Law & Order SVU “Ballad of Dwight And Irena” Recap & Review

The “Ballad of Dwight And Irena” was a song that I’ve heard before too  many times: an abusive man is killed and a child  takes the rap to help protect his mother. (Sometimes it’s the reverse – the parent covers for the child.)  In this case, it was Will, the verbally and physically abused vegan boy who first confessed. The vegan revelation was a tip-off that he didn't do it as a vegan would NEVER kill anything (sarcasm intended).  Seriously now,  this episode was too predictable.  I was more interested in the lawsuit against Fin which was peppered throughout the episode,  just enough to break the momentum of the case surrounding Dwight’s not-so-accidental death.  

A pet peeve of mine is the SVU getting involved in a homicide case.   I don’t know how blurred the lines are in reality in Manhattan, but it seems to me that a murder case – or any “death by misadventure” - would normally be handled by homicide.  In an investigation for that type of case,  I suspect that the SVU would get involved to shed light on allegations of abuse, but not lead the investigation of the death.  Maybe if someone from homicide had led the questioning with Irena or Will  the truth would have come out sooner.  Irena was being given bad advice by her lawyer, but the fact that Irena let her son go to trial as an adult is pretty messed up. As disgusting (and verbally abusive and controlling) as Counselor Calabrese was, he was 100% correct – Carisi and Benson were handing Irena a get out of jail free card.  The SVU seemed to be working harder to prove Irena or Will were justified in killing Dwight than they were in determining if a murder was committed.  I still wonder if one was.

We get closure on the lawsuit filed against Fin and the NYPD for the shooting of Leon Fuller in the episode “The Things We Have To Lose” (the season 21 finale).    The NYPD  settled with Joelle for $2 million and Fin is told it’s due to “optics.”   Viewers know that it was a good shooting and that Fin really was trying to save the life of Joelle and Andre. But, as Fin wisely observes, these days the police are viewed as the bad guys.  Sadly, settling out of court like this does nothing to clear Fin’s name and he will always have that shooting hanging over his head and be “another trigger-happy cop that kills a Black man.”  At least Fin has learned that the next time he discovers someone violated their parole he will just turn them in.  We do hear some happy news for Fin: apparently he’s in a relationship with someone named Phoebe. 

Kat feels like she’s on a short leash with Benson,  but Rollins explains why Benson was being cautious in a domestic violence situation.  Benson will never forget or forgive herself for Mike Dodds’ death and neither should anyone on the force responding to a DV call.  

Pippa Cox returns to serve as Will’s defense attorney.  She last appeared in the Law & Order SVU episode "Collateral Damages" where her husband was caught with child porn and he ended up in prison.  In Will’s case,  she was unable to cut through Will’s tough exterior to help flush out that he confessed to Dwight’s murder to cover for his mother.  Of course, Carisi and Benson help to save the day. 

What was the purpose of the constant low camera angles? Was it to make us feel like we were watching this from a child’s perspective?  I found it mildly annoying.  

Highly annoying was the inconsistency in the wearing of face masks and in social distancing.   Either wear the face masks and socially distance correctly or not at all.  Taking off a face mask when standing close to others,  or not having everyone wear them in a courtroom,  is confusing to viewers.  Yes, I do understand that viewers may find it more annoying to see the actors in face masks all the time.  But the removal of the mask in situations where one is needed the most is awkward at best and I'm finding that it seems to pull me "out" of the episode and back to reality. 

Here is the recap: 

Flashback to the events in Law & Order SVU “The Things We Have To Lose” where Fin shoots and kills Leon in order to protect Leon’s son Andre. 

Fin is in a deposition where Joelle Fuller explained she didn’t know Leon was being paroled until Fin told her.  That’s when she let Fin know he was reaching out to her and her son Andre and she asked Fin not to report it to Leon’s parole officer.  She said Fin told her it was a violation and he would have to report it and Leon would go back to prison.  Fin’s attorney presses her on this but Joelle’s attorney states the law is clear and Fin was obligated to report it.  Fin’s attorney asks  Joelle if she wanted Leon out on parole so he could pay child support, and she shouts what she didn’t want her son to see his father shot and bleed out on the kitchen floor.   Fin recalls the events in his mind. 

