Written By A Zell Williams
Directed By Michael Pressman
Kristi Cryer (Vivien Cardone), a vlogger, reports that she was sexually assaulted by a bartender (James Madio). However, during the investigation, it is revealed that she was also assaulted by a famous actor, Bobby D'Amico (Craig Bierko), who has ties to the NYPD. With minimal evidence and little corroboration of the victim's account, Barba decides to drop the charges, prompting Kristi to go public with her accusations. When another woman responds on her site that she believes Kristi, having been raped by the duo as well, Carisi and Rollins track her down. The woman's story has the same M.O. as Kristi's account, details not revealed publicly, spurning Rollins to conduct an unauthorized sting at the bar with a hidden camera. She is attacked in the same manner, but manages to fight back and escape.
Unfortunately, because Dodds had told the SVU squad to drop the case and D'Amico had earlier invoked counsel, the footage cannot be used. The video does spurn Barba to proceed with Kristi's case, but Defense Attorney John Buchanan is able to tear Kristi apart on the stand, bringing up her conflicting stories, deletion of photos showing her having fun from her site, her desire for fame and the fact she was dancing and laughing after the assault.note Barba plans to get the video admitted through a back door; when the defendants testify and lie about what happened, he can use the video to prove the perjury. Unfortunately, Buchanan declines to have them testify and Barba is stuck. The jury acquits very quickly and Kristi is devastated.
Later that day, the video of the attack on Rollins is leaked to a news station, which airs the portion where D'Amico ignores Rollins' cry of no. While the video is still inadmissible, it ruins D'Amico. Rollins is confronted by a furious Benson for the leak, as it still leaves the NYPD with a potential lawsuit, regardless of the public support. Rollins swears on her child she had no part in the leak, but Benson is not convinced. Mike Dodds privately takes responsibility, assuring Benson the leak will not be traced to the NYPD. When asked why he would do this to a friend of his father, the junior Dodds re-asserts an earlier comment that he never liked D'Amico.
Tropes
- Bad Influencer: Vlogger Kristi is portrayed as self-obsessed, not too bright, and deceitful. However, despite her lies and dramatics, the Unit figures out that she was telling the truth about being raped by a celebrity and his friend.
- Cassandra Truth: Rollins swears she didn't leak the video. Benson doesn't believe her until Dodds tells her that he was the one who did it.
- Hollywood Law:
- The idea that two men can get caught on camera attempting to rape an undercover cop and not be charged because the video is inadmissible, based on the fact that one of them invoked his right to counsel earlier that day, is pure madness.
- The second rape victim thinks her anonymity is protected by privacy laws because she when she posted her blog comment she did so anonymously.
- Hypocrite:Barba: Your Honor, please remind defense counsel that sarcasm is the weapon of the weak.
- Benson lights up Rollins for supposedly leaking the tape, saying this is proof Rollins can't change for the better or think before she acts, that she can't be trusted. Then Dodds comes in and tacitly admits he was the one who leaked it, and she's got nothing negative to say to him at all. Not to mention all the illegal crap that Benson has gotten away with herself.
- Irony: the victim, who is accused of making her allegation up because one of the perps is famous, initially failed to accuse him because he is famous.
- Karma Houdini: Dodds gets off scot-free for a video leak that was supposedly going to subject Rollins to a lawsuit and criminal investigation (when she was suspected of it) because of Dodds' family connection, and because he was careful to make sure there was no way to prove he did it.
- Not Me This Time: Rollins crossed a line earlier in the case with the unauthorized sting, but she wasn't responsible for the leak.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: Dodds cut short a voluntary interview with Bobby and told him to consult an attorney. He was doing this to protect his friend, but Benson was being needlessly hostile in a friendly interview, which is just bad detective work. Ending the interview on a friendly note and having a competent detective pick it up later would have been the smart thing to do (Rollins's actions and Hollywood Law not withstanding).
- Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: the rapist relies on his relationship with Commissioner Dodds to get off on rape charges, and Dodds the younger relies on his relationship with his father to escape any fallout from his unauthorized videotape leak.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Kristi records her initial interview at the hospital, telling the detectives that her followers want to know what she's up to at all times. Before her assault allegations her most popular vlog post had only 704 views.
- Villain Ball: Deputy Chief Dodds is hauling a big one in this episode. He makes a series of politically incorrect comments about the first rape victim, compels the squad to treat as unfounded a rape accusation involving a close friend of his, and advises the suspect to lawyer up while he's in the midst of giving a voluntary statement.
- Villain Has a Point: Dodds was right that Kristi had changed her story repeatedly, and she put out a video statement that implied the NYPD ignored her to protect Bobby, even though at that point she hadn't accused Bobby of anything yet.
