All language subtitles for Law.and.Order.Special.Victims.Unit.S19E10.Pathological.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-NTb_track3_[eng]

.

- 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.

He's my blood.

He will never be a part of you

the way he is a part of me.

- Grandma, Grandma!

- Hey, mama's here, sweet boy.

Mama's here, you're okay.
- Grandma Sheila.

I saw her.
- Oh, honey.

You just had a dream, okay?
But mama's here with you now.

- Noah.

You know how
we talked about you

sleeping in your own bed
all night, remember?

- Please, mama,
please, mama, please, mama.

- Okay, okay, okay.

One more night, okay?

- Eddie wants
to sleep with us too.

- Of course, it wouldn't
be a proper slumber party

without Eddie.

- Grandma Sheila,
is she all right?

- Yes, honey, of course.
- I want to see her.

- Okay, now let's
go to bed, honey.

Let's go to bed.

- This morning,
we're going to continue

with ecosystems.

Now who remembers
what ecology is?

- I know, I know!
- How organisms

act to each other
in their environments.

- Good, Taylor, but next time,
wait till I call on you.

Now organisms are...Mariel?

- Any living thing.

- Yes, and living things
interact in different ways.

Now some can cooperate,
like ants building a nest.

And others prey on each other.
So who can give me an example?

- The tick is
sucking the dog's blood.

It means the tick
is a parasite.

- Yeah...

- I'm on a new medicine,
it's making me sleepy.

- Oh, okay.
- I'll be fine.

- Okay, clean up, everyone.
Snack time.

- I'm sorry I spilled juice.
- No worries, accidents happen.

Let's just get
some paper towels.

- Oh, my God, Cody!

Go find Principal Flock, now!

- Mariel McLaughlin is 15,
has MD, epilepsy,

and some learning issues.
Cody Hill is 19, has autism.

- And you said a teacher
found them together?

- On the floor
of a supply closet.

We don't really know
what was happening,

but we do have
mandated reporting.

- You did the right thing.

- This is Mariel and Cody's
teacher, Vanessa Banks.

- They should
have been supervised,

I don't know how
they slipped away.

- Not really.

They were both pretty upset.

So I thought it best
to separate them.

- Their parents are on the way.

Obviously we don't want
legal action.

- Mariel is underage.

- Well they have
impaired social interaction.

They're very
sheltered, immature.

- Okay, we'll talk to them.
We'll sort it out.

- Oh, no, honey.

I just need to figure out
what happened

between you and Cody.
- Oh, my God, Mariel.

- Detective Rollins, SVU.

- We had to, Mrs. McLaughlin.

Mariel, are you all right?

What happened?

- Mommy, Cody raped me.

- Oh, my God, sweetie.
- Okay.

*

.

- I'm sure my son
didn't do anything wrong.

Tell the police officer, Cody.

- Can you tell me
how you and uh...

And Mariel ended up
alone in the supply room?

- I told the cafeteria monitor

that Mariel
left her sweater in class.

And I wheeled her out.

- Okay, and when
you were alone,

what did you do?

- I helped her
out of the wheelchair.

We laid down on the floor,
then we had sex.

- It's okay.

Mariel's the Little Mermaid,

because she can't
use her legs so good.

And I'm her prince, Eric.

- That's his favorite movie.

Look, this is just
kids being kids.

My son doesn't even fully
understand what sex is.

- Yeah, I do.

You put your penis
inside the girl.

It means you're in love.

- Yeah.

- I don't know what to say.

This is a discipline issue,
not a police matter.

- It might be, Mr. Hill.

- Did Mariel's mother
make a complaint?

Overprotective is
putting it mildly.

- It's not up to her.
Mariel's underage.

We need to bring
Cody to the station,

get a statement.
We'll talk to the ADA.

- Cody helped me
out of my chair.

I can walk,
but it's hard for me.

- She has
muscle weakness, atrophy.

- Oh, I see.

