(male announcer) In the criminal justice system,
sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous.
In New York City, the dedicated detectives
who investigate these vicious felonies
are members of an elite squad
known as the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
Greenpoint.
Brooklyn? No way. Out of service.
I said out of service, lady!
You okay?
Bastard!
[tires screech]
Crazy bitch! What's your name?
Where do you live?
I told you--Greenpoint.
You're going to pay for this.
Problem?
Damn drunk busted my window!
Ma'am?
He tried to run me over.
Look what she did to my cab!
Okay, let's everybody just cool down.
Forget it! I want her locked up.
Just wait, please.
I was just raped.
Name's Myra Denning.
Graduate student at City Arts.
Got into a hassle with a cabbie.
We tried to calm it down.
She suddenly outcries about a rape.
She know who did it? Wouldn't say.
Really freaked out when we asked.
Figured I'd better call you.
Thank you.
Hi, I'm Detective Stabler.
This is my partner, Detective Benson.
Can you tell us what happened?
I can't.
Okay, we're gonna get you to the hospital.
I'll ride.
Anyone see where she came from?
Cabbie said she was staggering down the street.
Okay, let's start a canvass, huh?
Detective, this man says he saw what happened.
Well, I didn't exactly see it,
but I heard the commotion.
I looked out and I saw the ambulance.
Uh, I live up there, third floor.
What's your name, sir?
Ron Polikoff.
I, uh, I know Myra.
Is she okay?
She says she was raped.
You know anything about that, Mr. Polikoff?
She's going to say I did it.
We're here.
We're gonna be inside in no time.
Please, can I just go home?
You've come this far, Myra. Don't give up now.
Where's my portfolio?
It's right here on the end of the gurney.
We're gonna take good care of it.
My prints got thrown all over the street
when the taxi driver took off.
Oh, you must think I'm such a loser.
No, I think that you're scared and upset,
which you have every right to be
after what just happened to you.
Oh, my God.
Please don't let him see me.
It's okay. Don't worry.
Keep moving, guys. Keep moving.
Let's go. Let's get her inside.
Was that Myra?
Follow me.
Where are we going?
Medical examiner's office.
We're not going to the morgue, are we?
It's right next door.
Is Ron gonna be arrested?
My partner's talking to him.
What happens now?
Louise is a sexual assault nurse.
She's gonna check that you're okay,
and then we're gonna do a rape kit.
What's that?
It's an exam to collect
any forensic evidence from the assault.
Do I have to do it?
No, suspect exams are voluntary.
You can leave any time.
Will it prove I'm innocent?
Definitely help.
Because I am innocent.
Unless, uh, bad sex is against the law.
Consensual bad sex?
Absolutely.
Dr. Warner, this is Ron Polikoff.
Sorry, can't shake hands.
I need you to get undressed behind the screen.
Do, I, uh, do I have to take everything off?
Yes. I'll take that.
Stand on the paper.
Put your clothes in the labeled bags.
I'll collect them later.
I showered before I left my apartment.
Does that matter?
The Lumalight can still show traces of body fluids.
Um...Ron called me.
He said he wanted to talk to me about my work.
And he told me to come over.
I said feel free to drop by.
I didn't know she'd show up at 9:00 the same night.
Still, you invited her in.
Well, yeah.
She wanted me to look at her portfolio.
You know, I'm on her MFA committee.
He's your teacher?
Well, not like my teacher-teacher.
I'm a graduate student.
Right, but he still grades your work.
Yeah, but I'm one of six people evaluating her.
Well, what happened when she got into your apartment?
We talked.
I opened a bottle of wine.
Do you often
invite your students over for drinks?
Yeah, he does all the time.
He just loves to get to know his students.
Especially the women.
Well, I, I, um,
I find that my students are more relaxed and honest
about their work in a domestic setting.
Do I have to take off my shorts?
Please.
Come to the table, please.
So...
You had some wine.
Yeah, just...
Just a couple of glasses.
We were talking.
One thing led to another.
I should have known better, but we started kissing.
And you were okay with that?
With the kissing, yeah,
but not with what happened afterwards, no.
What's that?
A Lumalight.
It detects any body fluids on the skin.
It won't hurt.
I'll get the light.
