Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Conscience (2004)

Christopher Meloni: Detective Elliot Stabler

Quotes 

• Elliot Stabler : [to Dr. Morton after he is acquitted of murdering Jake O'Hara]  Tell me one thing. When did you decide to kill Jake?

  Dr. Brett Morton : In the courtroom, once I knew what he was. You were right. I looked around, saw the officer, realized I could take the gun. I just waited for the right moment.

  Elliot Stabler : You manipulated us just like Jake did.

• Olivia Benson : [about Dr. Morton after his son's body is found]  I've never seen a dad that composed.

  Elliot Stabler : The guy is a time bomb. He keeps holding it in, he's gonna explode.

• Casey Novak : [to the Family Court judge]  The District Attorney's office has reconsidered our decision to try Jake O'Hara in Family Court. We request that the case be moved to Supreme Court for trial as an adult.

  Family Court Judge : Hearings have begun. Jeopardy is attached. If I dismiss now, the case is over.

  Casey Novak : These are highly unusual circumstances. Jake O'Hara lied about his abuse. All his injuries are self-inflicted.

  Dr. Brett Morton : What are you saying?

  Family Court Judge : Dr. Morton...

  Casey Novak : We interviewed witnesses at the camp. They all told us Jake burned himself. This case must be moved, Your Honor.

  Dr. Brett Morton : [to Jake]  I believed you. I fought for you.

  [stands up] 

  Family Court Judge : Dr. Morton, sit down.

  Dr. Brett Morton : You lying little bastard.

  Family Court Judge : The court officer will remove Dr. Morton from this courtroom.

  Dr. Brett Morton : You little prick! You should rot in hell!

  [Jake smirks as Dr. Morton is being escorted out of the courtroom] 

  Elliot Stabler : Let's go before she locks you up.

  Family Court Judge : You bet I will. Get him out of here.

  Dr. Brett Morton : [to Jake as he's being led out of the courtroom]  You monster! You murdered my son!

• Elliot Stabler : [after Dr. Morton shoots Jake O'Hara in the courthouse]  I knew the guy was wound too tight. I should've seen it coming.

  Donald Cragen : You didn't know Morton would shoot him. We all thought Jake was a victim.

  Elliot Stabler : The kid snowed everyone.

  Olivia Benson : [as she walks into the room]  Elliot...

  Elliot Stabler : Jake's dead.

  Olivia Benson : He never made it out of surgery.

  Donald Cragen : [as Stabler walks out of the room and Olivia is about to follow him]  Olivia. Don't.

• Elliot Stabler : [to Novak after court]  You really went after Morton in there.

  Casey Novak : He killed a kid. He knew what he was doing.

  Elliot Stabler : You're so sure about that because of something he wrote 15 years ago?

  Casey Novak : Elliot, he's screwing with us. This grief-crazed-father crap. It's all an act.

  Elliot Stabler : I spend my life locking up skells for murdering children. The system says they go away to prison. Fine. But if it were my son lying on that slab, I don't know what my rage would make me do.

• Olivia Benson : Our witness picked you out, Billy.

  Billy Turner : Your witness is wrong!

  Elliot Stabler : Cat hairs on the boy, cat hairs in your apartment.

  Billy Turner : I don't have a cat. The landlady's cat wanders in and out...

  Elliot Stabler : I don't want to hear about your landlady anymore! It's over! Now, you stalked that little boy, you snatched him and you got into his pants. And then you wanted to keep him quiet, so you shoved rocks down his throat till he choked to death.

• Elliot Stabler : [after Wolinsky interferes in the investigation again]  You send me on a wild goose chase, waste my time...

  Malcolm Wolinsky : I was trying to help you guys.

  Elliot Stabler : You contaminated evidence, you tell that kid you're a cop to get him to make a false I.D.

  Malcolm Wolinsky : You got the perv, didn't you?

  Elliot Stabler : [as he places Wolinsky into a jail cell]  Wrong perv. But I tell you what, where you're going, you'll be meeting plenty of them.

• Dr. Brett Morton : [to Novak about Jake O'Hara]  What's going to happen to him?

  Casey Novak : Without a plea bargain, he'll stand trial and go to prison.

  Dr. Brett Morton : He's a juvenile, he'll be out at 18.

  Casey Novak : Dr. Morton, we're trying Jake as an adult.

  Dr. Brett Morton : No. I lost a child and I know one thing. It's wrong to lose another child to a life in prison.

  Elliot Stabler : As a parent, I can't imagine what you're going through.

  Dr. Brett Morton : Well, putting Jake in jail isn't justice.

  Casey Novak : And sending him to that camp doesn't make you responsible for what he did.

  Dr. Brett Morton : Jake's had a hard life. What he did isn't entirely his fault.

  Casey Novak : And that evidence will be introduced at trial.

  Dr. Brett Morton : I'm sure you have the best intentions, but you're wrong.

• Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly : [to Stabler]  How could you let this happen?

  Elliot Stabler : You've got some nerve, lady. That kid was killed because you sent him to Family Court.

  Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly : I didn't stand there and watch Brett Morton grab a gun.

  Elliot Stabler : You sure as hell put it in his hand. What, you didn't want to say no to a grieving father? You afraid the press would call you a cold-hearted bitch?

  Casey Novak : You two want to blame each other, go ahead, but I have a job to do. What's our decision on Dr. Morton?

  Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly : Charge him. Murder two.

  Elliot Stabler : His son was killed by a psychopath who was gonna walk.

  Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly : And that gives him the right to kill a kid? I want him arraigned by tomorrow morning.

• Elliot Stabler : [When Wolinsky is caught assaulting Billy Turner by the detectives]  How'd you find out about Billy?

  Malcolm Wolinsky : Yeah, I heard you were looking for him on the police radio.

  Elliot Stabler : [grabs Wolinsky]  You are done with this. Do you understand me?

  Malcolm Wolinsky : Right after I file a complaint for police brutality!

  Elliot Stabler : You're lucky I don't charge you with assault!

  Malcolm Wolinsky : I didn't touch the baby-raper!

  Olivia Benson : You trashed this apartment. If Henry Morton was here, that means that you destroyed a crime scene.

  Elliot Stabler : You interfere again, you're doing time.

  Malcolm Wolinsky : You take that perv scum's side over me?

  Elliot Stabler : I don't take anybody's side. Get out of here.