Mariel, then what happened?

- I took my sweater off.

We took our pants off.

- Mariel, you said
you were raped.

Did Cody force you
to do something

that you didn't want to?

- No, we're in love.
We're getting married.

- Sorry, do you know
what rape means, Mariel?

- Yes, when a boy
puts his penis

on your vagina.

I heard one of the aides
talking about it.

- Yes.

- Okay, and did you say no,
or that you didn't want it?

- No.

I liked it.

Like we were real grown-ups.
- Mariel, honey.

Um, give us a minute, okay?

Can I just...

I...I don't know
what's going on,

but I should
get my daughter home.

She's--she's not well,
she has anxiety issues.

- Well, I understand,
but we need

to get Mariel to a hospital.

- Yeah, for a rape kit.

She needs to be
tested for STDs,

just to make sure she's okay.
- We'll go to her pediatrician.

- And you're more than welcome
to call her doctor, of course,

but she really needs
to be seen by somebody

with experience
in these kinds of cases, okay?

Mariel.

- And autistic.

- And she's 15
and says he raped her?

- Rollins doesn't think she
understood what the word meant.

I get the sense this is a
Romeo and Juliet scenario here.

Should we call Liv?
- No, we don't call Liv.

She's still on leave.

- We take his statement,
then we wait on the rape kit.

Take it to Barba, figure out
if we've got a crime.

- Yeah, I'm cool.

- Well, how invasive
is this procedure?

- The nurse will
take some swabs,

and some photographs.

- Dr. Levy,
thank God you're here.

- Hi.
- Hey, Detective Rollins, SVU.

- Alexandra Levy,
Mariel's pediatrician.

- Mariel's right here.

- I'm okay.

- She's really nervous.
- We can sedate her.

- Likely ketamine,
10 milligrams.

- The IV has to be
in her right arm.

She's got phlebitis in the--
- I remember, Dawn.

Mariel, can I take your vitals?
Excuse me.

It's just seeing her like this.

She puts on
a brave face for me,

but it never
gets any easier.

- What, may I ask,
is her condition?

- She was diagnosed
with muscular dystrophy

when she was four.

That put her in the wheelchair,
and then epilepsy.

Blood cancer, twice.

- Sounds like a rough road.

- Well, like they say,

the lord never gives you
more than you can handle.

Can I just see
what the numbers are?

- Oh!
- War!

both: I-de-clare-war!

- You got me again!
I surrender, I surrender.

- I thought you said no work.
- It's Amanda, I'll be quick.

Hey.

You're where?

Uh, no, I'm coming right now.

Hi.
- Hey, sorry.

I hope this isn't a bad time.
- No, come on in.

I'm just getting beat
at cards again.

- I'm great.

- So, Noah, how about you
change into your PJs, right?

And I'm going to talk
to Amanda for a second.

I'll be super quick.
- He seems good.

- Yeah, he is.
We're getting there.

He still wants
to sleep in the bed with me.

And I'm letting him,
so I don't know if that's

for him or for me.

- I hear you.

- So, you guys
managing without me?

- Yeah, and Fin loves being
in charge, I can tell you that.

Okay.

You got a file?
- Yeah.

I just wanted you
to go over this.

Just make sure we're
not missing something.

- Okay.

15, 19, both have disabilities.
She's in a wheelchair?

- Yeah, but she's
not paralyzed.

And the rape kit came back
negative for trauma, semen.

So whatever they did, it seems
like it was consensual.

- He doesn't want to pursue.

- Okay.

But there's something else.
- Yeah.

Yeah it's...
it's the girl's mother.

You know Jesse
had a fever last week, right?

And of course I was concerned,
but I didn't rush to the ER.

And you know, I've seen
you when Noah's sick.

It's just... I don't know.

Granted, this mother's
been through a lot.

But--
- You think there's an issue.

I'm not sure.

But I had Warner
check Mariel's tox screen.

- Well, if she's incapacitated,
then that's a different story.