Okay, gotta put your arm out here.
Okay, there's something on your thigh.
It's so humiliating.
You're doing fine.
I'm gonna take a sample, and send it to the lab.
So tell me what happened after the kissing.
He wouldn't stop. He was all over me.
She wouldn't stop. She was all over me.
Which would have been fine,
but I just, I wasn't into what she wanted.
(doctor) Found something.
There are fluids on your shoulder.
What did she want?
She wanted me to be rough.
Not play rough, be rough.
She told me to hold her down.
He grabbed me by my neck really hard,
and he held me down.
And then what happened?
I begged him to stop.
And he didn't, he--
When are you gonna be done?
Louise is just gonna check your wounds and abrasions,
and then I'm gonna photograph them.
Open your mouth, please.
Abrasion on the tongue.
She bit me.
Show me your tongue.
When I wouldn't hold her hard enough,
she--she bit me.
I mean, look at this.
And then she tears me up with her nails.
You fought him.
As hard as I could.
But he had his hands around my neck.
(Stabler) You had your hands around her neck?
Oh, yeah, it was the only way
I could keep her from attacking me.
And at this point, is it still consensual?
Yes, but, you know,
I just wanted to get the whole thing over with
and get her out of my apartment.
Did she ever accuse you of raping her?
No, but I could tell she was upset
when I didn't ask her to stay.
I wasn't too surprised
when I heard a commotion in the street.
You're her professor. You called the shots.
But you were helpless?
Look, my wife left me nine months ago.
And I was lonely, and I wasn't thinking straight.
And this Myra, she came at me
like a bird hits your windshield.
You know? And I just went off the road.
I crashed.
Haven't you felt that way?
You think you're in control, but you're not.
We've got everything we need now.
We'll wait for the lab results, compare statements,
and decide if we have a case.
I'm free to go?
Yeah. You're free to go.
(Myra) Why did he have to hurt me?
I worshipped him, and he just treated me
like a piece of trash.
But I started it. I kissed him.
And then you said no, and that's enough.
"No"?
Enough to count?
Absolutely.
It's okay.
Sorry, it hurt when you touched me.
That's okay. Just gonna take time.
You're gonna get better.
Okay, please, can I go home now?
We still have to do the vaginal exam.
Okay, can you open your legs a little bit more?
You're gonna feel a little pressure.
[gasps]
How's Myra?
This girl had it pretty tough.
The way he tells it, she was looking for rough sex.
Oh, yeah. That's what they all say.
Well, sometimes it's true.
I need to voucher this rape kit at the lab.
Where's the sector car?
Tell you what. I'll call the 2-9.
Wait with her until they get here.
You sure? Yeah, go.
Thank you.
Yeah, this is Detective Stabler,
Manhattan SVU.
I'm waiting for Sector Charlie at St. Vincent's.
You got an ETA for me?
Okay, thanks.
Take care of yourself.
Hi, Myra. I'm Detective Stabler.
We spoke earlier. I remember.
Your car is not here yet. There was a pile-up on the FDR.
Oh, how long?
About an hour.
[crying] Oh, I'm so tired.
I'll take you home.
Thank you.
Do you have anybody who can help you out
in the next couple days?
My roommate, if she's not too busy.
Parents?
I can't tell them this.
You might be surprised.
No, I wouldn't.
I can't do this right now. I feel so...
I'm so scared.
Think you can make it?
I don't know.
Okay, try. I'll be right behind you.
You did great.
[keys jingling]
[door opens, shuts]
I think it could be buyer's remorse.
Myra had the physical reaction of a victim.
She didn't want to be touched.
Sounds like you believe Ron Polikoff.
Well, look, he could have agreed to that suspect exam
because he's playing us, or he's an honest guy
who doesn't know what the hell hit him.
Benson.
Really?
Okay, thanks.
That was Warner.
The fluids on Myra's silk teddy
match Ron Polikoff's blood type.
I figured that.
We didn't figure there'd be a second blood type.
Myra entertained two guys last night.
What is this about? Have you arrested Ron?
We've questioned him.
Myra, did you have sex with anyone
besides Ron Polikoff yesterday?
No! Why are you asking me that?
Well, we got a preliminary
lab result on your teddy.
