Written By Kevin Fox and Peter Blauner
Directed By Jonathan Herron
A popular sports reporter (Lauren Cohan) accuses her cameraman (David Marciano) of rape and stalking, but when she later learns she's pregnant, the defense employs unconventional tactics to get him found not guilty and later also achieve custody of the child.
Tropes
- A Fool for a Client: Unfortunately averted. The defendant, Purcell, is accused of raping sports reporter Avery Jordan, and later dismisses his counsel and opts to represent himself. Purcell proves to be significantly more competent than expected and he succeeds in convincing the jury to find him not guilty of rape, though they do find him guilty of stalking. To make matters worse, he also proves competent in representing himself when he sues for custody of the resulting child. He doesn't succeed, but he does get the judge to award him minimal visitation rights. His not being a fool for a client ends up making him a Karma Houdini, though Jordan gets the last laugh: she leaves town to somewhere beyond extradition and takes the baby with her.
- And Starring: "Special Guest Star Lauren Cohan".
- Artistic License – Biology: Done in-universe; Purcell uses a junk science argument to defend himself against the rape charge.
- Chekhov's Skill: Purcell mentions having a law degree. Turns out he's not kidding, and this becomes the main source of conflict for much of the episode as he really knows his way in the system.
- Child by Rape: Purcell fathered one with Avery Jordan. The child becomes the main Plot Device of the episode.
- Eviler than Thou: Purcell is initially represented by Roger Kressler, the show's resident smarmy defense attorney. Purcell finds Kressler unimpressive and eventually decides to represent himself, even proving that he is more cutthroat than him.
- Female Gaze: The Cold Open features muscular jocks clad only in Modesty Towel. Subverted In-Universe as Avery clearly doesn't appreciate being flashed by these men regardless of their good looks.
- Hope Spot: Despite the fight Prucell gives in court, he allowed his villainous nature to slip multiple times, disrupting court, which earned the ire of the judge, and the pseudo-science he tried to pass off in court to defend himself arguing "legitimate rape" was quickly dismantled in open court in a matter of minutes, which made the SVU see the trial as a no-brainer guilty verdict... but then it takes nearly two days for the jury to reach a verdict, and they unfortunately had to settle on a slap on the hand punishment all because one juror bought into the junk hoax argument the discredited doctor gave out and refused to budge on her "Not Guilty" decision no matter how hard the other jurors tried, resulting in Purcell's freedom and his continued harassments of Avery by suing her for custody of her child.
- Horrible Judge of Character: Even with all the evidence laid out that Purcell is far Beyond Redemption that had his pseudo-science argument destroyed as quickly as it was introduced, one of the jurors still thought it was worth giving him benefit of the doubt and stated "Not Guilty" to rape, and her refusal to reverse her decision is what forced the rest of the jury party to let him go on those grounds.
- Ignore the Fanservice: Played for Drama. Avery is flashed by well-built, good-looking jocks in the Cold Open, but she's clearly uncomfortable.
- It's All About Me: Purcell has this in shades, going over his counsel and choosing to represent himself when his appointed lawyer fails to ask the questions he deems to be important to the case, badgering the witnesses, and invoking both Entitled to Have You and "Not If They Enjoyed It" Rationalization by exploiting Avery's desires for motherhood. Towards the end, Fin had to drill it into Prucell's head that if he's really serious about being a father, then one of the first things he has to learn is that it's not going to be about him anymore.
- Internal Reveal: Olivia finally opens up to Nick regarding her Dark and Troubled Past as a Child by Rape.
- Jerk Jock: A few are seen in the Cold Open being quite sexually aggressive to Avery.
- Karma Houdini: Purcell ends up acquitted of Avery's rape, although he does fail to get their son, which was his ultimate goal, because Avery fled the country with him.
- Pet the Dog: As despicable as he is, Purcell really does seem to love his child with Avery.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: It is heavily implied that Olivia helped Avery and her child escape the country (or at least New York) to get away from Richard Purcell.
- Slut-Shaming:Tutuola: Avery Jordan, is she the one that wears those tight white jeans on the sideline?Rollins, in an exasperated tone: No, Fin, that's someone else, and beside the point.
- Truth in Television/This Loser Is You: One of the most notable examples was in the episode, where a congressman Expy of Todd Akin said that it was impossible for a woman to become pregnant from rape. This resulted in Jordan's rapist being acquitted because of one holdout juror, suing for custody of the her son, and thus forcing her to flee the country.