- Yeah.

Anyway, I'll find out.

- Well, keep me posted.

I mean, I'm supposed
to be off-duty,

but I'm just here
playing cards.

- I'm ready for bed!
- Wow, that was fast.

- All right, see you guys.

- Say bye. Bye-bye!
- Bye!

- All right, keep me posted.

- You made
the right call, Amanda.

- You could say that.

She had half a pharmacy
in her system.

- But she is sick.

And a lot of
these drugs make sense.

Like the Valproate,
for seizures.

- She also had a cocktail

of others.
Paxil, St. John's Wort, Ginko.

And some of these have
severe adverse interactions

with the
anti-seizure medication.

- Could that
just be an oversight?

- Not by any
reputable professional.

If this was purposeful,

I'd say you're looking
at medical malpractice.

And possibly a case
of child abuse.

*

.

- Yeah!

- Oh, my God, this is
the best birthday ever!

Ever, ever!
- Whoo-hoo!

Yay, we're going to--

People have been so generous.

Mariel loved Disney World.

- She's lucky she's
got so much support.

- People just respond
to her, you know?

How brave she is.

Now, you said you
were here about Cody?

- Uh, yeah.
We wanted to let you know

that the ADA
is not going to press charges.

- Oh...

Well, that's probably
for the best.

Why are they here?
Detective Rollins?

- Yeah, we're just
talking to your mother.

Are you feeling better, Mariel?
- She is,

but we're going to take off
another day from school.

Now you go rest, okay, honey?

She's having a reaction
to the ketamine,

I should really
get back to her.

- Well, actually,
we have something else

that we need to discuss.
Mariel's meds.

- I don't understand.

- You know, they did
a tox screen at the hospital,

and our medical examiner
found some issues.

She's on Valproate?

- Yes, I told you,
she has epilepsy.

- Mm-hm.

- Did you know the combination
can induce seizures?

- I didn't.
- Yeah, so who recommended

the supplements?

- Well, you know, I'm always
looking for a new regimen.

A new protocol.
I do research online

for alternative medicines
and therapies.

It's a full-time job.
I'm a single mother.

I must have missed something.

- So Mariel's father
is not in the picture?

- He left when she was six.

He couldn't
handle her illnesses.

- I'm sure it
can be overwhelming.

Listen, we can get you
some support or counseling.

- Thank you, but I'm fine.
I'll call Dr. Levy,

I'll have her make an
adjustment to the medication.

- I took Mariel off Paxil

and recommended against
Ginko Biloba a year ago.

- Yeah, but you can see
she's still taking it.

- I doubt her other specialists
would have given her refills

knowing that
she's had seizures.

It must be a mix-up.

- Well, have you seen
this kind of mix

- No, I haven't.
- So...

- Can I ask, is this related
to the sexual encounter?

- It might be, how long has
Mariel been your patient?

- About two years, she was 13.
They were new to the city.

A parent comes in,

tells you about their
child's medical history,

you believe them.

- Well, these,
these other specialists.

Can you tell us what they
were treating her for?

- I'm sorry,
you're going to have to ask

Mariel's mother for
that information.

Thank you for bringing
this to my attention.

I need to make some calls.

So what now,
we ask Barba for a warrant?

- Or, we get a parent's okay

to look at
Mariel's medical history.

- Dawn's not going
to agree to that.

- But Mariel's father might.

- Okay, should we
check in with Fin first?

- Better to ask for
forgiveness than permission.

- I'm not a bad father,
I send money every month.

But her mom tells me
Mariel spending time with me

is too stressful for her.

- Well, Dawn knows what's best.

What she's
gone through with Mariel,

in an out of hospitals
ever since she was a baby.

- So she's been ill
her whole life?

- MD at four, leukemia at six.

You don't know
what a gut punch it is

to see your little girl
losing her hair.

And throwing up.

You know, maybe there
was a part of me

that couldn't handle it.