There's semen from two men on it.
Myra, if you had
consensual sex with somebody yesterday,
that doesn't change what happened with Ron.
Is this some trick to see if I'm lying?
No, but you need to tell us.
I have told you: I didn't have sex
with anybody but Ron Polikoff that night,
and it wasn't sex, it was rape.
Sooner we get the DNA from the rape kit, the better.
I can't draft the complaint
unless I know what she's hiding and why.
Maybe she's just embarrassed
about having sex with two men in one day.
She better get over it.
Two samples are enough
to get her sexual history admitted.
Captain Cragen, Donna Emmett wants to see you.
And I do see him, thank you.
Gang's all here, and the complainant too.
How can I help you?
I understand your detectives
entertained a client of mine last night,
Ron Polikoff.
He volunteered for a suspect exam.
Something I would have strongly discouraged
had I been consulted.
Is the D.A.'s office planning to file charges?
We're discussing that-- Discuss this.
A list of Ms. Denning's numerous sexual partners.
I don't know how you got this,
but it's irrelevant.
Ms. Denning's truthfulness, or lack of it,
is a matter of record.
After rear-ending a van on the BQE last year,
she told a heart-wrenching tale
about being upset about her grandmother's death.
So upset, she couldn't walk a straight line
when the officer asked her to.
Well, if her grandmother died--
Her grandmother miraculously came back to life
and bailed her out.
This time I understand
she smashed a cab window with a bottle?
She was distraught.
She was drunk.
And I know this because my client was with her
when she got herself that way.
He didn't force her to drink or to have sex.
Let me know when you drop the case.
Better look at the list.
So Ron Polikoff wants to play dirty.
How did Emmett get those names so fast?
That's a good question.
Send Myra home and get to those people
before Emmett does.
First name on the list is Justin Wexler.
Yeah, I know Myra. I'm going out with her.
(Stabler) So, you're her boyfriend?
Isn't that what going out means?
Can you tell us when the last time
you had sex with Myra was?
Sure.
If you can tell me when you last got laid.
Where were you last night?
Here, with two friends.
We watched the Knicks get their asses kicked
till about 11:00.
And then I went to bed.
Why, what's going on? Is Myra in trouble?
She may have been raped.
Is there anything I can do?
Yeah, tell us when
the last time you slept together was.
Um...
three nights ago.
(Benson) You remember what she was wearing?
Some...slinky lace thing. Black.
A teddy?
Wait a minute. Is she accusing me?
We need a DNA sample to exclude you.
Has she been sleeping around?
It's Ron Polikoff, isn't it?
I knew she'd cheat on me with that fraud.
Why would you say that?
'Cause she can't stop talking about him.
What is it with that guy?
Some lousy gallery show back in '85,
and it still gets him laid.
Girls at school line up around the block to...
inspire him.
Here's your DNA sample.
Pass it along to Myra when you're done with it.
Myra, why didn't you tell us
that you were dating Justin Wexler?
I'm sorry, I didn't think it mattered,
'cause I hadn't seen him in a couple of days.
Or maybe you didn't want us talking to your boyfriend.
No, I didn't want him knowing I was at Ron's,
because he gets ridiculously jealous.
Is the second sample of DNA that was on your teddy Justin's?
Yes.
And this is the same teddy
that you wore to Ron Polikoff's?
This is so embarrassing.
I got home from Justin's, I took it off,
and I threw it in a pile of clothes.
And then last night, Ron called me,
and he wanted to go over my thesis proposal.
So, you know, I just threw on some clothes.
And the teddy.
It looked clean.
Have you had any other recent sexual partners?
Define recent.
Max Bernbaum?
Once, last May.
Charlie Washington, beginning of the semester.
Where are you getting all this?
Myra, who else would know?
It has to be Jenny, my roommate.
She has a big crush on Ron, and when I told her that I...
was raped...
she acted like I made the whole thing up.
Yeah, I gave Ron the list. So what?
I thought Myra was your friend.
She's my roommate.
She knows I like Ron, so she goes over there
and sleazes her way into his bed.
So you don't think Myra was raped?
By Ron?
No.
She was beat up pretty badly.
Myra gets crazy when she drinks.