Meanwhile, in the apartment of Irena Nowak at 71 Nagle Avenue on Friday, September 18,  Irena and Dwight are having sex and she complains he should have called before showing up.  He complains back at her about his long drive and that he brought something for his daughter. She asks next time if he could bring something for Will and he says he ain’t his kid. Leann opens the door calling for her mother, saying she is hungry and Will is right behind her.  Will offers to help and Dwight becomes angry and yells at him to shut the door. Will slams the door and Dwight calls him a fruit tart.  Irena offers to make breakfast and Dwight suggests the get married, the way she busts his balls she might as well be his wife.  She asks if that is a proposal.

Irena prepares breakfast and when Will reaches for more food, Dwight becomes angry, grabbing his arm roughly and calling him a little thief, accusing him of grabbing his bacon. Will says he is a vegan but Dwight calls him a liar and he continues to hurt Will.  He tells Will if he doesn’t toughen up the world will run right over him. He motions he will hit Will and Will recoils, but Irena tries to distract him with more coffee. He pays more attention to his daughter. 

Back at SVU, Benson is on the phone with Fin, walking into her office with Rollins.  She tells Fin she is so sorry and tells him to hang in there. When she ends the call  Rollins is surprised it has been 5 hours and he is still be deposed, saying this is not right Joelle is suing him as he saved Andre’s life.  Benson says Joelle is in a long term abusive relationship and she identifies with her abuser.  Rollins knows this but says Fin is the last man who deserves this. Kat races in and asks if it is okay if she takes a run to Fort George. Benson questions if Kat wants to tell her why. Kat explains a nurse for I.S. 196 called and said a boy came in with bruising. Rollins asks what the kid told her, and Kat replies he was evasive. The nurse called the mom and overheard a domestic situation.  Benson says a DV should go to the local precinct, but Kat adds there is a daughter in the apartment and the nurse is worried about sexual abuse.  Benson says okay and tells Rollins to go with and stresses if it sounds like a situation they wait. for. backup.  They exit Benson’s office. 

In the hall, Kat comments to Rollins that Benson still  has her on a short leash, and Rollins says it’s not her, explaining that four years ago they lost a good man on a DV call – Chief Dodds’ son – and Benson has never forgiven herself.  [As they step into the elevator, the camera zooms in on Mike Dodds’ photo hanging on the wall.]

At Irena’s, Kat knocks on the door and when there is no answer  the super says she is home and he saw that jerk leave without her.  Rollins asks “what jerk” and he replies to leave him out of this. He lets them in and they find Irena unconscious on the floor and the place otherwise empty. Kat calls for a bus. 

At the hospital, Rollins and Kat walk with Benson and explain that  Irena Nowak’s son Will is from her ex. She has a 6-year-old from her trucker boyfriend Dwight Wagner. Rollins adds he is a good ol’ boy  who came in hopped up and she sent him downstairs to vape.  Benson asks about the kids, and   Kat explains the school is holding them. Benson comments “good” and asks Kat if she can see if she can get any more out of Will and tells Rollins to take Dwight.  Rollins and Kat walk off. 

Benson speaks with Irena and confirms back to Irena that Irena doesn’t remember everything but thinks that she fainted. Irena explains she was rushing to pick up the kids. Benson mentions Irena has a black eye and some bruising on her arm.  She says nothing. 

Meanwhile, Rollins speaks with Dwight who says he is supposed to be on the road already.  He does long hauls for a freight broker but Irena called so he came right away.  He lives in West Virginia and he sees her when he passes through. Rollins mentions people hearing a disturbance and he replies people should mind their own business, adding back home it is legal to beat your wife on Sunday, telling her to look it up. 

Irena tells Benson they weren’t fighting and Benson asks if she recalls getting a call from Will’s school, mentioning the bruising on his arm.  But Dwight  tells Rollins these schools overreact, the boys tussle. He can guess how it happened, saying Will is a runt and the other kids push him around and he tries to teach him to fend for himself.  Rollins asks teach him how?   He glares at her and says he knows what she’s getting at but swears he would never hurt that boy. 

