ex-player accuses the coach of sexually abusing him as a child. The detectives interview former players, but no one admits to abuse, forcing Benson (Hargitay) and Fin (Ice-T) to dig deeper into Coach Ray’s most successful player, basketball star Prince Miller (Mehcad Brooks) and his manager/cousin. Aaron Tveit also stars.

8:00PM CRIMINAL HATRED – The SVU detectives go undercover to arrest a man who targets and brutally attacks other men. They gather enough evidence for ADA Barba (Esparza) to file charges, but the case begins to spiral as he contends with a deceptively tough defense attorney. Nia Vardalos guest stars.

9:00PM TROPHY – While investigating a serial rapist and killer case, an interview with a victim’s daughter leads Benson (Hargitay) to believe that she may be looking for her own biological father. Guest stars include Tonya Glanz, R. Lee Ermey and Maria Bello.

10:00PM PERSONA – All of Benson (Hargitay) and Stabler’s (Meloni) work exposing the truth surrounding a false rape report may be lost when the victim recants her testimony, and Olivia’s attempt to keep the woman safe exposes a deeper and more heartbreaking secret, causing the presiding judge to take a personal interest in the case.

11:00PM LESSON'S LEARNED – A professor’s unusual encounter with Detective Amaro (Pino) sends the SVU on an investigation into reports of sexual abuse at a prestigious private school. Stonewalled by the school board, Detective Benson (Hargitay) enlists ADA Barba (Esparza) and a retired teacher to help reveal a massive cover-up as more and more victims emerge. Elliott Gould and Charles Grodin guest star.

12:00AM GIRL DISHONORED – Benson (Hargitay) and the other detectives investigate the alleged rape of a sorority pledge on a college campus. As the detectives pursue the case, they unearth a widespread university culture of school administrators and students that look the other way instead of protecting their own. Colby Minifie guest stars.

1:00AM LEGITIMATE RAPE – A popular sports reporter seeks out Detective Benson (Hargitay) to accuse a cameraman of rape and stalking, and eventually the victim learns she is pregnant as result of the rape. As the case proceeds, the defense uses controversial tactics in its efforts to persuade the jury. Guest stars include Lauren Cohan and David Marciano.





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