- But when she was younger,
you were there, right?

The hospitals, the doctors?
- Yeah, I tried.

We moved half a dozen times
chasing the best treatments.

- Did you happen to save
any of those old records?

- Munchausen by Proxy.
A mental illness

where a parent makes up
fake symptoms,

or causes symptoms.
- Medical child abuse.

- Isn't that usually
with younger kids?

- It usually is, yes, but--

- Mariel's 15,
that's a long time

to go along with being sick.

- I'm positive that this
is what we're looking at, Fin.

Multiple diagnoses
from a dozen doctors

that we know of,
from six different states.

50 different medications,
at least ten surgeries.

- Well,
aren't these doctors to blame?

- No, because the mother is...

She's a very smart liar.
Master manipulator.

From one doctor to the next,

she says that they've
lost the records.

So she
fills in the blanks herself.

- And these doctors have
no reason not to believe

what she's been telling them.

- So Dawn has been
medicating Mariel.

She's been making
her own daughter sick.

And she knows how to do it.
She's been getting drugs

from online or off the streets.

- All right.

Now it's time to call
Liv, Barba, and Child Services.

- When can me
and my mom go home?

It's movie night.
Is she okay?

- We're still figuring
some things out.

- She's a smart lady.

- She didn't ask for a lawyer.
- Maybe not that smart.

- Aren't you supposed
to be on leave?

- I am, but I
need to be here.

- I get it.

- We got enough
for a case, Barba?

- Based on the files
you gave me, probably.

I need a full medical
and psych work-up on Mariel.

And I need a court order for a
full psych eval on Dawn.

- She's been getting away
with this for 15 years.

She's good at
covering her tracks.

- So she knows what
she's doing is wrong?

- Mrs. McLaughlin,
I'm Lieutenant Benson.

- Oh, someone in charge, good.
I need to be with Mariel.

She must be so scared.

- Dawn, don't worry.
Mariel is fine.

- So I just have
a few questions

about the number
of different doctors

that Mariel's been to.

- She was born with
a compromised immune system.

She has multiple issues.

Now when did that start?

- May of 2010.
- So it says here

that a doctor Sanders
from North Carolina

conducted a dozen tests from
May to October of that year.

But they were all negative.

- When you have a sick child,
you don't give up

just because one doctor
has his head on backwards.

She was diagnosed in December,
after we moved to New York.

- Do you have
documentation of that?

- I'm still not clear
why you need it.

- Okay, Mrs. McLaughlin,

I'm just going
to be honest with you.

Your daughter's
medical records, her files...

They show that you weren't
looking for doctors

who could cure Mariel.

You were looking for doctors
who would agree with you,

who would say
that she was sick.

- No, I'm a good mother.

I was raised in an ugly,
abusive household.

I am blessed
to have a daughter.

To show her
what love should be.

- That's not love.

That's what you wanted,
not what he wanted.

- Okay, okay.
- She wanted.

- Dawn.

We know you love your daughter.

And you're doing
the best that you can.

And doctors, they don't
always know the answer.

- I just want my child
to be well.

Healthy, happy.
That's all I've ever wanted.

Can you understand that?
- Yes, but you are hurting her.

- No you're wrong.
I'm taking Mariel home.

- No.
Fin!

- Mariel! Mariel!
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.

- No, no, no, Mariel, honey!
- Hold on, hold on, no, no, no.

We're going home right now.

- We're going right now!
- Take it easy, take it easy.

- Oh, no, no, no.

- Let me go, she needs me.

- Hey. Hey, hey, hey.
- Mariel!

- Yeah, she's fine, honey.

I got you, why don't
we sit back down, baby?

Okay?

- Let me go. Mariel!
- Nice and easy, nice and easy.

Let's lower her down...
- She's seizing!

- Mariel!
- It's okay.

- SVU portable, we need a bus.

We have a minor
having a seizure.

- Airway's clear.
Mariel, hang in there, honey.