Irena continues to insist she fell and says it doesn’t matter, Dwight will be gone soon. She wants to get her kids but Benson explains they are at school with a detective.  Irena insists she is a good mother and would never let anything happen to either of them. 

At I.S. 196 at 1496 Nicholas Avenue on Friday, September 18,  Kat speaks with the nurse who says Will always has a story explaining his injuries but she does not believe him today. After she called his mother she  tried his father who said Irena’s boyfriend  bullies Will and she should have called before.  It’s been worse since the pandemic and lots of the kids are stuck at home and stressed with no one to look out for them except the ones doing the abuse. 

 Outside, Kat talks with Will who says these boys on the subway wanted his metro card and he said no so they started bailing on him.  Kat explains that used to happen to her a lot. She asks if it is just him, his mom and his sister at home.  He replies most of the time, and Kat adds except when Dwight stays over.  He is quiet, and Kat asks if he and Dwight get along.   He pauses, then replies he doesn’t like it when Dwight yells at his mom.  Kat asks if he was yelling at her today.  A man walking up calls “Will!” and Will acknowledges his dad who  is there with his sister.  He asks how Will is doing and introduces himself to Kat as Marc Vargas from the 117.  He asks to take Will off her hands, and Kat introduces herself, adding that they are almost done. He states he gets it but he doesn’t want his boy being dragged into this. He tells Will to go play with his sister.  As they walk off together, Marc comments that he guesses Dwight is back in town. Kat nods, and Marc comments he is not just saying this because he is Irena’s ex, but the guy has anger management issues. Kat explains that Will said he got mugged, and Marc says he will talk to him and fill her in. He adds he should have fought harder for custody.   He adds the Irena and Dwight – it takes two to tango and they’ve tangoed for years. 

Outside while Carisi gets some coffee, he discusses the case with Benson and Kat.  He asks if Dwight has a record and Kat explains a lot of Mis Ds including assault and Irena for a bar fight in West Virginia.  Benson adds the local precinct responded three times to neighbor complaints when Dwight was in town but she stood by her man which is par for the course.  When Carisi comments she won’t file a complaint, Benson shakes her head no. He asks if they can get her to file for a restraining order and Benson says she can try but Irena will be afraid Dwight will view that as an escalation.  When Benson confirms Dwight does not live with her, Carisi says their best bet is to find a way to get him on the road.   Carisi’s phone buzzes and he races off to take a call. 

At Irena’s while she tries to cover the bruises on her face, she explains to Benson that Dwight is staying an extra day to take care of her and is out getting aspirin now.  Benson understands but says it is not just her she is worried about.  Irena says she takes care of her children and Dwight would never hurt Leann.  Benson asks about Will and Irena says she meant to say that.  She adds the doctor wants her to take it easy and her ex is about to bring the kids back. Benson suggests the kids stay with her ex tonight. Irena explains that Marc’s new wife wouldn’t love that idea.  She insists they will all be fine. 

Back at Fin’s deposition, Andre testifies that his dad was upset so he ran to him. He was not afraid, even when he had the knife to his throat, saying his daddy would not hurt him. He asks Fin why did he have to shoot him? Fin looks away. 

Back at SVU, Fin enters Benson’s office to check in. He says Joelle claims she is worried about Andre but then made him testify, thinking she has her eye on the prize.  Benson says they both know he did what he had to do that night. She adds everything is being looked through a different prism now and Fin says it is what it is. She adds these lawsuits and depositions don’t underestimate how painful and exhausting they can be.  She says he has to take care of himself, saying there is more to life than this job. Fin comments she sounds like Phoebe, and Benson asks how is that going.  He says that is about the only good thing to come out of this pandemic.  Kat enters and announces she just got an alert – Irena’s building.  Benson says she will go with Kat but Fin offers to go, commenting that he is still on the job, right? 

Benson and Fin arrive at Irena’s and police and EMT’s are there.  Benson asks if “she” is gone but it’s not Irena, it’s Dwight, dead, electrocuted in the bathtub.  Irena called it in, and she and Leann are with the super’s family. 

