Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Broken Rhymes (2016)

Raúl Esparza: ADA Rafael Barba

Photos 

Quotes 

• Olivia Benson : I think that Vincent Love orchestrated Eva's murder.

  Rafael Barba : [groaning]  Oh, you are never letting me out of here.

• Rafael Barba : The girl IDed Cash Lewis. Is it credible?

  Olivia Benson : I think so. When she saw his face in the photo array, her eyes lit up, and she said she remembered the tattoo on his neck. It reminded her of SpongeBob.

  Rafael Barba : Huh. Motive?

  Olivia Benson : Look, Eva posed a threat to Hype's image. His career. So Cash tried to buy her off. When she refused, he beat and raped her with a pipe.

  Rafael Barba : I'm not sure we have enough for an arrest just yet, but I'll get you a search warrant.

  Olivia Benson : Okay.

  [as she turns to leave, her phone chimes] 

  Olivia Benson : The sooner, the better. Our rape case just turned into a murder investigation. Eva passed away an hour ago.

• Rafael Barba : We're going to indict you for murder first thing tomorrow.

  Mitch Hampton : Randall acted in self defense.

  Rafael Barba : Mm. We disagree. The evidence doesn't add up. But the good news is I'm here to offer you a deal, sir. Man one. I will, however, need you to allocute so that the judge and the public knows why I'm offering you such a good deal.

  Hype : What's that mean?

  Olivia Benson : That means you need to tell the judge what really happened; that you killed Cash in a heightened, emotional fit of rage because you loved Eva.

  Hype : [sharing a look with his lawyer, who shakes him off]  Look, this ain't got nothing to do with nobody named Eva.

  Olivia Benson : Okay, Hype, don't be stupid.

  Hype : I shot Cash over a business dispute! In self defense! Like I said, I ain't no faggot.

• Olivia Benson : Three lives ruined all because Eva was born a boy.

  Rafael Barba : I read that Hype's single went to #1.

  Olivia Benson : [dryly]  Well that's what really matters.

• Rafael Barba : This whole self defense thing is a total mess. First and foremost, Cash didn't pull the gun. Hype did. The kid is lying about everything.

  Olivia Benson : To avoid admitting that he was in love with Eva.

  Rafael Barba : Even if he tells the truth, that he was seeking revenge because of Eva's death, he could still be staring down a murder charge.

  Olivia Benson : Look, the guy finds out that the love of his life has just died after being beaten and raped with a pipe. I mean, it sounds like heat of the moment to me.

  Rafael Barba : No. He had three hours to cool down. He stole Vincent Love's gun. Then he drove sixty blocks looking for his victim, and he shot him in cold blood. To me, that sounds like murder.

  Olivia Benson : Well, if the victim wasn't such a hate-filled, pipe wielding rapist, then I'd more inclined to agree with you.

  Rafael Barba : From a legal perspective, that's irrelevant.

  Olivia Benson : I know, but from a human one, it's not. Cash killed Eva because she was transgender. Is the world really gonna be a worse place because Hype does five years instead of twenty?

• Olivia Benson : That kid thinks because he's in love with a transgender woman that he's gay. He's confused.

  Rafael Barba : Well, we tried. It was a good deal. It was almost too good. Either the guy has got a lot of confidence in this lawyer...

  Olivia Benson : Or he's being handled. That lawyer is in Vincent Love's back pocket. Any time one of his rappers gets jammed up, good old Hampton gets a call.

  Rafael Barba : So?

  Olivia Benson : "So"? So the real client is Vincent Love, not Hype.

  Rafael Barba : He's allowed to pay the legal fees as long as there's no conflict of interest.

  Olivia Benson : No conflict? He just talked Hype out of the best deal that he is ever going to see, because he's protecting Love's brand. They're transphobic, homophobic, and if they have to sell Hype out in the meantime - you know, convince him to stay street - so be it.

  Rafael Barba : I don't disagree, but it's not my problem. I've got a trial to win.