History Recap / LawAndOrderS8E18Stalker

** Whether Briscoe genuinely had a change of heart or perjured himself in order to keep Lowery from escaping justice. Only [=McCoy=] doesn't ask serious questions about his change of heart. It certainly seems suspiciously convenient, yet Briscoe never breaks and insists he is being sincere. He also makes some good points, like how someone faking an attack is unlikely to break expensive jewelry, but use something cheaper. This also brings up...

* NothingPersonal: [=McCoy=] tells this to Curtis when he forces him to admit on the stand he told Blake's employer she wasn't lying about her stalker.

* Blackmail: Russell Lowery discovered his supervisor at his call center job was embezzling, so he used the information to gain access to the supervisor's unfiltered computer in order to stalk Andrea from behind bars.

Nurse Andrea Blake is found unconscious at the bottom of the stairwell in her apartment building. She claims it was the result of a confrontation with the man who had been stalking. Briscoe and Curtis realize that she lied about the confrontation but not about receiving e-mails and calls from the stalker. They believe that a voyeur named Lewis Dutton, who takes secret photos of undressed women and puts them on the Internet, is the culprit and arrest him. After they tell her she has nothing to worry about, despite her pleas that it is not Dutton and her attack was real, Andrea is attacked and stabbed to death at her apartment. She did manage to call 911 during her attack, which leads to Russell Lowery. He had become obsessed with her when he was incarcerated and worked in an in-prison telemarketing job. There is weak circumstantial evidence against him and the defense gets the 911 taped suppressed thanks to Blake's faked attack. Briscoe, feeling guilty, goes to [=McCoy=] and Ross, telling him that he now believes Blake was attacked in the stairwell. Briscoe holds up on cross examination, but states that Curtis would back him up, getting the tape back in. Van Buren and Curtis are furious, especially since Curtis is being called by the defense. He makes it clear to Briscoe he will not back up his change of heart. Looking to strengthen the case, Ross discovers that Curtis told Blake's employer she was in danger; had he said she was lying, she would have been fired and forced to pay restitution for the extra security. [=McCoy=] uses this on the stand, much to the embarrassment of Curtis. Lowery is convicted, though a rift has been created between Curtis and Briscoe.

* AmbiguousSituation: Whether Briscoe genuinely had a change of heart or perjured himself in order to keep Lowery from escaping justice. Only [=McCoy=] doesn't ask serious questions about his change of heart. It certainly seems suspiciously convenient, yet Briscoe never breaks and insists he is being sincere.

* WoundedGazelleGambit: Andrea faked her first attack to get the attention of the police on her very real stalker. It does not work; her stalker gets to her.

Nurse Andrea Blake is found unconscious at the bottom of the stairwell in her apartment building. She claims it was the result of a confrontation with the man who had been stalking. Briscoe and Curtis realize that she lied about the confrontation but not about receiving e-mails and calls from the stalker. They believe that a voyeur named Lewis Dutton, who takes secret photos of undressed women and puts them on the Internet, is the culprit and arrest him. After they tell her she has nothing to worry about, Andrea is attacked and stabbed to death at her apartment. She did manage to call 911 during her attack, which leads to Russell Lowery. He had become obsessed with her when he was incarcerated and worked in an in-prison telemarketing job. There is weak circumstantial evidence against him and the defense tries to get the case tossed on the basis that Briscoe and Curtis didn't even believe she was in danger after her initial fall was faked. Briscoe, feeling guilty, changes his testimony that he did believe Blake was in danger. Curtis and Van Buren are furious, but Briscoe holds and goes to [=McCoy=] to testify in court. Ross and Schiff are skeptical, but don't object. Looking to strengthen the case, Ross discovers that Curtis told Blake's employer she was in danger; had he said she was lying, she would have been fired and forced to pay restitution for the extra security. [=McCoy=] uses this on the stand, much to the embarrassment of Curtis. Lowery is convicted, though a rift has been created between Curtis and Briscoe.

* ChekovsGun: After Briscoe and Curtis dismiss Blake's attack as fake, Ross tells Curtis Blake's employer wants to know if she was lying about being stalked. Curtis says he will take care of it. It is later discovered that he told the employer she wasn't lying, saving her from being fired and sued for the cost of security. [=McCoy=] uses this to strengthen his case and secure a conviction.

Nurse Andrea Blake is found unconscious at the bottom of the stairwell in her apartment building. She claims it was the result of a confrontation with the man who had been stalking. Briscoe and Curtis realize that she lied about the confrontation but not about receiving e-mails and calls from the stalker. After they tell her she has nothing to worry about, Andrea is attacked and stabbed to death at her apartment. She did manage to call 911 during her attack, which leads to Russell Lowery. He had become obsessed with her when he was incarcerated and worked in an in-prison telemarketing job. There is weak circumstantial evidence against him and the defense tries to get the case tossed on the basis that Briscoe and Curtis didn't even believe she was in danger after her initial fall was faked. Briscoe, feeling guilty, changes his testimony that he did believe Blake was in danger. Curtis and Van Buren are furious, but Briscoe holds and goes to [=McCoy=] to testify in court. Ross and Schiff are skeptical, but don't object. Looking to strengthen the case, Ross discovers that Curtis told Blake's employer she was in danger; had he said she was lying, she would have been fired and forced to pay restitution for the extra security. [=McCoy=] uses this on the stand, much to the embarrassment of Curtis. Lowery is convicted, though a rift has been created between Curtis and Briscoe.

* AmbigiousSituation: Whether Briscoe genuinely had a change of heart or perjured himself in order to keep Lowery from escaping justice. Only [=McCoy=] doesn't ask serious questions about his change of heart. It certainly seems suspiciously convenient, yet Briscoe never breaks and insists he is being sincere.

Nurse Andrea Blake is found unconscious at the bottom of the stairwell in her apartment building. She claims it was the result of a confrontation with the man who had been stalking. Briscoe and Curtis realize that she lied about the confrontation but not about receiving e-mails and calls from the stalker. After they tell her she has nothing to worry about, Andrea is attacked and stabbed to death at her apartment. She did manage to call 911 during her attack, which leads to Russell lowery. He had become obsessed with her when he was incarcerated and worked in an in-prison telemarketing job. [=McCoy=] rejects Briscoe's offer to perjure himself and still managed to have Lowery convicted of attempted murder and murder two.

* WoundedGazelleGambit: Andrea faked her first attack to get the attention of the police on her very real stalker. It does not work; her stalker gets to her.
* StalkerWithACrush: Russell Lowery notices Andrea during his telemarketing job and he stays obsessed even after his release.