Later at SVU, Carisi is in Benson’s office talking with Benson and Fin saying Irena’s abusive boyfriend ends up electrocuted by a hair dryer in the bathtub.  He calls it old school. Benson adds the ME confirms cause - it was an old model blow dryer, pre-war building with faulty wiring, manner not yet determined. Carisi asks if they think it is an accident and Fin gives him the “hell no” look and Benson says nothing.  Irena said her ex husband - the cop – told her to wait for her lawyer.  Fin adds Leann was there and Will is with the ex.  Benson tells Fin to go with Kat and bring them here.  Rollins interrupts with Irena’s lawyer, Counselor Calabrese, who says he is formerly with the PBA.  He comments about the DA’s office being there already and hopes this isn’t a rush to judgment. 

Calabrese walks into the interview room with Benson and Rollins and states it is clear they are looking at a tragic accident.  Benson says they just need to hear from Irena, who says it was an accident.   Benson comments Irena called 911, asking if she found him. Irena explains that Dwight had been in the tub a while and Leann needed to pee and she knocked but there was not answer so she went in.  He was lying there and say the hair dryer and must have fallen in. Rollins asks for more details but Calabrese says Irena told them what she saw.  Irena said she didn’t know what to do and was afraid to touch him and didn’t want Leann to see so she closed the door and called 911.  Benson mentions that Irene said yesterday that her ex was dropping off Leann and Will, and Irena pauses and says she told Marc that Benson was nervous about Will being there so she had Marc keep him at his house.  

Carisi is washing his hands and Leann, who is there with an officer, asks when she can see her mom. He replies soon, and he asks if they are doing okay. The officer there says she has this. Leann says she is hungry and when hot dogs are suggested, she says Will doesn’t like them as they have to kill cows to make them.  She adds Will  made veggie burgers for dinner last night, right before daddy had his accident.  Carisi sighs.

Later, when Carisi tells Benson he is pretty sure Leann meant last night, Benson looks over toward Irena, who is asking Rollins if she can take Leann home. Rollins says they still have some things to sort out.  Irena sees Will arrive with his father and she says he doesn’t know anything about this.  Rollins says Will has to tell them that.  Benson tells Officer Vargas to take a seat in the interview room and she asks to speak with Fin.

Fin and Kat, with Marc Vargas present, question Will who says his dad  picked him and Leann up and he says he took both kids back to his house. He wanted to go with her but his father wouldn’t let him because of Dwight.  Fin questions him about having dinner with his step mom and asks if they had veggie burgers and if his little sister liked them. Will questions how Fin knew that but Marc says they are done here. Fin explains they are both cops here and they will check the traffic cams and his cell so he might as well tell them right now.  He asks if Irena called him when she found Dwight, and Marc admits yes, saying she was in a panic and needed advice.  When Will starts to speak, Marc tells him to shut up, and, indignantly, questions Fin that this is how they treat a fellow officer. He adds no wonder he has law suits against him.  He grabs Wills arm and says for them to go but he resists and tells his father to stop.  Will says he was there. He says he did it, they were arguing and mom was crying and he was going to hurt her again and he wouldn’t let that happen.  Marc tells him to shut up and asks how dumb is he?  Marc tells the detectives they played him and he knew he should have brought a lawyer.  Pointing to Will, he adds “not another word until he gets one.” Fin looks back towards the observation window where Benson and Carisi have been watching.  Carisi turns off the speaker and says he was afraid of this, and Benson says Will has been a punching bag his whole life and he finally hit back. 

Afterwards, Benson and Rollins speak with Irena and Calabrese who says Irena is confused. Benson asks them to start over.  Irena admits Will was home when Dwight died and when Benson asks that they were fighting and Will was defending her, Calabrese asks if that is what Will is saying.  Irena insists he walked in and Dwight was dead and it must have been an accident.  Rollins says Will says he threw the hair dyer into the tub. Irena said he is trying to protect her and  Benson asks if he was trying to protect her from what. Calabrese tells Irena to shut up and asks if they have a confession from the boy. Rollins says yes and they need corroboration and Irena needs to tell them… Calabrese says no she doesn’t. asking if she is under arrest. Benson states no and Calabrese says he is taking her and Leann home. When Irena tries to object, he gets angry and snaps his fingers at her and says no, she is going home now.  Benson whispers for Irena to listen to her but Irena grabs her purse and races off.

