Allison Leotta's Blog, page 17

SVU's Season 13 Premiere!

Recap: I'm sure SVU's writers would disagree, but it seems this episode practically wrote itself. If you followed the DSK case, you know that SVU's season premiere paralleled the most notorious sex-offense case of this summer. In real life, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the IMF and likely next president of France, was accused of rape by a maid at his posh NY hotel. In the SVU episode, the politician was Italian, and lecherous mercie's were simply replaced with lecherous grazie's (as when the Berlusconi-wannabe accepted a glass of champagne from a callipygian flight attendant).

In the real DSK case, the prosecution fell apart when the Manhattan DA's Office discovered serious credibility problems with the victim (there were reports that she'd lied about being raped in her home country of Guinea in order to get asylum in the U.S., that she falsified tax returns, that she'd accepted large sums of money from a drug dealer, that she made phone calls to that drug dealer (recorded because he was in jail) talking about how much money she could get from DSK, and, perhaps most damningly, that she repeatedly changed her story of how the sexual assault actually happened). In real life, it was clear that the Manhattan DA's office couldn't go forward with the case.  The charges against DSK were dropped in August, before a trial ever went forward. (Check out my analysis here.)

In the SVU episode, the victim's fall from grace wasn't quite as steep, and the case actually went to trial. The SVU facts were almost like a law professor's hypothetical, where the weight on each side of the scale is almost precisely even, and when the professor polls the class, the students are evenly split. That's what happened with the SVU jury, which returned a compromise verdict rejecting the sex assault charges but finding the Italian bigwig guilty of wrongful imprisonment.

Verdict: A-

What they got right: Many sexual assault victims lie about something – often something even more significant than what was portrayed on this episode. That doesn't mean they weren't sexually assaulted. Often, sexual assaults happen to very vulnerable victims: prostitutes, children, inebriated people. They might not tell police or prosecutors the full story at first. Many details are embarrassing or painful. Every sex-offense prosecutor becomes intimately familiar with the term "rolling disclosures." The whole story might not come out in the first telling. You have to gain the trust of your witness before she tells you everything.

You also have to do your due diligence as the prosecutor. You have a duty to be fair to everyone – including the defendant. Your job isn't just to win, but to make sure justice is done. That means investigating what the victim says and seeing if external evidence corroborates or disproves her story – and then turning over any discrepancies to the defense. One interesting difference between the SVU storyline and the real DSK case was that in the SVU episode, the defense attorney was the one who found out about the victim's credibility problems. In real life, the DA's office itself discovered the victim's problems. The DA's office might've been too quick to arrest DSK, but they did the right thing by discovering the problems with their witness and promptly informing the defense.

This episode also accurately portrayed the prosecutor's struggle with how to handle a difficult case. "Prosecutorial discretion" means that the individual prosecutor can decide what to do with her case: like whether to bring charges, and what charges to bring. It's a luxury most lawyers don't have (a public defender, for example, can't say he won't take a case because he thinks his client is guilty). But this discretion can also be a burden. I empathized with the SVU lawyers as they struggled with each other, and within themselves, to figure out what to believe and how to steer the case accordingly.

What they got wrong: I laughed when our new detective foisted off her box of personal effects, hopped onto the elevator, and raced out to the crime scene on her first day. Anyone who's worked a government job knows that your first day is spent getting fingerprinted, choosing a health care plan, and trying to stay awake during WordPerfect training – not swabbing blood at the scene of the biggest case of the year. But good for Detective Amanda Rollins, for being a go-getter.

And as much as I mourn Elliott's leaving the show, it was time for him to go, as evidenced by this dialogue about his most recent shooting of a civilian (the girl who walked into the cellblock and shot several suspects in last season's finale).

          Captain Cragen:  IAB is going to be all over Elliott.

          Olivia:  It was a good shooting!

          Captain Cragen:  But it was his sixth.

Elliott's shot six people! Holy cow. No wonder he's being investigated by Internal Affairs. Most cops don't fire their service weapon during their entire career.

I also appreciated these lines:

          Captain Cragen:  If Elliott wants to stay, they'll make him take anger management classes.

          Olivia:  Then he'll tell them to go to hell!

