Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Protection (2002)

Mariska Hargitay: Detective Olivia Benson

Quotes 

• Olivia Benson : [after Maria shoots Fredo Garcia]  What's going on?

  Donald Cragen : Alex wants to indict Maria.

  Olivia Benson : For what?

  Donald Cragen : Attempted murder.

  Olivia Benson : Are you kidding me? Fredo terrorized Maria and her sons for two years.

  Alexandra Cabot : That doesn't give her the right to become a vigilante.

  Olivia Benson : This isn't about revenge, Alex. It's self-defense.

  Alexandra Cabot : No, Olivia, Fredo's gun was two rooms away. Unless Maria had reason to believe her life was in immediate danger, she had no justification for shooting him.

  Olivia Benson : How about extreme emotional distress?

  Alexandra Cabot : Doesn't apply here. Maria knew exactly what she was doing. She dropped Luis off at her mother's, she ditched the Bronx detectives, she bought the gun and she went to kill Fredo.

  Olivia Benson : We put her in that position because we couldn't protect her.

  Alexandra Cabot : No one could guarantee Maria's safety 100%.

  Olivia Benson : Look, she is scared for her life and her boys.

  Alexandra Cabot : Maria committed a crime.

  Olivia Benson : Which we are partly responsible for. Alex, cut her a break.

  Alexandra Cabot : I have to enforce the law.

  Donald Cragen : Maria is your only eyewitness to Fredo executing Joey Stapleton. Convict her and her credibility is shot along with your murder case against Fredo.

  Alexandra Cabot : The law is not always about justice. Your words, remember?

  Donald Cragen : Maria didn't kill anybody, but, Fredo. Fredo's got two bodies to his name that we know about. We don't lop his head off now, he will kill again. And if anything happens to Maria or Luis, it's on you.

• Olivia Benson : Maria, Luis is going to a shelter until we can place him in a foster home.

  Maria Ramos : You can't take him away from me. He's my son.

  Olivia Benson : So was Miguel, but where were you when he needed you?

• Fredo Garcia : [after Maria shoots him]  It's killing me!

  Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola : It's *just* a knee.

  [walks him out] 

  Olivia Benson : Maria, where'd you get the gun?

  Maria Ramos : On the street, I bought it.