Law & Order SVU “Assumptions” had everyone making assumptions, but that’s somewhat normal for every case. Most investigations start with few facts and the detectives often get to the truth using assumptions to fill in the blanks. In this case, there are more assumptions than normal, some which steer them in the wrong direction. There's been an apparent sexual assault (Stone states the rape kit was inconclusive) against a Muslim New York City councilwoman which occurred in a synagogue, allegedly perpetrated by two Jewish teens. That sounds like enough right there, but wait, there's more! The boys ran from the scene as they assumed they would be found guilty. A witness assumed a red cap one of them wore was a MAGA cap and that they shouted a slur at her, both of which were incorrect. The councilwoman hides key pieces of information as she assumes it would destroy her family and career (we know it doesn’t destroy her family). The detectives look at a section of video evidence and assume that the boys were the instigators in a conflict at a protest outside the councilwoman’s office. The whole video reveals the facts regarding the boys and later helps to prove that the councilwoman’s ex-husband is a liar and a rapist.
The victim wasn’t exactly sympathetic once it became clear that she took advantage of the protest to further her own agenda. It was made worse when it’s revealed she’s hiding that she is a lesbian for fear of losing her position and family. It seemed Stone was having some difficulty with the councilwoman's story but once the facts became clear regarding her assault, he was zealous in getting her justice.
Overall, this was a solid, well-written episode with MUCH visual interest. The latter is one thing that I think Michael Chernuchin and the production team have brought to SVU this season and I hope we continue to see this in season 21 when under "new management".
I enjoy seeing Peter Gallagher as Chief Dodds; he brings great energy to every episode and I wish we’d see him more often. Along that line, the more interesting parts of the episode involved the release of Rob Miller from jail, and then his later appearance at a restaurant where Benson and Noah are dining. Titus Welliver plays creepy like no one else can. His return in this episode is a sizzling tease for the season finale!
Here is the recap:
Two teen boys run out of a synagogue and a woman stops them, saying she saw them running out. She asks what they were doing there, saying she is calling the cops. They run off, but not before one of the boys knocks the woman over.
Benson, at home, is watching the news on TV and hears, to her surprise, that Rob Miller, the disgraced NYPD attorney, has been released on bail. She hears his lawyer proclaim his innocence, hoping for a favorable ruling. Benson says, “Son of a bitch” and Noah calls out “Mom! Mom!” to her to get her attention. He asks if she is mad at him and she is not, be he knows she is mad. She admits it, but not at him. She asks what is up. He asks for help on how to spell “believe” as she watches Rob seemingly stare at her through the TV screen. She shakes her head.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Meyers, who saw the two white boys, one wearing a MAGA hat, makes a statement to police. She mentions anti-Semitic incidents that recently occurred at the synagogue. At first the police see nothing inside the synagogue but soon find a woman unconscious on the floor and they call for a bus and SVU.
Later, Rollins and Carisi are on the scene and hear the woman was a Muslim and her name is Nahla Nasar. Carisi recognizes the name as a councilwoman. Rollins comments she’s been in the news a lot lately, Carisi adding it was for making anti-Semitic remarks. Rollins wonders what she was doing in a temple. As she is been wheeled out by the EMT, Carisi asks Nahla what happened. She explains she was set up, by “those people”, motioning to the synagogue.
In the morning, Benson arrives to meet Chief Dodds, who is just stepping out of his car. He asks that Nahla was set up by Jews. Benson explains that’s what she told the detectives, and an eyewitness saw two boys fleeing the scene, one wearing a MAGA hat. Dodds says it gets better and better. Reporters outside pepper them with questions about it being a hate crime and the asking for details, one mentioning Nasar is an anti-Semite. Dodds says rest assured the NYPD does not tolerate bigotry or hate motivated violence of any kind. He and Benson move inside the building.
As they walk in the door, Dodds tells Benson to fasten their seat belts. He adds they haven’t even discussed Rob Miller yet, asking if she heard. Benson says yes - that he is out on bail – stating she would have appreciated a heads up. Dodds comments he only saw it on the news himself. Rollins and Carisi are waiting inside, and Benson asks how is Miss Nasar. Rollins explains she is being treated for a concussion and they are doing a rape kit. Dodds wonders if they have any idea of why she was in that synagogue, and Carisi replies not yet, but her chief of staff just got there, her name is Aida Galanis. Benson tells them to find out what she knows, and Dodds tells them to ask her not to make any statements to the press, they don’t need this blowing up any more that it already has. Dodds and Benson get in the elevator,
Rollins and Carisi speak with Aida Galanis who explains Nahla is passionate about her beliefs and is exercising her rights to criticize Israel, saying she is not anti-Semitic. Carisi says his understanding people got offended by her choice of words, and Rollins says that aside, they need to find out why she was at that synagogue. Aida does not know. Carisi reminds her she is chief of staff, and Aida says Nahla can be a very private person and she respects her boundaries. Rollins asks about recent threats, and Aida explains their office is besieged by protesters and they get dozens of hate-spewing calls a day. No one said they want to rape her. Rollins asks for phone and email records and any threats made on social media. Aida comments she hopes they need the overtime. She is sick about what happened but the only upside is that everyone will realize she is the true victim here.
Meanwhile, Nahla enters the hospital room where Benson and Dodds are waiting. They offer their apologies but she explains her parents are from Syria and she knows what woman and girls have endured in the wars zones and she won’t feel sorry for herself. Benson offers help and Nahla says to catch who did this. When Benson asks what she remembers from the attack, Nahla says she was alone in the sanctuary looking at the cabinet for the Torah scrolls. It felt like a place of reverence on godliness. Then she was struck violently on the back of the head and she fell to the ground. She pauses and cries, saying he pinned her down, he was rough and he tore off her hijab and pulled up her skirt and forced himself inside her. He did not say anything, she did not see his face or know when he left. She must have passed out. Benson comments she told her detectives she was set up and asks why was she in the synagogue, and Nahla says she was lured there by a man pretending to want peace. She was lied to by a Zionist.