Later, Benson gets off the phone and explains that Pippa Cox has agreed to defend Will,  she been doing child defense since…and Rollins finishes the sentence, saying since her husband went to prison for child porn.  Benson says she is a good lawyer. Carisi says Will will need one. Fin is surprised Carisi is going to charge him, and Carisi reminds him he just confessed. Rollins counters he is just 14 and was bullied by Dwight, saying it was self-defense.   Carisi reminds her it is not unless he was threatened in the moment and his mother has to confirm that.  Rollins says she’s still saying it was an accident, and Benson adds that is coming from her ex-husband and lawyer. She adds in case they haven’t noticed,  Irena does what the men in her life tell her to do.  Fin thinks she did it and is letting her son take the fall, then quickly adds he is due back in his deposition, and he exits. Carisi sighs and says he doesn’t want to charge Will but something has to give. Benson asks for him to give them a warrant for the cell phone, computer, devices. Carisi says not a problem. He asks about the forensics in the bathroom, and Rollins says it is useless, everybody’s fingerprints are everywhere.  Carisi says nobody is telling them the truth except Leann.  Benson adds she is six and they can only talk to her with her mother in the room. Carisi tells her to try that because unless they give him something exculpatory right now, Will is going to take the whole weight. 

Later, Rollins and the CSU are with Irena who says the lawyer said they can go through her stuff but she can’t talk to them.   Rollins asks if Will has a computer and Irena points out his study area. Rollins asks for and gets Irena’s cell.  Leann enters with Kat and when Rollins asks Leann to show Kat her bedroom, Irena steps in and says Leann can’t be alone with either of them. Rollins tells all three of them to go and she will stay where she’s at. 

Leann explains Will has the top bunk and when her dad is not there she can sleep with her mom.  Irena looks uncomfortable. Kat asks if Irena wants Leann to tell the truth and she says of course.  Leann  says her mom says to always tell the truth, then asks if she won’t get mad if she says what happened to daddy. Irena says he is in heaven and Leann says god is not mad even if Dwight was yelling.  Kat asks yelling at who, and when Irena reminds her the lawyer says they shouldn’t…Leann cuts in and says she remembers Irena said not to tell anyone that he was yelling at her in the bathroom, right before he had his accident. 

At the office of Assistant District Attorney Dominick Carisi at 1 Hogan Place on Saturday, September 19, Dwight’s pregnant wife Sherry enters and she says she came straight up from Wayne County hoping someone would tell her who murdered him.  Carisi admits they are still trying to piece it together.   She says she knows that they are saying about him but he was a good man and this baby will never get to meet his daddy. Carisi’s phone rings – it is Rollins and he tells her to slow down.  He looks up at Sherry. 

Back at SVU, Calabrese is in interrogation with Benson and Carisi, Irena and he tells them is it inadmissible, that Leann is 6 and she doesn’t know the difference between truth and make-believe.   Carisi states she knew that her mother told her to lie.  Irena says she didn’t want them to put Will in jail.  Benson continues to question but  Calabrese says they have a confession from the boy.  Carisi states Will and Leann’s story don’t match and they need Irena to tell them what happened. Calabrese says the kid did it or it was an accident.  He adds they are all better off now that Dwight has gone.  Carisi asks if that includes his grieving pregnant widow in West Virginia?  Irena is shocked, saying Dwight told her they broke up years ago. She adds whatever she is saying it is common law at most.  Benson jumps in and  says Dwight was a liar and he lied to her and abused her and her son. She adds  understands she was scared so if there is anything… Calabrese cuts her off and says enough, adding there are no mitigating circumstances as there is nothing to mitigate.  Carisi presses that Calabrese convinced her to let her son do the time. Irena says no he won’t go to jail, he’s 14. Calabrese tries to interject but Carisi presses if that was what Calabrese told her and Calabrese thinks he is bluffing. But Carisi is not, saying he has no choice but to charge Will as an adult.  Carisi storms out of the interrogation room and Benson quickly follows, slamming the door. 