.

- Mommy!

Mommy?
- Noah!

Noah, come here, baby.
- Mommy, you made it!

- Noah, hey, baby--

- Go outside, Noah.
Go on the porch.

- No!

- Oh, Melinda.

- Yeah, yeah.
How's Mariel?

- Recovering.

She had excessive amounts
of Paxil, Ginko,

and other supplements
in her system,

which caused the seizure.

And how's her health otherwise?

- She'll need more evaluation,

but initial reports
are encouraging.

It appears she doesn't have MD.

Or a seizure disorder.

- Dawn McLaughlin's
being held at Bellevue,

pending her psych eval.

- Rollins is with her.

Her father's driving up
from Pennsylvania.

- Okay.
- Let's get you home.

I got a patrol car outside.

- I'll see you.
- Mm-hm.

Lucy.

Don't wake him.

- If I was really trying
to harm her, I could have.

Mess with her feeding tube,
made her overdose.

- Did you ever think
about doing that?

- I was just trying
to raise her right.

- Because you weren't
raised right?

Did someone hurt you
when you were young, Dawn?

- My stepfather.

But this is about Mariel.
- And you too.

*

How did he hurt you?

- I was abused,
so I'm an abuser?

If her lawyer goes with psych
defense, she could get off.

- Just as long as
she never gets custody

of her daughter again.

- Sometimes I would act like
he hurt me worse than he did.

Then mom would let me
stay home from school.

Just us.

- You taught yourself
how to manipulate authority.

Learned self-preservation.

Dawn.

Why do you think
you gave Mariel

the meds that caused a seizure?

- I just--

I wanted someone to see
that she was sick.

To treat her.

- She fits all the
diagnostic criteria

for Factitious Disorder,
or Munchausen by Proxy.

There's a cognitive distortion
in her thinking.

She knows what
she's doing is wrong,

but she doesn't know
why she's doing it.

And she certainly
can't stop herself.

- Is she competent
to stand trial?

- In my opinion, yes.

But she's going to need
a lot of treatment.

- So is Mariel.

- I don't understand,
I'm not sick?

- No, you're going
to be fine, Mariel.

You're walking,
you're getting stronger.

It's going to take a while,
but you are healthy.

But I'm always so tired,

sick to my stomach, weak.

This can't be.

- I know it's hard, sweetheart.

But your mom
was making you sick.

She was giving you medication
that made you feel bad.

- Mariel, because
there's something wrong

with your mom's brain.

And she didn't understand
how to take care of you.

She didn't know
what was good for you.

She loves me.

- She does love you,
absolutely.

This is a lot to process,

and we are going to get you
a lot of help to feel better.

And Mariel,
you're going to be okay.

*

- Stealing all the ice cream.

- I never trusted
that elephant.

- So, what's happening
with Dawn McLaughlin?

- Yeah, she was
arraigned today.

Charged with
reckless endangerment.

The judge ROR'd her,

which was completely
against my recommendation.

- Rafael.

Do you really think
this woman belongs behind bars?

She's mentally ill, like...

- Noah keeps
asking me to see her.

I don't know what to tell him.

Just avoid the subject
all together.

- Liv, you're going
to get through this.

You've gotten through
a lot worse.

- It's Fin. Hey.

- Dawn just showed up
at Mercy Hospital.

- No! No!

- I'm taking this out of you.
They are hurting you.

- No!
You were the one hurting me!

- Dawn, back up, Dawn!

Now we're going
to have to arrest you.

You can't be here.
- Hey, hey.

You're going to be all right.

- Stay the hell away
from our daughter!

- Mariel, I love you!
- You love me being sick.

You took away my life,
you almost killed me!

- No, they're lying to you!

I'm the only one who knows
how to take care of you.

- Get her out of here.
- I am the only one!

- All I ever wanted was
to be normal.

*

Now I never will.

- Okay, Barba.
Yeah, thanks.

Dawn made bail,
she's out again.