Maybe she fell down some stairs.
She try to strangle herself too?
It wasn't Ron.
He's not into kinky stuff.
And you know this how?
Personal experience?
Actually, yes.
I thought we were in a relationship,
then he goes and bones my roommate.
That's a good reason for you
to be pissed at Ron.
So why would you tell him about Myra's sexual partners?
He was really upset!
Myra was charging him with rape.
He admitted he screwed her, and he apologized to me.
(Benson) So you're seeing him again?
He loves me, okay?
I know he's not a rapist.
What a gentleman.
He gets back together with Jenny
so he can get dirt on Myra.
Wonder how long that's gonna last.
Let's talk to Polikoff again.
[doorbell rings]
(Benson) Is Ron Polikoff home?
Who wants to know?
How old are you, sweetheart?
(Ron) She's sixteen.
She's my daughter.
Sophie, say hi to the detectives.
Hi.
Dad, I'm late. I need to take a shower.
Yeah, okay.
Come on in.
I have Sophie Wednesdays and every other weekend.
It's not nearly enough.
You thought she was my girlfriend?
We heard that you like 'em young.
Who said that?
(Benson) Doesn't matter. Do you?
I'm a father-- not a rapist
or a child molester.
I haven't dated anyone under 21
since I was that age myself.
Yeah, but you do date students.
Jenny, for example.
Jenny's 25... and she's not an undergraduate.
If you want a list of my girlfriends, just ask.
We're more interested in the list you gave your lawyer.
The one of Myra's boyfriends.
Pretty long, isn't it?
Kinda shows the woman who's accusing me
will sleep with anything in pants.
Is that why you invited her
over to your house late at night?
I said I wanted to talk to her.
I didn't know she'd come right over.
She says that she was worried about her thesis.
And she should have been.
She brought her portfolio. Her work's not good.
(Benson) Did you actually look at it?
Yeah, for about an hour.
I even made notes on some of the prints.
Before you had sex?
No, after.
Look, do you guys really think
she'd have hung around if I'd raped her?
I get there, he pours a glass of wine.
We talk, I show him my portfolio, he rapes me.
Clear enough?
So he looked at your drawings before the rape?
I just said that.
What happened after the attack?
He walked out of the room.
I couldn't move.
I heard the shower.
And then he came back out and said,
"You can't stay here all night."
So I got dressed and I left.
Okay.
No, not okay.
Why do I get the feeling you guys think I'm lying?
Myra, I believe you. I just need to know the facts.
You've got the facts. What's next?
So Warner says that the other DNA sample
on Myra's teddy is indeed Justin Wexler's.
Good. I don't think that's gonna hurt us
with the jury too much.
The fact she wore sexy silk underwear
to Polikoff's sure will.
That's not an invitation for rape.
Maybe she didn't even see it as rape
until he told her to leave.
You guys, I can't prosecute this
until you agree.
Call me when you get on the same page.
What is your problem with Myra?
She's neurotic.
Look, she chased after a guy
whose life is falling apart.
So that gives him the right
to force her to have sex?
She was the one who wanted to have sex.
Really, did she wanna be strangled too? A lot of people do.
Elliot, what's wrong with you? What's wrong with me?
Myra hasn't told a consistent story yet.
She lied about when he looked at her portfolio.
Maybe he lied! It's her word against his!
Yeah, but her words can put him in prison
for ten years.
She hails a cab instead of calling the cops?
She doesn't even mention rape
until she's about to be arrested!
Elliot, rape victims are in shock!
They're in denial.
You know that. You've seen it.
I've also seen liars.
Elliot! Olivia!
My office.
You know Ms. Scarry.
She now represents Myra Denning.
And I would like to know why Ron Polikoff
hasn't been arrested for raping her.
'Cause we don't have enough evidence.
My client's rape kit isn't enough?
Bruises, bites, contusions,
strangulation marks on her neck?
That could have been caused by rough sex.
Are you just looking for reasons
not to bring charges?
This case won't be easy to win.
We don't want it to fall apart.
Maybe you do.
Now, why would we?
To hide the fact that Detective Stabler
sexually harassed my client.
Excuse me?
You took her home from the hospital.
He was doing her a favor.
And in her building, you touched her
in an inappropriate manner.