Later, Pippa Cox is with Will in a courthouse meeting room and questions Carisi that is charging Will as an adult saying it was clearly self-defense.  Carisi comments Dwight was electrocuted, naked in the bathtub. He does not see imminent danger but if Will tells him what really happened that night he would be more than happy to redirect this to juvenile court. Pippa counters he could still be locked up until he is 18, adding Dwight was terrorizing him that night. Carisi states if that was true, it’s a small apartment and his mother must have heard something.  Will says no it wasn’t loud but Carisi says his sister said it was and all three of them were in the bathroom. Will says she’s a little girl and gets confused. He swears his mother wasn’t there. Carisi, frustrated, decides to give them the room and as he gets up to leave, he tells Will he knows he is worried about his mom but sooner or later the truth will come out. He adds this is not his responsibility, he’s just a kid. Will insists his mother wasn’t there. Just him.  He gets upset and said Leann needed to use the bathroom and he went in to tell Dwight who told him to shut up and she could use the kitchen sink and he would deal with him and his mom later. He saw the hair dryer and saw him in the tub and he just snapped.  Carisi asks that Dwight was in the tub, and Will says yes, he just told him. Carisi looks hard at Pippa and says if he sticks to that story, there goes self-defense.   He shakes his head and walks out of the room. 

At Supreme Court Part 52 on Tuesday, September 22,   Doctor Truman testifies about Dwight’s cause of death and that it was not an accident.  Dwight’s wife watches from the gallery.  Under cross examination,  he states that he was not in the room and must admit he can’t know if Will felt threatened, he only knows the forensic reality of the man in the tub.  Marc Vargas testifies that Irena called him and that Dwight was dead and he had to get Will out of the house. He assumed Will killed him but did not tell the cops it was self-defense and must admit he got will out of the apartment and didn’t know what happened.  He was worried about his son. Carisi asks, as he is a police officer, if someone lied to him what would that tell him,  Marc asks what does he want him to say? Carisi ends his questioning.  Pippa cross examines about Dwight bullying Will, and Marc admits he was aware and should have intervened sooner.  He thinks Will was terrified of Dwight, but asks if his son is capable of murder and he replies no, he would never do anything to harm another human being unless he was absolutely forced to. 

Later, Benson speaks with Irena in the stairwell.  She is waiting to testify.  Benson explains Marc just got off the stand and Irena thinks he blamed her.  She said he never listened to her and he was right to, she should have known better.  She grew up in a house where someone got beaten every single day and she swore she’d never let that happen to her kids.  

Meanwhile, Fin is still being deposed, saying he doesn’t know why Leon thought that, he wasn’t involved with Joelle. His only concern was Andre, a young boy trying to protect his mom.  The lawyer asks on the night of Leon’s murder – he corrects it to death - Fin came to his home and inserted himself into a domestic situation and Andre was afraid Fin would hurt his father and rushed to his dad’s side. Fin says no, Leon called him to use him as a shield.  Joelle says Leon would have never hurt Andre, he loved him.  Fin says it doesn’t matter, he’s seen it so many times before, a man that state will take his wife and kid down. If he can’t have them nobody can.  There was no way he was going to let the two of them walk out of there. 

At Supreme Court Part 52 on Tuesday, September 22,  Irena testifies about what happened and thinks Dwight was going to get out of the tub and attack him. When she got there it was too late. When asks why she didn’t call 911 right away, she explains she was sure it was self defense but afraid of …this. She admits she should have told the truth in the beginning and is sorry. Carisi cross examines and presses her on what she saw. She says she saw the hair dryer plugged in and off the shelf. He challenges that Will had no time to plug in the hair dryer, there was no sign of a struggle, that Dwight was submerged on the far side of the tub.  She doesn’t remember but he questions if she remember thinking if her son murdered Dwight. Pippa objects but the judge overrules.  Irena looks over to her lawyer but Carisi tells her to look  over to her son.   She breaks under the pressure and admits to killing Dwight. Everyone is stunned. 

Later,  Carisi gripes to Benson in the hall that Irena is trying to create a mistrial and Benson doesn’t think so. She adds Pippa was more shocked than he was. Carisi says Will has been covering for Irena from the start, and Benson states he has been trying to protect his mother his entire life, first from the ex, then Dwight, and now Carisi. She walks off. 