How is that possible?

- One of her supporters raised
the cash through GoFundMe.

I mean, she's not
allowed within 100 feet

of the hospital or Mariel.
They GPS'd them both.

Ugh...

You know, what Dawn
did to her daughter,

she took away her childhood.
It's unforgivable.

But...

She's sick.

I just, I can't
wrap my head around

that we want her punished.

- Listen, Rollins, why don't
you go home and be with Jesse?

I haven't forgotten that you
have a kid too, you know?

- After what Liv
went through, I'm fine.

- Look, you're a single mom.
You're a full-time cop.

Your life is not easy.

And it's okay to say that
out loud every once in a while.

- Rollins.

Mariel?

Okay, you, uh...

You just stay--
you stay where you are.

Okay, we're on our way.

*

*

What did you do?

- You're too late.
She's dead.

I killed her.

*

.

- I felt so good.
Energetic.

Colors were brighter.

I felt alive,
like I was coming out of a fog.

- You were detoxing
from a lot of meds.

- My whole life,
I thought I was stupid.

She did that to me,
my own mother.

- Tell us what
happened earlier.

- You mean after
she came to the hospital

and tried to kill me?
- Listen, Mariel.

That shouldn't have happened,
and I'm very sorry.

But you were safe there.

What if she came back and there
was no one there to stop her?

- Is that why you went
to your mother's apartment?

To stop her?
- I just wanted her

to leave me alone.

I thought if I
brought a weapon,

like that hammer,
she'd listen to me.

- What happened
after you got there?

- She tried to hug me.
I wouldn't let her.

She went to get my pills
so I'd calm down, she said.

I said I didn't need pills,
to leave me alone.

- She said I was
her daughter forever.

That I'd always need her
to take care of me.

So I hit her with the hammer.

*

- Was your mother
trying to hurt you?

Was she threatening you?
- I just knew she was

never going to let me go.

I had to.

Mariel, were you--

I felt good.
I was in control for once.

Not her.
- Mariel, stop talking.

My daughter was brutalized.

And whatever happened,
Dawn deserved it.

I mean, you see that, right?

I mean, you can let her go now.

- I'm sorry, I can't do that.

- Well, I'm calling a lawyer.
- No, I think you should.

*

- Cause of death
was blunt force trauma.

The wound is consistent with
having been hit from behind.

The first blow caused her
to fall to the floor.

- Not necessarily.

Knocking someone out
is harder than you think.

And she was clutching
her head with both hands.

- I would say absolutely.

- How many blows
did the defendant strike

after her mother
was incapacitated,

clutching her head?
- Three.

- From the cast-off.

Stripes of blood on the wall.
There were three.

When the hammer
was pulled back,

blood spattered onto the wall,
forming a line pattern.

- Thank you.

- Dr. Warner,
you evaluated a tox screen

done on Mariel as part of a
rape kit several weeks ago.

- Yes.
- And you found multiple

counteractive medications
and supplements.

- That's right.
- Side effects include

a higher risk of seizure,
confusion, lack of judgment.

- Yes, but at the
time of the murder,

she had detoxed
for several days.

- Have you ever seen a case of
Munchausen by Proxy like this?

With 15 years
of prescription abuse?

- No, I haven't.
- So you don't know the effects

that this type
of long-term abuse could have,

or how long it might take
to fully detox.

- No.

- Thank you.

- Redirect, Your Honor.

- Dr. Warner.
From the position of the body,

the number of blows,
the blood spatter.

In your opinion, is this
consistent with self

- Not likely, no.

- People rest.

- We call Dr. Elizabeth Olivet.

Dr. Olivet,
you examined Mariel

48 hours after she was informed

her mother had been diagnosed
with Munchausen by Proxy.

Is that right?
- Yes.

- So after she found out
that her mother

had force-fed her medications,

subjected her
to multiple and painful

unnecessary medical treatments
and surgeries,

had in effect,
destroyed her childhood.