The only time I touched her
was to stop her from falling down the stairs.
Maybe you used that as an excuse to cop a feel.
(Cragen) That's enough, counselor.
In twelve years,
there has never been a complaint against this man.
Men change.
Especially when their wives file for legal separation.
My investigator checked the court documents.
He also found out that your wife took the kids
and moved in with her mother.
You have no right
to use my personal life to make your case.
I don't give a damn about your personal life,
unless it affects my client, and it does.
Stay away from her!
I want Detective Stabler off this case.
And I want SVU to do its job.
Elliot...
Elliot, stop! Hey!
What's going on?
I touched her in an inappropriate manner.
Didn't you hear?
I don't believe that. Forget that.
What's going on at home?
Nothing.
Hey. Would you talk to me?
Kathy left me.
You okay?
You need any time off, you let me know, all right?
I'm fine.
Myra's allegation--
you know I have to ask.
It's crap.
You broke procedure.
Why did you get into a car alone
with a female victim?
It's was 3:00 in the morning.
The sector car was gonna be an hour late.
Why not just drop her at her building?
Why go inside?
Captain, that girl was dead on her feet.
She lives in a fifth-floor walk-up.
That it?
No, I wanted to size her up.
You should have done that in the precinct.
You really think that lawyer's
gonna file a complaint?
I think Scarry's just trying to bully us.
We arrest Polikoff, this'll all go away.
I thought we decide who we arrest.
We do.
And you are done with Myra Denning.
I don't know what to do.
Only Ron and Myra know what really went on in that room.
What do the forensics show?
The evidence indicates rape,
but Myra's behavior before and after was pretty erratic.
So her credibility's an issue.
What's SVU's position?
Divided.
That explains why Scarry has threatened
to go to the media if they don't make an arrest.
So I just wait.
Skip the arrest.
Bring an "X" indictment to the grand jury.
Present the evidence and let the jurors decide
whether there's a case.
Detective Benson, on what do you base your opinion
Myra Denning was raped?
Myra's behavior was consistent
with somebody who's been sexually assaulted.
She had all the symptoms
of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Can you elaborate?
It's like when a war veteran hits the floor
after a car backfires.
Myra suffered an event that was so traumatic for her
that her body was actually waiting for another assault.
So she interpreted Detective Stabler's gesture
as an attack.
Well, her body did.
I touched her in the hospital just to reassure her,
and she flinched as if I'd hit her.
Myra, what happened?
Miss Novak, my client has something to show you.
Apparently the police aren't the only ones
who don't want this case to go forward.
What are you talking about?
I checked my e-mail this morning
and...read this.
"Whore, liar.
Burn in hell. I hope you die, bitch"?
How many are there?
30 so far.
We'll put a trace on the account.
You can't--the e-mails are from a free ISP.
Screen name's Eagle.
As in Eagle, Colorado. The Kobe case.
Anybody could have sent these.
No, it's Ron, for sure.
Or one of those angry men's groups.
Dad's Manifesto,
the National Alliance of Free Men.
There are plenty of trogs
who think rape's a feminist invention.
How are they connected to Ron Polikoff?
It's obvious he contacted them.
They're using hate mail and death threats
to scare Myra into dropping the charges.
Can I borrow this?
Our computer people may be able to figure out
who sent these e-mails.
I can't trace the screen name,
but I did track the e-mails to an address in Chelsea.
2411 West 21st.
City Arts. Where Ron Polikoff teaches.
And Myra goes to school.
Are you suggesting the Myra sent these e-mails herself?
I just don't think we can count her out.
Detectives, it might not be either of them.
The e-mails came from a computer in the library.
Anybody with a college I.D. has access.
I'll double check, but I was at my desk all day,
and I didn't see Myra or Ron.
So you know them?
They're nice people.
This mess has divided the whole college.
Half are on Myra's side,
half on Ron's.
All I know is they're both going to lose.
How's that?
Look what happened to Ron.
Dean called him in this morning and fired him.
Neither of them checked out any books.
How about the computers?
Can you tell who's been online?
There's a sign-up sheet.
And look who signed up.
Polikoff.
No, that's his daughter Sophie.
Faculty kids have full access.
You leaving town, Ron?
