History Recap / LawAndOrderS16E6Birthright

* GrandparentsAsParents: In Lillie Sands'd case, great-grandparent. Feeling guilty about her granddaughter Traci's abuse of Keesha and unable to control her behavior, she asks Rhodes if Traci could be sterilized without knowing.

* BreakingTheCycleOfBadParenting: The reason why Lillie talked to Rhodes about sterilizing Traci. She felt guilty about not protecting Traci from her mother's abuse, and Traci went on to abuse her own daughter Keesha.

Lillie, holding a baby named Sarah, says that Traci used to live with her after she had her baby, but she threw Traci out when Traci refused to give up drugs. The two detectives see another kid, this one a little older, on the bed, but Lillie says that this child (Damian) isn't Traci's but is rather her other great-grandchild. Damian's mother is in the armed forces in Iraq, so Lillie cares for him. Fontana asks where Traci's baby is, and Lillie says that Traci wouldn't let Lillie raise her child (named Keesha), even though Traci is still on drugs. Green says they want to ask Traci some questions, which rouses Lillie's ire.

Rhodes says that Traci needed a lot of help -- she was psychologically messed up from drugs and abuse. She asks how and why Traci died. When asked about her last treatment of Traci, Rhodes says that Traci developed gonorrhea about six months prior, so she (Rhodes) proscribed antibiotics. When asked about benacreme, Rhodes says that she doesn't use it.

Fontana sees a photo of a group of medical workers in a rural area, and the Center employee says that it was taken in Vietnam, where some of their employees go to provide medical treatment. These treatments include vaccinations, dental care, and, the employee reluctantly admits, sterilizations. She says that the latter is an often requested service by female patients. Fontana asks if they use benecrene, and the employee admits that they do -- it's a single-procedure service, with no surgery required, and few complications. Green says that benecrene is also cheap, which the employee acknowledges.

[=McCoy=] says they could try a lesser charge such as reckless endangerment. Branch points out that this would be a terrible political decision -- the office would look like it was going soft on a white woman accused of sterilizing a black woman. He won't let [=McCoy=] use a lesser charge. He tells them to find someone who can tell them what Rhodes knew.

Later, Borgia tells [=McCoy=] that Rhodes performed the same procedure on five other young women. None of them have died, but some had bad complications. Rhodes blamed the symptoms on yeast infections, but the symptoms are consistent with those caused by benecrene. There's no proof, as Rhodes didn't file any paperwork. [=McCoy=] asks if race was a factor in who Rhodes sterilized, and Borgia responds that the only commonality was that all the women had records of child abuse. [=McCoy=] says that this is basically eugenics -- Rhodes is sterilizing those she feels are unfit to reproduce. Borgia says that she thought eugenics ended in Nazi Germany, but [=McCoy=] responds that California performed force sterilizations up through 1963. He wants the other girls found, but Borgia responds that the detectives already did that. Of the five others, one is dead, one moved out of state, and two are in prison. The last, Isabella Perez, is still in Queens.

Perez tells Borgia that she's a changed person. She's sober, hasn't been arrested in years, and attends school and church. She's also engaged. Borgia congratulates her, then asks what Perez thinks about Rhodes. Perez says that Rhodes helped her turn her life around. Perez, when asked, recalls that she passed out about two years previous and was treated by Rhodes. The problem, according to Rhodes, was an infection. Rhodes didn't take her to the Emergency Room because Perez had no money. Borgia asks if Perez will allow one of their doctors to look at her.

In court, with Judge Carla Solomon presiding, a Dr. Robert Horton testifies that he performed Benecrene sterilizations while working with the Center in Cambodia. He worked with Rhodes there.. Eventually, Horton stopped performing sterilizations, so Rhodes took over performing those procedures. He stopped, he says, because he learned that it could be carcinogenic (which is why it's unapproved in America).

Outside, [=McCoy=] and Borgia agree that Llie was convincing. [=McCoy=] says that, to be safe, they need to include second-degree manslaughter in the jury instructions. Borgia says that Robinette objected. [=McCoy=] is surprised, since he said he'd take that as a plea.

* BreakingTheCycleOfAbuse: The reason why Lillie talked to Rhodes about sterilizing Traci. She felt guilty about not protecting Traci from her mother's abuse, and Traci went on to abuse her own daughter Keesha.

--Traci Sands and Joe Fontana

Lillie, holding a baby named Sarah, says that Traci used to live with her after she had her baby, but she threw Traci out when Traci refused to give up drugs. The two detectives see another kid, this one a little older, on the bed, but Lillie says that this child (Damian) isn't Traci's but is rather her other great-grandchild.Damian's mother is in the armed forces in Iraq, so Lillie cares for him. Fontana asks where Traci's baby is, and Lillie says that Traci wouldn't let Lillie raise her child (named Keesha), even though Traci is still on drugs. Green says they want to ask Traci some questions, which rouses Lillie's ire.

Watson invites Borgia inside. She admits that Lille came to the clinic a few days before Traci, and that she (Lillie) talked with Rhodes. Borgia demands to know what they talked about.

[=McCoy=] promises Lille immunity for her testimony. Lillie tells [=McCoy=] to understand that he's not just making a deal with Lillie, but is making a promise to Damian and Sarah.

Outside, [=McCoy=] and Borgia agree that Lille was convincing. [=McCoy=] says that, to be safe, they need to include second-degree manslaughter in the jury instructions. Borgia says that Robinette objected. [=McCoy=] is surprised, since he said he'd take that as a plea.

--Paul Robinette

The worker at the supply company doesn't know what the IUDs are used for, but he ships thousands to Asia every month.

"I know baseball, beer, and IUDs, buddy. That's it."\\

Directed by Creator/

Two young boys walk home from school, teasing each other about skipping school and about the girls they have curses on. They arrive at a donut stand, but the vendor, Sam Register, isn't there.