Law & Order SVU “Mea Culpa” Recap & Review

Law & Order SVU “Mea Culpa,” (or as I call it: "Peter Stone - A Series of Unfortunate Events") directed by Mariska Hargitay, is one of those episodes that is sure to give fans plenty to talk about. The episode centered on Stone and a woman that surfaced from his past who accused him of rape. It was a given that he wouldn’t be guilty of such a heinous act, so there was no suspense there. But this meant the drama had to be manufactured elsewhere.

It just so happens that Stone and the SVU are in the middle of a “he said/she said” case, and Stone quickly finds himself in the same predicament. A baseball fan from Chicago, who saw Stone play baseball there, just so happens to spot Stone outside the courthouse and they decide to go for drinks. While there, it just so happens that Stone is approached by yet another woman who slaps him and accuses him of rape during the time he was playing baseball. This is quite a series of coincidences that have lined up to create problems for Stone.

At some point, Stone drinks too much and winds up in Fin’s apartment and sleeping on the sofa. Stone explains to Fin the accusation of rape and strongly denies doing this. (Side note: Ice-T doesn’t drink coffee but at least Fin apparently has a coffee maker in his apartment.)  Rather than let sleeping dogs lie, Stone wants Fin to help him get to the truth. Tracking down a fellow baseball player, Reggie, they find the name of the woman who accused Stone of rape, but Fin hits a wall with Sarah, the accuser. Stone continues to work the original case with Benson. She gives him the “what woman wouldn’t want to go through the trauma of a rape investigation, a trial, just for kicks” speech. As a result, he later confides in her, thus bringing even more problems on himself when he asks her to open an investigation. I find myself yelling “FOOL!” out loud. This is the crux of my problem with this episode. I understand Stone wanting to know the truth but it is obvious that Sarah did not want to dredge up the past to the point of an investigation. Maybe her slapping Stone in the bar was enough closure for her?   I can understand Stone wanting to get at the truth to clear his own conscience and his name, but I am not sure that he and Benson thought this fully through, as their actions had consequences.

We also hear a few times about what is SVU’s job: Stone tells Benson it is her job to believe the victim, and later, Carisi tells Rollins that it is their job to believe survivors. It sounds to me that the writers of this episode are speaking to the viewers here, trying to emphasize how this fictional SVU works. In my opinion, I always saw the SVU as advocates for victims, but in the earlier years of SVU, they usually looked at each case with an objective lens. I don’t think this happens anymore; in fact, Carisi seems guilty about believing Stone. This is one of those cases where maybe Benson should have looked at this case with an open mind,  and suggest that as Sarah didn’t want to pursue the issue that Stone should let it go. There is believing the victim, but there also needs to be a highly credible story or evidence. Clearly neither Stone nor Sarah can recall everything that happened that night, and in those cases, whom does one believe when there is no evidence and completely opposite stories? Would Peter Stone even take a rape case like this if it didn’t involve himself?  If the victim, who is of the age of consent, says to drop the matter, should this stop SVU from investigating further?

When Benson decides to investigate the matter with Sarah  (why it couldn’t be Carisi doing the questioning I don’t know),  Sarah’s husband Gary just so happens to come home unexpectedly. Benson can’t think fast enough for a cover story for Sarah, so Sarah is basically forced to spill the beans to Gary. He decides to press charges. Can someone with real life legal experience explain to me how a person can press charges, on behalf of another, for a crime committed against another person? Sarah probably went along with it to keep the peace with her husband but ultimately isn’t it her decision? This whole mess would not have happened had Benson either decided to meet with Sarah in a neutral spot or come up quickly with a cover story when her husband entered so Sarah had some time to decide whether to tell him or not.

But wait, there's more! The situation gets uglier when Gary confronts Stone in a bar and holds him hostage at gunpoint.  (Here is the drama they had to manufacture.)   Benson arrives on the scene. Why would SVU be called for a hostage situation and how did she get there so quickly? She notices Sarah and their daughter are standing nearby – wow, these people found out what was happening and can move around the city with lightning speed – and Benson announces to the borough commander that this is her case and she takes over. Benson facilitates Gary letting Stone go, she’s the hero!