College told me to vacate faculty housing.
So much for innocent until proven guilty, huh?
Rape or no rape, Ron,
you did sleep with a student.
And that is against the rules.
Thanks, Jenny.
I'll, uh, get more stuff.
So you and Jenny still together, Ron?
She's helping me move out.
To her place?
Into a hotel.
Look, I have lost my job. I lost my home.
I've lost everything, all because an unbalanced woman
couldn't deal with rejection or a bad grade.
Are you satisfied?
We need to speak with your daughter.
No.
(Stabler) Why not?
Because she's a minor, and I won't allow it.
Ron, if you've
got nothing to hide,
you should let us speak to her.
Either that, or we ask her mother.
Sophie...
I understand you were in
the City Arts library this morning.
Yes. Why?
I was working on a science project.
Is that all you did?
(Sophie) Yes.
You see that?
She looks to her dad every time before she answers.
Maybe she's just scared.
When you were at the library this morning,
did you use the computer?
Yeah, but it was for research.
I didn't do anything wrong.
He's coaching her.
Sophie, did you write this e-mail?
"Whore, liar. Burn in hell.
I hope you die, bitch."
Answer the question.
(Benson) Sophie, answer the question!
Did you send this e-mail?
Look at it. Did you sent this e-mail?
Why don't you just leave us alone!
My dad didn't do anything,
and you've destroyed his life.
All right, that's enough. That's enough.
You should be talking to me, not her.
You sent the e-mails.
No, Sophie did, but...
it's not her fault.
She must have heard me talking on the phone about Myra.
She'd have seen how upset I was.
I'm responsible for this. Not her.
It's okay.
Isn't he smart?
He comes forward. He says, "I did it."
And we all think he's a stand-up guy.
Maybe that's what he is.
He just manipulated the hell out of his daughter,
and he's manipulating us.
The first time that I saw him,
he walked right up to me and he said,
"She's gonna say I raped her."
This guy's good.
So now you don't believe him?
Grand jury came back.
They just voted to indict Ron Polikoff.
Does Myra know?
I'm on the way to tell her now.
You wanna come?
[knock on door]
Not in.
Maybe she's on campus.
Answer the door!
Open up, damn it!
Sir. Calm down. She's not home.
She better be.
There's water pouring through my bathroom ceiling.
Damn kids stay up all night--
Sir, get out of my way!
Myra!
[water running]
Over here!
We got a pulse.
We need an ambulance.
46 Driggs Avenue, Greenpoint.
Apartment five.
Sleeping pills!
Attempted suicide.
Drug overdose.
How's Myra?
She's okay.
You know, I should have seen how depressed she was.
I should have done something.
Well, you did exactly what she wanted.
What are you talking about?
How long did it take you to get to Brooklyn?
45 minutes, maybe.
After you left the office, Myra called.
She wanted to find out about the grand jury decision.
Munch told her that Polikoff had been indicted...
and that you were on your way to go see her.
She knew that I was coming.
[heavy breathing]
Myra.
You saved my life.
What if I'd been stuck
on the Williamsburg Bridge for an hour?
I don't understand.
You made sure that your tub
would flood the downstairs apartment.
Your neighbor works from home. You knew he'd be there.
You're wrong.
You called my office.
You spoke with my colleague.
He told you that I was on my way.
You weren't gonna die.
Okay, I was taking a bath.
And I couldn't stop crying.
So I just took some pills to make the pain go away.
And it wasn't working, so I took some more.
And...
I felt myself going, but I just didn't care.
'Cause I just wanted to die.
Why?
Because I can't do this anymore.
The grand jury was horrible,
and court's just gonna be worse.
They're gonna make me relive every horrible detail.
And Ron, all he has to do
is say that I'm lying.
And I can't prove a thing.
But I'm not lying.
He raped me.
(Novak) After Mr. Polikoff told you to leave his apartment,
why didn't you go to the police
or to the hospital?
I just wanted to go home and hide.
So you hailed a taxi.
Right, and the cabbie wouldn't take me to Brooklyn.
And I lost it.
So I threw a wine bottle at his cab,
and then that's when the police showed up.
And you told them you'd been raped.
Yeah, they were the first people
I felt safe to tell.