Benson and Carisi enters the conference room, and Calabrese says Irena was in a fragile state of mind, the stress of seeing her son on the defense table. Carisi mentions perjury and Calabrese says no, but Benson asks for Irena to tell them what happened that night.  Irena says Leann needed to use the bathroom and Will went in first.  Dwight stated yelling, he was in the tub.   She saw Will holding the dryer and Dwight taunting that Will didn’t have the nerve to drop it and when he finished his bath he’d take care of her and Will and they would be sorry.  Irena said Will said he would never let anyone hurt him again and he’d had enough and would take care of the family. She couldn’t let him do it so she did it.  Carisi asks if she thought in that moment Dwight would hurt her and her son. She felt when he got out of the tub, yes. Calabrese says it is clearly self-defense and if they take it to trial, Will will swear he did it. Irena disagrees and when he starts asking her how stupid is she, they are handing her a get out of jail free card.  Benson asks if he always talks to women like that.  He puts up his had toward her face and says this is between his client and he.  Irena says she doesn’t want to be his client anymore and asks if she can fire him. Benson says yes and Calabrese says no.  He asks them to leave the room to tell Irena what is good for her. She yells that she is done listening to him and can’t take it anymore. He says she is making a big mistake and she yells at him to get out.  Benson steps in and says “you heard her” to get him to leave.  He exits and Carisi says before she says another word they need to get her a new lawyer. 

In Supreme Court Part 52, Irena explains what happened – she threw the dryer in and Will was trying to protect her;  Carisi adds they won’t pursue charges against Will and will accept a guilty plea  of criminally negligent homicide from Irena.  Irena  pleads guilty and the judge accepts this and sentences her to one year in prison, on the condition that she and her family start getting psychological help.  Dwight’s wife Sherry screams about the short sentence and that Irena killed Dwight, A court officer has to remove her. 

Afterward, Fin, Rollins and Kat are in a bar and Rollins is surprised the city settled with Joelle for 2 million.  Fin says the attorney said something about optics.  Kat comments that Leon had a knife to his son’s throat, it was a good shooting. Fin says if he could do it all over again, the minute Leon violated his parole he would have turned him in. Rollins states that hindsight is 20/20.  Fin comments it used to be so simple, just take down the bad guys and now the lines are blurred, half the city looks at them like they are the bad guys.  Rollins counters it was an impossible summer and things are going to calm down. Kat doesn’t see that happening, the way the NYPD handled the demonstrators. Rollins says when you’re under attack, do you just want them to sit there and take it. Kat states you are supposed to de-escalate and supposed to be aware of our bias and not overreact. Fin comments, “Like shoot a man in front of his son?”    He adds that growing up in the hood, the way the cops treated them he never trusted them. That’s why he joined the force, to make a change.  Then he worked his way over to SVU because there is no gray area when your are taking out rapists and pedophiles.  The last thing he wanted to be was “another trigger-happy cop that kills a Black man.  And here I am.”  As Rollins and Kat think about what he just said, we fade to black. 

After the fade:  In Memory of John T. Bobick

Cast: 

Mariska Hargitay - Captain Olivia Benson

Ice-T - Sergeant Odafin “Fin” Tutuola

Kelli Giddish - Detective Amanda Rollins

Peter Scanavino - ADA Dominick “Sonny”  Carisi, Jr.

Jamie Gray Hyder - Katriona "Kat" Azar Tamin

Demore Barnes - Deputy Chief Christian Garland

Guest stars: 

Riki Lindhome - Irena Nowak

Afi Bijou – Joelle

Elliot Villar - Marc Vargas

Christopher Cassarino -  Dwight Wagner

Danny Mastrogiorgio -  Counselor Calabrese

Jason Kravitz - 

Jessica Phillips – Pippa Cox

Frank Wood – 

Kathryn Kates - Judge Marlene Simons

Jasmin Walker – Counselor Marame Touissant

Amander Jane Cooper – Sherry Wagner

Athan Sporek -  Will Vargas.

Ja’Siah Young – Andre Fuller

Colette Kaufman - Leann Wagner

Carolina Do – Nurse Dawn Jones

Ashley Taylor Greaves – Officer Gabrielle Taylor

Ümit Celebi -  Gjergi Hoshi

Cezar Williams – EMT # 1

Aristeo F. Kardi – Uni 

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