Later, Benson wonders if Sarah and Gary’s daughter may not be Gary’s, as the timing is right and Stone wasn’t the only one there that fateful night. She tricks Reggie into agreeing to lie for Stone. She uses his willingness for perjury and a potential DNA test on Sarah’s daughter to put a squeeze Reggie and get him to implicate himself. She arrests him and Benson is the hero AGAIN! (Note: the daughter WAS Gary’s.)    Did Benson go at it alone with Reggie?  No one else seemed to be there to back her up during her questioning and  his arrest.  That is risky on many levels.  He could flee or he could have denied admitting anything to her.   Seeing that she works with Stone, Reggie could have claimed she set him up and or lied about his admission as she has a conflict of interest.

If anything, this experience may make Stone even more reluctant to take on a "he said/she said" case, and maybe even STOP DRINKING.

When we weren’t seeing Benson save the day, we also discover that Al has asked Rollins to move in with him (not marry him) and she’s thinking about it. Carisi touches Rollin’s pregnant belly -  yes I know they are friends - and this could be considered inappropriate behavior for the workplace. And yes, we did see  the inside of Fin's apartment but it's not the first or only time as some have reported or implied.

By the way, this was Peter Scanavino’s 100th episode as Sonny Carisi, and his 101st with the series. (He appeared as another character in “Monster’s Legacy” in 2013.)  It would be wonderful to give this talented man a more substantial story line.  I've liked his character from day one and wish that they'd work harder  to showcase Peter.

Here is the recap:

Stone is at a bail hearing, and gets remand for the defendant. Afterwards, he and Carisi speak with the victim, Alicia, and after she leaves, Carisi is surprised that Stone got a remand on a “he said/she said.” Carisi suggests they get a beer but Stone passes, saying he is trying to slow it down. After they part ways, Stone heads to a food cart and is recognized by a woman who knows he pitched for the Cubs. She is excited, saying her dad took her to every game. She has to call her dad, then suggests they go for a drink. He agrees, and hands the hot dog back to the vendor, telling her he knows a place around the corner.

Meanwhile, Rollins is in an expensive, fancy restaurant with Dr. Al Pollack. She comments on the truffle sauce and they talk about food they ate in Georgia. They talk about the selections on the dessert menu and he calls over the waiter and asks for one of every dessert on the menu and coffee (“decaf for the lady”). She says a girl can get used to this. He comments he has something to ask her, adding “a commitment I have never made before." He places what looks like a ring box on the table and Rollins looks pleasantly surprised, and says when she said he was happy…he asks her to hear him out. She opens the box and sees a key, and he asks her to move in with him. She smiles.

Stone and the woman are in the bar and he gets up to get another drink. While he is at the bar, a blonde woman walks up to him, stunned, and asks what he is doing in New York. She comments that he doesn’t remember him, and when he says he doesn’t, she slaps him. She said, “You raped me, you son of a bitch.” Stone is stunned.


The next morning, Stone wakes up, looking blurry-eyed at Fin, who is reaching out to him with a cup of coffee and saying good morning. Stone had been sleeping on the couch in Fin’s apartment. Stone thanks him for the coffee and comments Fin has a nice place. Fin asks if he even remembers how he got there. Stone replies barely, he must have been in bad shape. Fin tells Stone he was messed up, and asks what happened last night. Stone asks what did he say, and Fin says that Stone said he was accused of rape. Stone explains he ran into a woman that he didn’t recognize at first. She looked at him like she’d seen a ghost, and then she hit him and accused him of assaulting her. Fin asks, “Did you?” and Stone testily replies no. He adds that twelve years ago, there was a late season game against the Mets. A few of the guys decided to go to the bar after. There was this woman there – the one that slapped him – he was drunk, they all were. A few of them decided to go back to his hotel room and things got a little crazy. He remembers he and she were going at it hot and heavy and he woke up, in his bed, alone. Everyone was gone. He called her the next day and she said, “Try to talk to me again and I’m going to the police.” Fin asks if she did, and Stone explains he was never contacted. Fin confirms that Stone is telling him that he was drinking and he was acting crazy, asking if Stone is sure that this is all that happened and he’s not lying to him? Fin emphatically adds “Don’t lie to me man, tell me the truth.” Stone insists he is telling the truth, he is not lying to him. He might not remember everything, but he knows he didn’t rape anyone. He says he needs to talk to her and find out what is going on.

At the SVU, Benson speaks with Alicia about her statements, who still can’t remember much about that night. They know from her blood alcohol content she was not able to give consent. Bensons says if she recalls anything more to give them a call. After she leaves, Benson tells Rollins to have TARU go over any security footage from her apartment that shows she was incapacitated.

