Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Loss (2003)

Fred Thompson: DA Arthur Branch

Quotes 

• Arthur Branch : Your SVU detectives got you in a real mess, Alexandra.

  Alex Cabot : They were trying to cooperate with a federal investigation. They didn't have much of a choice.

  Arthur Branch : I'm not asking you to defend them. I'm just trying to figure out how you'll get out of it.

  Alex Cabot : There's nothing to get out of. Petrovsky will subpoena the DEA agent, the warrant will stand and Zapata will go away for 25 to life.

  Arthur Branch : That easy, huh?

  Alex Cabot : Everyone understands the sensitive nature of the DEA investigation. Petrovsky has no reason to jeopardize that. All efforts will be made to maintain the witness's confidentiality.

  Arthur Branch : So you're operating under the theory that if we don't see the immediate threat, then it must not be real.

  Alex Cabot : I know it's real. An NYPD officer is dead because of it.

• Arthur Branch : [to Cabot]  You know, I had a buddy who did three years in Bogota at the embassy. There was a time when one police officer got murdered every single day. Over a two-month period, Pablo Escobar set off nine car bombs.

  Alex Cabot : Well, it's a good thing we live in the United States.

  Arthur Branch : Yes, it is. And there are plenty of judges and prosecutors and former law enforcement in this country walking around every day, the rest of their lives with bodyguards because they stood up against a Colombian cartel that will do anything to protect this business.

  Alex Cabot : That's all the more reason to continue to fight them.

  Arthur Branch : We've been fighting them since before you were born, Alexandra. Now, we're going to drop the Zapata case.

  Alex Cabot : Why? How bad does this have to get? How many more people have to die?

  Arthur Branch : From what I hear, the Feds have a much better case against him than we would ever have now. And to answer your question, too many people have died already.