Generally, this isn't a great response to your anger management instructors (but Elliott, and many real-life cops, may very well have said something like that). I felt sorry for Olivia as she sobbed for her partner in the back room, but I'm looking forward to meeting our new male detective on next week's episode.

(Meanwhile, I loved that I nailed which ripped-from-the-headlines story would be first up on SVU's docket.  Click here to see the rest of my guesses on which real-life news stories will become SVU storylines next.)

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Primer to the SVU Season Premier

I'm in Venice, a fabulous city except for one thing: no access to NBC. Try as I might, I can't find a way to watch the SVU season premiere here. So forgive me if I post my blog about the show a couple days late. In the meantime, here's a primer on what to expect during the first episode of Season 13!

Boy Meets Girl. There's a new cast of detectives lined up for Season 13. (Elliot is gone and Olivia is only appearing part-time.) So how will the new girl and boy be introduced? Will they hate each other or will it be love-at-first-sight? Is she a control freak, and he an uncontrollable slob? She's a gourmet cook, and he's always on a diet? One thing's for sure, there'll be plenty of …

Sexual Tension. The requisite ingredient for any Law & Order franchise. With actors this attractive, it shouldn't be hard to pull off.

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Police Brutality. If our new male detective is anything like Elliott, we can expect at least one suspect every three episodes to be roughed up while in police custody. Some suspect will doubtless have his constitutional rights violated during the premiere.

A Dent in the Foster Care System. If our new female detective is anything like Olivia, she'll want to adopt every kid she works with. (A lot of us working in the system have this instinct, but Olivia seems to act on it more often.) There probably won't be any adoption in the premiere (too soon), but I put the odds at 1 in 3 that our new Lady Detective will lose her heart to an orphan at some point during the season.

Vigilante Justice. Most SVU episodes seem to end with the rapist being killed by his victim. The manner of death varies– beating with a frying pan, stabbing with an exploding SCUBA knife, shooting in the central cellblock – but they all die. Personally, I'm hoping that the SVU writers will allow a few defendants to survive until trial, so we can actually see the justice system at work.

Amazing Technology. Our beloved SVU detectives seem to have an App to solve any crime. You guessed it – you can't actually download any of those Apps today. Still, expect to see liberal use of an iPad on the premiere.

At Least One Catfight. I'm guessing the writers can't resist at least one blowup between Olivia and the new woman. They probably have the self-restraint to stay away from mud wrestling and jello pools, but the rest of the world is fair game.

Have fun watching in real time, and I'll catch up with you soon!

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You want a pizza me?

Yesterday, I got into a fistfight with a swan. Before PETA comes to arrest me, let me explain.

I recently finished the manuscript for my second book (hooray!) and went to the shore with my family as part of the celebration/recuperation process. It was a beautiful place, with a pebbly beach and a family of swans gracefully floating by. My husband, my two little sons and I sat down to eat a picnic of pizza.

So there we were, just minding our own business, when one of the swans heaves itself out of the water, shakes his massive feathery bottom, and waddles up to my 4-year-old son. The bird stands there looking at our picnic wistfully. It obviously wants some pizza. Cute, right?

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But there are a couple things you don't realize about swans until they're right next to you. First, they're kinda smelly. Second, they're big. This one probably weighed more than both my sons combined, and it had huge black talons. Third, they are crazy aggressive.

The swan waddles right up to my 4-year-old, reaches out its (rather muscular) long neck and bites my son's hand, sending the poor kid into a surprised squall of tears and hurt.

I jumped up, put an arm around my son, and tried to shoo the bird away. But it just stood there unperturbed, looking at me with beady black eyes. Its beak was about level with my sternum and its bottom was bigger than mine, which is saying something. Swanzilla had no fear of me. Waving my arms had no effect, so I waved a water bottle at it. In response, the bird took a step closer to my boy. I tossed a handful of pebbles at it. (I didn't feel good about that. I love animals, and don't want to fight wildlife.) But the pebbles had no effect, except maybe to embolden the bird. It lunged at my boy again, and the poor kid screamed in terror, clutching his pizza to his little chest. Any reservations about hurting a wild animal disappeared. I picked up our daypack and swung it at the swan. "You want a piece of me?" I snarled. I don't think I've ever said that before, and certainly not to a creature who can't answer. Then we engaged in some hand-to-beak combat, Swanzilla lunging and nipping at me – still determined to get my son's lunch – and me kicking pebbles at the swan and wielding the daypack like a mace . Finally, the swan retreated back to the water. Victory.