At the Drag Bunt Bar on Friday, November 9, Stone arrives with Fin and meets with a friend, Reggie Gregg. Fin introduces himself. Stone asks if Reggie remembers August 2006, saying he had a no-hitter going until Reggie stepped up to the plate. Fin explains they are trying to locate a blonde woman, named Sarah, who came to the bar afterward. There was another woman with her with big brown eyes and they went back to the hotel room. Reggie says he remembers everything. Reggie shows him a photo of the woman with the big brown eyes, Wanda, and says he married her and they have two kids. Fin asks if she is still in contact with Sarah.

Later, Fin shows Stone a photo of Sarah Kent who lives in Bushwick, and Stone is sure that is her. Fin asks Stone if he is sure he wants him to talk to her, and Stone is; whatever she thinks she did, she is wrong. He asks Fin not to tell Benson…yet.

At the Kent residence in Bushwick, Brooklyn on Friday, November 9, Fin speaks with Sarah and when he asks if she knows Peter Stone, she looks concerned. A man calls out and asks who is it, and she says it is a Jehovah’s Witness. She steps outside and says she knows Stone and doesn’t ever want to hear that name again. She goes inside and shuts the door. Fin looks into a window and sees Sarah sit down in the kitchen with her husband and child.

Back at SVU in the break room, Carisi comments he is going to the deli but sees Rollins eating leftover steak. She comments Al over-orders. She says he asked her to move in with him. Carisi comments he hopes she told him no, and she said she will think about it. Carisi asks that she trusts him now, after he lied to her? She doesn’t know what she wants, but she doesn’t want her and this new baby, and Jesse and Frannie all crammed into her tiny apartment. Carisi asks if he is going to marry her and Rollins says no, if she wanted the “why buy the cow” speech she would call her mother. Carisi says she deserves to be happy and taken care of, and Rollins argues that people can change. He says he will believe it when he sees it, and adds he is going to get her some ginger ale as that steak will give her indigestion.

At the courthouse with Benson and Stone, Alicia asks when does she testify, and Stone explains soon, and she will be great. Benson states they have a room where she can wait in, and Carmen leads her there. Benson asks Stone if he prepped her testimony, and he replies “Backwards and forwards.” Benson wonders if she will do alright on the stand, and Stone hopes so; there is a lot she doesn’t remember and the defense will go after her hard. Benson asks what about a plea, and he explains they already tried to get the case dismissed, alleging the defendant was too drunk to consent. Benson comments, “And she raped him. So what, she’s making this all up? Because what woman wouldn’t want to go through the trauma of a rape investigation, a trial, just for kicks.” They glare at each other and Benson says, “He’s guilty, Peter.” He looks at her uncomfortably and Benson asks if he is okay. He pauses and says yeah, he is fine, just trouble sleeping.

At Supreme Court Part 33 on Tuesday, November 13, Alicia testifies about her assault. She does not recall the assault itself, and the defendant, Roger Madden, pipes up and is admonished by the judge. She says she would have never consented to sex. The defense cross examines and paints Alicia in a bad light, and questions that she may not remember that she consented. She gets upset says she is here because if she can face the man who raped her, and if she can get justice, she can get her life back. Stone looks reflective.

Later, Stone shows up at Benson’s apartment and he explains he has been accused of sexual assault. Benson looks shocked, and he explains it was 12 years ago, he was drunk. He knows in his bones, heart, and soul that he did not rape this woman. Benson comments the woman said he did, asking why. He doesn’t know, but no matter how drunk he was, that is not who he is. He swears to god he did not do this. He asks if she believes him, and he says she does, but it is not that simple. He comments it is because it is her job to believe her, and she replies it is her job to hear her side of the story, to find out the truth. If he wants someone to make this go away, he came to the wrong person. He insists he is not asking her to make this go away, he wants the truth too. He is not asking for absolution, he is asking her to open an investigation. Benson nods.

Back in the SVU break room, Fin comments to Rollins and Carisi that the way things are now, they are now looking through their past with a whole new prism. Carisi defends Stone and Fin comments they were all young and stupid. Rollins thinks age has nothing to do with it. The all argue whether Stone did it, Carisi saying no chance. Rollins thinks this sucks, and Carisi says a busload of nuns could say Stone was in Albuquerque at the time of the rape and still in the back of his mind he would wonder, did he, saying that is what sucks. Fin says, “And we know it.”

Meanwhile, Benson approaches Sarah outside her home, and when Sarah balks, Benson says a crime has been reported and she has to investigate it. She explains Stone asked her to investigate. Sarah asks that this isn’t going away, and Benson nods. Sarah invites Benson inside. She explains what happened that night, and she explains she doesn’t remember and asks Benson to drop it. Sarah’s husband, Gary, comes home unexpectedly and Sarah explains it is about her and she is not going to press charges. Benson explains Sarah may have been sexually assaulted. Gary asks if she knows who did it, and he says they will do whatever it takes to put the son of a bitch in jail forever.

