Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Surrendering Noah (2015)

Raúl Esparza: ADA Rafael Barba

Photos 

Quotes 

• Evan Braun : [Enters Barba's office, looks around]  Nice digs. My tax dollars at work.

  Rafael Barba : Taxes? Don't most of your clients pay cash?

  Evan Braun : Ha, that's funny.

• Olivia Benson : Counselor, walk you out?

  Rafael Barba : Something you need to tell me?

  Olivia Benson : Just so you know, I've decided to name Johnny D as Noah's birth father on the adoption papers.

  Rafael Barba : No. We've talked about this. You are under no obligation to do that. It's not material to what he's being charged with.

  Olivia Benson : This isn't about the trial. The adoption paperwork lists Noah's birth father as unknown.

  Rafael Barba : So what's the problem?

  Olivia Benson : Lying doesn't work out well for me.

  Rafael Barba : Okay. Johnny D, family court. Separate universes. He'll never find out.

  Olivia Benson : Maybe not, but someday Noah might. Or the courts. I don't want my life with Noah to be built on a lie.

  Rafael Barba : Don't do this. Johnny D is a psychopath. Do not open this door.

• Rafael Barba : [to Olivia]  Johnny D will relinquish all parental rights and waive visitation. Noah won't ever have to know he existed.

  Olivia Benson : He doesn't get to do this.

  Rafael Barba : As I was trying to say, they've offered a plea of three to five years for prostitution, which, I agree, is not enough.

  Olivia Benson : Not enough?

  Rafael Barba : But I think I can sell them on one count of trafficking, pleaded down. Braun indicated they might accept 10 years.

  Olivia Benson : Yes, because he knows that if this goes to trial that Johnny D will spend the rest of his life in prison. He sex-trafficked underaged girls. He raped them, he brutalized them. He does not get to plea this down because I want to make my life less complicated.

  Rafael Barba : Okay. There's something else you should know. Regardless of whether he is convicted or not, he can still appeal for his parental rights. He could request and has a good shot at getting court-ordered visitation. You could be taking your son to visit Johnny D in State Prison until Noah turns 18.