Thank you.
Ms. Denning, now that we heard all the reasons
why you didn't act like a victim of rape--
Your honor--
Get to your question, Ms. Emmett.
Have you ever made an allegation of sexual abuse
against another man?
No.
No?
Didn't you, on the night of the alleged rape,
accuse Detective Stabler
of inappropriate sexual behavior?
I don't remember.
Let me refresh your memory.
Detective Stabler gave you a ride home,
helped you to your door.
The next day you claimed
that he had touched you inappropriately.
Correct?
[whispering] Yeah.
I'm sorry. I didn't hear you.
Yes.
A police officer
with 12 years of unblemished service
helping the victims of rape.
He groped you?
No.
No? So you made it up?
I'm s-- I'm sorry.
I was just confused, and I was...
I was in pain, and--
Did you make it up?!
Not at the time.
And now?
Your honor, the witness needs a break.
You may step down, Ms. Denning.
10-minute recess.
[gavel pounds]
Finally, I'd like you to search your soul.
Did you do anything that night that you regret?
Yes.
I regret inviting Myra into my apartment.
I regret drinking wine with a student.
I most regret having sex with a troubled young woman.
But I broke no laws.
If you are looking for a victim in this,
it's me.
Thank you. No further questions.
So you're the victim here?
That's right.
You recognize this photo?
No.
These are blowups of the contusions
on Myra's arms.
Who did this to her?
I did.
But Myra asked me to.
And this?
Strangulation bruises on Myra's neck.
Did you do this, too?
Do you have pictures of my bruises, my bite marks?
Answer the question, Mr. Polikoff.
Did you make these marks?
Yes.
But Myra told me to,
and when I wouldn't, she--she--
she scratched me so hard she drew blood!
You're about, what,
six-foot-four, 200 pounds?
Myra Denning is maybe 115.
You still want to claim that you're the victim here?
Yes.
Because a woman forced you to have sex with her?
No, because it's my picture in the paper, not hers.
My daughter has had to change schools.
My wife is suing for sole custody.
I've lost my job.
My life is a shambles.
And all I can do is say I did not rape her.
I did not rape her!
What do you think?
I don't know.
Glad I'm not on that jury.
Me too.
Guess we agree on something.
I saw this scared and angry woman.
Maybe I jumped the gun.
Look, maybe I didn't give Myra a fair shake.
When I saw Polikoff and his daughter...
Wednesday nights and every other weekend?
That got to me.
Elliot.
What happened with you and Kathy?
Uh, the job.
Makes me kind of hard to live with.
She should try working with you.
You okay?
Novak called.
Closing arguments.
(Emmett) The crime of rape
used to be hard to prove.
Even harder to convict.
The victim was on trial, not her rapist.
Then the laws changed.
Woman's identity was protected,
her sexual history excluded,
and rapists were rightly brought to justice.
Now, perhaps the pendulum has swung too far.
Women who have sex and later regret it
are not entitled to call their partners rapists.
Now, Ms. Denning went to my client's apartment
late at night, wore sexy clothes,
drank several glasses of wine, and then kissed him.
But now she says she was there to discuss her art portfolio.
Now, every piece of evidence is open to interpretation.
But two facts are undeniable.
First, there is nothing in Ron Polikoff's past
to suggest he is capable of such a violent act.
Second, his life has already been ruined
by this woman's unfounded, unsubstantiated,
and unjust accusations.
Don't punish him any more for a crime he did not commit.
Believe me, rape is still hard to prosecute,
and it is still a nightmare for the victims.
Ms. Denning has had to endure
three separate sexual humiliations.
Her teacher, a man she admired,
raped her.
In the hospital,
she had to strip naked,
she was photographed,
poked, prodded, and then scraped,
so the police could gather evidence.
And finally, she sat here and relived
every sordid, painful detail.
Her sex life dissected.
Her psychological traumas exposed.
Her entire motivation called into question.
So ask yourselves this:
Why would she put herself through such hell
if she wasn't telling the truth?
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, your honor.
In the case of The People versus Ronald J. Polikoff,
docket ending 445,
on the top count of the indictment,
the charge of rape in the first degree,
what is your verdict?
We find the defendant...
[wolf howling]