After about five minutes of comforting, my son stopped crying. Nibbling his slice of pepperoni, he asked, "What does it mean, do you want a pizza me?" Hm.  It means there's no telling what a normally mild-mannered mama might do when her kid is threatened.

Sorry for the break from our usual subjects, but that's what's happening in my world this week. Next week is the premiere of Law & Order: SVU.  Are you excited for a new season of policing what they're getting right and wrong?  I am.  See you then!

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Law & Order / Shrek Mashup

With the season premiere of SVU just two weeks away, I've been busy preparing.  Stretching my fingers so I can type up all the inaccuracies with ninja-quick speed. Practicing my math skills so I'll be able to tally the body count in an instant.  And watching L&O spoofs.  I liked this mashup of L&O and Shrek, particularly the fact that, even in the cartoon version of the crime drama, the female DA showcases her impressive cleavage.

See you on September 21st for the Season 13 premiere!

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The Cut

Ask any crime writer who's their favorite crime writer and they'll probably tell you George Pelecanos. Stephen King said Pelecanos is "perhaps America's greatest living crime writer." Esquire called him "the poet laureate of D.C. crime fiction." I love his stories because they are startlingly real and they take on the toughest issues without flinching. (My favorite is "Drama City," because I like the complicated female probation officer protagonist.)

With SVU on hiatus, we've all been jonesing for some good crime fiction. Luckily, Pelecanos' latest book – The Cut – is coming out today, amidst a flurry of rave reviews. It's about an Iraqi war vet who finds stolen property, no questions asked.  His cut of the profits is 40%. I can't wait to get my copy. If you haven't tried Pelecanos yet, get to it. You'll be glad you did.

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Did the Manhattan DA handle the DSK rape case fairly?

Check out my analysis on the PBS NewsHour.

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

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Cougars, Beware

After centuries of older men dumping their older wives in favor of newer, sleeker models, I cheered the "cougar" phenomenon when it hit the national consciousness a few years ago. Thanks, Demi. But now it seems there's a dark underside. Lately, the news has been abuzz with stories of accomplished older women being killed by their dashing younger husbands or boyfriends. 

There's the case of Sue Marcum, a respected and well-liked accounting professor at American University. At 52, she took a Spanish class led by a charming 40-year-old named Jorge Landeros, a poet/yoga enthusiast/day trader who looks a bit like a young Antonio Banderas. The couple read books, practiced meditation, and invested money together. She fell in love and made him the beneficiary of her $500,000 life insurance police. Her body was found in her home last October, killed by blunt force trauma and asphyxiation. Guess who the police charged with her murder? That's right, the charming Landeros — who quickly fled to Mexico, where he periodically sends taunting e-mails to the police who want to bring him to the U.S. "Of course," Landeros wrote to one detective, "you are cordially invited to cross the same bridge, in the opposite direction, and meet me at Sanborn's, a great café and restaurant here in Juarez, and we can talk shop all you want. We can have brunch. It will of course be my treat. Yours, Jorge."

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Then there's Albrecht Muth, 47, who's been charged with killing his 91-year-old socialite wife, Viola Drath. Drath was a respected journalist and a fixture in her posh Georgetown neighborhood; Muth seems to have been a bit of a crackpot, a German who falsely claimed to be a General in the Iraqi army so he could give fake interviews to journalists. They got married when she was in her 70′s and he was in his 20′s. They broke up for a period of years when, according to the Washington Post, he "left her for a man." That should've been a hint all was not well in Cougartown, but they got back together. During their 20-year marriage, she filed for a protective order against him, and he was charged with assaulting her. (Those charges were dropped after she declined to prosecute, a common twist in domestic-violence cases.) Last week he reported her dead. At 91, she could have died quietly in her sleep, but an autopsy concluded that she died of strangulation and blunt-force injuries. Hours after her death, Muth approached her family, wielding a  document saying he gets $200,000 from her estate.