- Yes.
- Did you find

she was suffering from PTSD,
mood imbalances, dissociation?

- Yes, but that didn't
alter my conclusion

that Mariel
knew right from wrong.

She was aware of the
consequences of her actions.

- Wasn't she terrified
of her mother?

Afraid she'd never
escape her control?

- She expressed
some of those feelings, yes.

But she also expressed extreme
anger and rage at her mother.

- Defense exhibit D.

A copy of the DSM-5

and articles on
Munchausen by Proxy

that Mariel
had Googled that day.

Can you read
the highlighted section?

- "Despite the number of cases
of Munchausen by Proxy,

"that have been
evaluated and treated,

there is little research
on effective treatment."

- And this, defense exhibit E.

The state of New York
sentencing guidelines

for reckless endangerment.

- The crime that Mariel's
mother had been charged with.

I've highlighted
the minimum sentence, which is?

- One year.
- So after Mariel found out

that there is
no treatment for Munchausen's.

After finding out the sentence

could be as minimal
as one year.

A few hours after her mother

had violated
an order of protection

and tried to pull out her IV.

Is it possible that Mariel

lost faith in the system
to protect her,

and felt her only option
was to defend herself?

To save her own life?

*

- It's possible, yes.

- Nothing further.

- Mr. Barba.

- No questions, Your Honor.

- Mariel did use
the hospital computer

to research
Munchausen by Proxy.

- A few hours.

And the defense claims

that's part of her
emotional disturbance?

- All it takes
is one juror, what else?

- Well, that's it
for her Google searches,

but she did watch
"The Little Mermaid"

seven times in three days.

- Well, her classmate, Cody.
The 19-year-old with autism.

- We didn't charge him.
- Well, Mariel thought

that she was
the Little Mermaid,

and that Cody
was her Prince Eric.

- My whole life,
I wanted to be normal.

Like a real girl, but I was
always in the hospital

Sick, tired.

Food didn't taste good.

I had trouble
using the bathroom.

I couldn't walk.
I couldn't think clearly.

- I'm getting healthier.

Stronger every day.
I feel like I have hope.

- How did you react when you
found out that your mother

had made you ill?

- At first,
I couldn't believe it.

But then when I started
to feel better,

I realized it was true.

I was sad,
but I was with my dad,

and mostly I didn't want
to think about her anymore.

- Tell me about the day

you went to your
mother's apartment.

- I was having a good day.
I was up.

Walking on my own.

Then my mom came in,

she was yelling.

She tried to tear my IV out.

The cops took her away.

- Scared, like I'd never
get away from her.

So when my dad left the room...

I snuck out.

I got a hammer from his truck.

I went to my mom's apartment.

- To tell her
to leave me alone.

- I told her to stay away.

She said that
would never happen.

That the jury
would feel sorry for her

and not put her in jail.

That there was nothing I could
do to keep her away from me.

- I must have swung the hammer.

I just remember
feeling so afraid.

Like I'd never be free, ever.

- Thank you Mariel.

Nothing further.

- Hi, Mariel.

- Hi.

- I'm very sorry
for what you've been through

in your life,
and the last thing I want to do

is cause you more pain,
but I have...

I have a few questions, okay?

- I understand.

- After your mother
came to your hospital room,

you decided to confront her.

- Yes.

- From the timeline that was

a few hours later,
does that sound about right?

- I guess.
- Do you remember

what you did
during those two hours?

Do you remember watching
"The Little Mermaid"

on the hospital computer?

- Objection, relevance.
- I'll get there, Your Honor.

- I'll allow it.

- Yes, I did.

- Yes.

- You thought
you were the Little Mermaid,

and your friend Cody
was Prince Eric?

- Yes.
- Mariel.

- Yes.

- What did your mother
feel about that?

- She said I was too sick
to have a boyfriend.

Too sick to get married.

- Your mother took you
out of that school, didn't she?

- She said because of Cody.