At SVU, Carisi is in the locker room when Rollins enters and says Benson is bringing in Sarah Kent. Carisi looks upset and says that it is their job to believe survivors and start from there but on this one, he believes Stone. Rollins says he is allowed to feel that way, but he doesn’t think he is. She comments that he may be right about moving in with Al, it is not her style, mentioning his Japanese toilet. He tells her not to listen to her, do what is right for her and her children, touching her pregnant belly, adding the Japanese toilets are pretty spectacular. They see Benson leading in Sarah and Gary.

Inside, Sarah explains to Benson and Rollins that her husband was on a trip when it happened. She says she and Stone were having fun and flirting and decided to go to his hotel. She recalls kissing him but then says he became different, he was not as nice. One of the guys – she does not recall who – was on the bed and thinks she passed out. She woke up naked and knows she had sex and Stone was on the bed and she did not say yes. She insists she did not want to have sex and would never do that to Gary. She and her husband are happy now.

Meanwhile, Carisi and Gary talk and Gary laments that Sarah never told her. He says he was golfing at the time and he can never forgive himself. Gary says she would never cheat on him.

At Stone’s office in the hall, Fin asks Benson if she is okay and when she says nothing, he asks if she wants him to do it. She asks, “Like it’s any easier for you?” They enter Stone's office and Benson tells Stone that Sarah said he raped her and the husband wants to press charges. Benson says her story is credible, and he asks what about his story; he knows he didn’t rape anybody. Benson says there were two people in that room and she wasn’t there. Stone comments that Benson said she believed him, and Fin gives a look to Benson. She replies that she also believes her and if he was anyone else they wouldn’t be having this conversation. Stone testily says, “So that’s it. You just gonna arrest me now?” Benson looks to Fin and then tells Stone she has to. Fin asks if he wants to call a lawyer, and Stone glares and says he is a lawyer. Benson asks how he wants to do this, and Stone gets up, grabs his jacket, and storms past them and leaves his office. They follow.

At SVU, Carisi tells Benson that Stone has been released ROR. She’s heard. Carisi asks if Sarah will testify and Benson says if she wants to stay married she is. Benson says she hates every minute of this too but they don’t get to pick and choose who they investigate. Carisi comments that Stone denies this and they owe him the benefit of the doubt, and Benson counters what do they owe Sarah? What Sarah describes was assault – not reporting, guilt, her marriage falling apart. Carisi questions she said her marriage was falling apart, and when Benson said Sarah said they were going through a rough patch, Carisi says the husband told him they were madly in love. Benson begins to wonder.

Meanwhile, Stone is in a bar and finds himself sitting next to Gary, who introduces himself. Stone says he didn’t know she was married and says he didn’t do anything to his wife. Gary is getting agitated, saying Stone was a ball player and that’s what they do. Stone tries to excuse himself and Gary says the least he can go is have a drink with him. Stone agrees, and Gary talks about how he and Sarah met. Stone does not look comfortable as Gary keeps going on about his wife and how Stone took her. The bartender also looks worried and intervenes. Gary leaps up and screams that Stone played for the Cubs and when Stone says nobody cares, Gary shouts HE cares. He screams Stone raped his wife. The bartender says this is enough, and when Stone says he is going to go, Gary pulls out a gun and orders Stone to sit down and shut up. Stone complies and Gary tells everyone else to get out, saying he and the guy who raped is wife are going to have a heart to heart. As Gary goes on, Stone says he may be a dick but he is not a rapist. Gary argues with Stone that his wife didn’t hop into bed of her own free will and Stone says he doesn’t remember. Gary continue to argue with Stone and he cries and says his wife is a goddess. Stone tells him to be smart and let the justice system work this out, but Gary says it is too late for justice, he wants revenge. He wants a world where his little girl feels safe and without guys like him. A bar phone rings and Stone says that is probably the cops. Stone ties to talk Gary down and lets Stone answer the phone.

Benson has arrived on the scene and hears what is going on, Sarah has also arrived and Benson allows them to come through. Benson takes them to the borough commander and she introduces herself, saying this is her case, and explains who Sarah is. Benson convinces the commander to let Sarah speak with Gary and puts her on the phone.