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Is cougar-hunting becoming more common? Or are older male newspaper editors just playing up these stories to frighten their wives? 

What are the lessons that women should take from this? I don't want to ruin anyone's Ashton-Kutcher fantasies. There may be plenty of nice younger men who genuinely love the wisdom, confidence, and perspective that age brings. Still, exercise some caution if considering a plunge into the much-younger-men pool.  At the very least, don't tell him he'll inherit a fortune upon your death.

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Is your drink safe?

An Israeli company claims to have invented a device that can detect date-rape drugs in drinks. The device looks like a regular cocktail stirrer, but it is supposed to light up when placed in a drink that contains GHB, rohypnol (aka "roofies") or ketamine.

If this is true, it would be a benefit to clubbers – but it also raises some red flags. The stirrers might give women a false sense of security. If she plops the stick it in her drink and it doesn't light up, everything must be fine, right? Nope.

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To begin, the device only tests for three substances. While GHB, rohypnol and ketamine are the major pharmaceuticals used in substance-facilitated date rapes, there are hundreds of other drugs that can be used for the same purpose – and new drugs are being invented by would-be rapists every day. Just because the stick doesn't light up doesn't mean someone hasn't slipped something into your drink.

Second, we'll have to wait and see how effective these sticks really are. Companies have come forward with big claims that didn't turn out to be true before. In the 1990′s, a company claimed to have invented coasters that could test for GHB if you put a drop of your drink on the coaster – but the coasters didn't work in many situations, including when the drink was acidic, as many alcoholic drinks are (think rum & Coke, OJ & vodka, margaritas, etc.).

Finally, the very fact that you're out drinking means that you're imbibing a potential date-rape drug.  Alcohol is, far and away, the most popular substance used to facilitate date rape.  The little stirrer won't light up and tell you that.

So, what should you do to protect yourself when you're out drinking? Go with friends you trust, and use the buddy system. Look out for each other. Don't leave an open drink unattended at the bar. If anything tastes funny, stop drinking it (GHB tastes salty, and other substances can taste bitter – but roofies have no taste at all). If you start feeling woozy, leave with someone you trust. Most importantly, don't drink to the point of heading out of the bar stumbling drunk.

If you think you've been the victim of a date-rape drug, call the police and go to a hospital immediately. Doctors can screen for some date-rape drugs, but these drugs are metabolized by the body quickly, so timing is essential. And (my fellow SVU fans know this) don't brush your teeth, shower or wash yourself, as that could destroy valuable evidence.

These little stirrers could be a great weapon in the fight against sexual assault, but we all still need to look out for ourselves – and each other.

Click here to read WTOP's take on this, and my interview there.
 
 
 

 

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SVU's New Look

SVU recently revealed the actors who are set to replace Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni.  They are Kelli Giddish and Danny Pino. Giddish is known for her role on Chase; Pino played Desi Arnaz in Lucy: The Lucille Ball Story.

So, we'll be going from this:

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to this:

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What do you think?

 

I'm going to miss Mariska and Chris, but I'm looking forward to seeing what this hot young couple can do with the roles. And of course, I'll keep nitpicking what they're getting right and wrong!

(Thanks to writer David Delee for letting me know about the breaking news.)

In keeping with the new season, I was thinking of trying a new technique: Tweeting out my thoughts in real time as I'm watching the show. What do you  think? Are you on Twitter? Would you be interested in that? Let me know!

The season premiere is Wednesday, 9/21.   Tune in!

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Every cloud has a silver lining

The scandal occasioned by Congressman Anthony Weiner tweeting nude pictures of himself has caused terrible heartbreak for the politician's pretty wife, the Representative himself, and the Democratic party in general.  At least local gyms are benefiting from it.  I had to giggle at this poster in the Washington Sports Club: 

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I'll be back with a full blog next week.  Right now, I'm on vacation in Bethany Beach.  I wish I could tell you I'm enjoying a week of sand and sun, but I'm actually in a coffee shop every day, trying to knock out the last pages of my next novel (the sequel to Law of Attraction) ahead of a tight deadline.  Wish me luck!

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