It's why the police came
to the school, our house.

- Objection.

- I'll allow it.

- She told me
I'd never see Cody again.

That I'd never
get out of the wheelchair.

- You were angry
that she stole your childhood,

and she wouldn't
let you grow up?

- Ariel, in the movie,
is mad at her father,

but he let her get married.

My mother was like Ursula,
evil.

- You were angry she wouldn't
let you be a real girl?

- I am a real girl!
I'm not a mermaid.

She was never going to let me.

Never going to let you what?
- Never going to let me.

- All right.

- I hate her!
I hate her, I hate her!

- Move to strike,
non-responsive.

- I wanted her dead.

I'm glad I did it,
I'm not sorry.

*

.

- You did your job, Rafael.

- I also might have sent

a horrifically abused
teenager to prison.

- They could acquit.

Or you could drop the charges.

- I drop the charges,

that's tantamount to saying
there's no rule of law.

That the judicial system
changes its mind.

Makes exceptions on a whim.

Or for sympathetic defendants.

Yeah, that's the jury's
determination, not mine.

- Well, the law says
she's guilty.

But your heart says she's not.
So...

So what are you going to do?

- I don't know.

I don't know.

I know it's been
a very long run--

Hold the door, please.
Thank you.

Yeah, I'm heading back in now.
Look, I don't want the girl

to get life either,
but that's the law.

I'm in the elevator,
I got to go.

Okay, thanks.

She could get life in prison?

- You're jurors on the case.

I didn't realize you were here.

- I would not have expected
this from you, Mr. Barba.

- I apologize, Your Honor.

- We can discuss how
and why this happened

after we adjourn.
For now,

Ms. Glazer, I need
to confirm what happened.

You three saw
Mr. Barba this morning.

- Yes, in the elevator.

- And what did you
overhear him say?

- He said Mariel McLaughlin
could get life in prison.

- And you two
overheard this as well?

- Yes, Your Honor.

I have no choice.
I hereby declare a mistrial.

- I'd like to apologize
to the court,

to Ms. McLaughlin,
and to Ms. Miglani.

And if defense council agrees,

I'd ask for the case
to be moved to family court.

- I can only hope this wasn't
your intent in the first place.

And if I find out
it was, God help you.

So waived, we're adjourned.

Mr. Barba,
report to my chambers now.

*

- See you guys
at 3:00, thank you.

- There you are.

What are you doing here?

- I was in the building,
checking in with Dodds.

You know I got to come
back to work eventually.

You okay?

I heard Judge Barth
read you the riot act.

- I deserved it.

- Well, whether you
deserved it or not,

I have absolute faith

in your humanity.

- The family court judge gave
Mariel a three year sentence.

Suspended to probation,
community service.

With the stipulation of regular
mental health evaluations.

- So...

Justice was served.

- Hope so.

- My dad rented
an apartment for us.

I have to keep seeing
a psychiatrist,

and do community service.

Cody's going
to volunteer with me.

I think I'm going
to like helping people.

- Sure you will.
- Mariel.

I know you lost a lot of years,

but you've got
your whole life ahead of you.

- Yeah.

Can I ask you something?

Do you think it's wrong
that I miss my mother?

*

- No, I don't.

- Mariel, let's go.

- Hey, you take care
of yourself, okay?

- Thank you.

- So you want to grab a cup
of coffee before we head back?

- You know, actually,
I'm going to head home.

Can you cover for me with Fin?
- Yeah, you got it.

- There's ten seconds
left of the clock.

They're going
to make a comeback.

But there she goes!
She steals the ball,

she heads across the court,
she shoots--

She scores!

Yeah, that's right!

Yes!

Hi, Mom. It's me.

Yes, I know it's been a while.

Can you just
be happy I called?

Okay, wait, listen, um...

Can you say hello
to Jesse for me?

Okay.

Can you say "hi, grandma"?
- Hi, grandma.

You heard her?

*

.

*