Meanwhile, inside, Gary tells Stone to answer the phone and he does so and hands it to Gary. Sarah says she loves him and they will get through this and begs him not to hurt anybody. She puts her daughter on the line as well,  who speaks to her father and then hands the phone back to Sarah. Gary tells her he has to go and orders Stone to hang up the phone. Sarah tells Benson he hung up. Gary is upset Sarah brought Emma and Stone tries to use this to diffuse the situation. Gary leaves the bar with his hands up. The police take him away and Stone comes out with the gun, saying nothing happened, and places it on the ground. Benson takes a deep breath.

Back at SVU, a pensive Benson is at her desk when Fin enters, saying he spoke with the 2-7 and heard the gun is registered to someone on Gary’s construction crew and it was not loaded. Benson comments that Stone didn’t know that, and he is not pressing charges. When Benson says he is a good guy, Fin adds he could be headed to prison for rape 1. Benson reminds him Stone asked him to investigate. Carisi enters and says the Department of Health is on line 1. Benson picks up the phone and says that was fast, asking what date Emma Kent was born.

Later, Benson is in Sarah’s home looking at a wedding picture and Benson brings up Emma’s birth date – 8 months after she was assaulted. Sarah explains they were trying so hard to have a baby and were in a bad place. They were all partying that night, and she, Wanda, and Reggie went back to Stone’s hotel room. Wanda went home and she woke up in bed in the hotel room with Stone and her clothes were off. She wanted that night to disappear and six weeks later she had a positive pregnancy test. She sobs and says she did not have a DNA test, she loves Gary so much and he wanted a baby so bad she could not tell him about that night. She is sure it was Stone, he was the only one in the room when she woke up and it had to be him.

Later, in a restaurant, Benson speaks with Reggie who is shocked at Stone possibly going to prison. Benson says Sarah tells a convincing story and when Reggie questions if that is enough, she says it is. It could be different if somebody – like Reggie – says she consented. He says she wants him to commit perjury, and Benson counters that she knows those guys cover for each other, the road trips and what the wives and girlfriends done know. She states all he has to say is he heard Sarah consent before he left the hotel room and that way Stone would have a fighting chance. She adds that unfortunately in this day and age, without his fib, he is going to lose. She tells him to think of all the ball players who covered for him over his entire career. He seems to agree and she says that is a start. She says all they have to do is wait for the DNA test, saying she hopes that Stone is not the father of Sarah’s daughter. She comments the timing is spot on; her husband couldn’t get her pregnant. She gives him a look and he finally gets it. He sits back and says, “You know.” She replies she knows what a guy who is willing to commit perjury in a rape case thinks about women. She asks that Stone passed out, didn’t he? Reggie replies no, Sarah was all over HIM, and he did not rape her either. Benson leans in and tells him Sarah was so drunk she didn’t know what was going on, what do you call that? She orders him to stand up and turn around, and she cuffs him and says he is under arrest for rape in the first degree.

Later, Stone is overlooking the city skyline from the shoreline, and Benson approaches, saying Reggie is taking a deal with the DA’s office. The charges against Stone have been dropped. He comments that doesn’t let him off the hook; he took Sarah to his hotel room and his friend assaulted her. Benson assure him he couldn’t have known. Benson explains that the DNA test says Gary is the father although Sarah has been terrified all these years. She thought Stone was the father. He steps away and Benson says she is sorry for everything he went through and is sorry it seemed like she doubted him. He tells her not to be, that is why he works with her. He adds when all the noise was coming at him, there was a moment he doubted himself. He walks away and sighs, leaving Benson standing by the shoreline as we fade to black.

Cast:
Mariska Hargitay - Lieutenant Olivia Benson
Ice-T - Sergeant Odafin “Fin” Tutuola
Kelli Giddish - Detective Amanda Rollins
Peter Scanavino - Detective Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, Jr.
Philip Winchester – ADA Peter Stone

Guest stars:
George Newbern - Dr. Al Pollack
Alexandra Breckenridge - Sarah Kent
Kevin Kane - Gary Kent
Tessa Albertson – Alicia Beck
Austin Peck - Reggie Gregg
Meredith Holsman –
Shawn Parsons - Roger Madden
Eddie Hargitay - Eddie Montero
Inga Schlingman – Leanne Rose
Mary Hodges – Judge Anita Wright
Lauren Noble – Carmen
Cedric D. Cannon – Borough Commander Ray Bryant
Nathaniel Floyd Peart – Bartender
Jacopo Rampini – Waiter
Carly Connors – Emma Kent





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