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Recap

In a darkened park, a couple is walking and teasing each other. The woman playfully pushes the man and he falls right next to a dead body. Looks like a robbery to Bernard.

The cops interview a Ms. Ellis who identifies the victim as Kyle Morrison as her COO and fiancee. The company they started was doing well. The cops ask for a timeline of Kyle's activities. He was at an event from 8-4, then went to the office while Ellis went home, She talked to him at 9:30 and said her dinner went well and was going to take a walk to wind down.

The event leader says that Nina was hard to please and was in charge despite Kyle running the event. Another woman says they got a weird call last week from someone threatening to beat Kyle's ass if he didn't call him back.

The cops question the caller, who is fixing a car and said that he's tried to track Kyle down but hasn't yet. He is not upset that Kyle is dead and says he ruined his life.  The cancer screening test Kyle sold said she had no cancer but 10 months later she found out she had Stage 4 uterine cancer. She ignored her symptoms because of the home test. He was with his wife in the hospital last night.

Bernard tells Dixon that possibly other people were angry about inaccurate tests. Dixon wouldn't blame them. Cosgrove says there's but 96% accuracy. However, a tech has found a deleted email showing that Kyle was aware the tests were totally inaccurate and wanted to discontinue selling them.

The email writer, Seaver, won't talk to the cops. Nina claims Seaver was stirring up trouble to distract them and to get himself a severance agreement before he could get fired. She admits Seaver went crazy when Kyle fired him.

Cosgrove tells Dixon that on paper Seaver is a saint. Dixon doesn't care--what is the evidence? He had a motive--$300 million, and also Scarsdale cops saw a man dumping a gun in the sewer a block from his residence.

Seaver is brought in and denies everything. He says he and Kyle were friends and he didn't get fired, anyway. He quit. Cosgrove doubts that. Seaver says the screening tests are only 50% accurate so he walked away. Bernard asks how the FDA approved the tests then. Nina fabricated the results. Kyle didn't believe Seaver at first so he showed him the data. Someone shot Kyle before he could go public with this. He thinks Nina killed Kyle.

The cops search Nina's home and find traces of blood on a coat. Nolan says there are a lot of reasons there could be Kyle's DNA on Nina's coat. Dixon says that Nina made a false report that Seaver dumped the gun and also she wanted to cover up the screening test fiasco. However there is no proof she is near the scene of the crime. Nolan says everything could be explained away. Dixon wants Nina off the streets and people to know the tests are phony. She's arresting her anyway.

Nina is arrested but let out on bail. Kyle's father. accosts the DAs. He says Nina is evil and will do anything to win. They have to make her pay for what she did to his son.

Nina makes a statement to the press making it sound like she's being persecuted for being an ambitious woman.

In chambers, the defense attorney wants witnesses who claim that the tests were faulty to be excluded. She makes a speech about how it's prejudicial and the judge agrees.

Samantha is upset. Nolan says they need to get the right jury. Poor people, women, etc. He thinks these will be more skeptical and more likely to call out a rich white woman.

Nolan makes his opening statement. He says Nina killed Kyle to keep him from messing with her IPO opening. He says that Nina doesn't think rules apply to her and that the end justifies the means. But she is a cold-blooded killer.

After a weird scene where Nolan claims the food Samantha is checking out is sauteed crickets, Samantha tells him that Nina is claiming to be a battered woman. McCoy asks if there is any evidence to support this. There are no police reports or anything like that. McCoy says that honesty isn't in vogue anymore. People lie and other people have gotten used to it. He wants them to expose the lies and let the jury see who she really is.

On the stand, Nina claims a few weeks before Kyle's death, Kyle called Nina a whore and a slut and then he grabbed her and slapped her. She turns on the tears for this and says he tied her to the bedpost and raped her. He said (according to her) that he would kill her if she tried to leave and she believed him.  She also claims he threatened, hit, and raped her regularly. She was afraid he was going to kill her so she shot him.

Samantha says two jurors definitely bought this story. Price wants to pick apart every assertion of abuse on cross. Samantha doesn't like that. She's not sure Nina is lying about this. Lots of victims don't report abuse. Price says but she's a pathological liar. Sam says MeToo has changed the way we think about abuse. She doesn't want to go back to people not believing survivors.  Price agrees but their job is to follow the law, regardless of political consequences. Samantha points out some of the jurors might have experienced domestic violence too.

Morrison doesn't want them to make a deal with Nina when she destroyed Kyle's reputation. He thinks they're just afraid to make a tough decision. He storms off in a huff.

McCoy says that it is not Morrison's job to make the decisions. Price says but Morrison wants justice for his son. McCoy points out that that doesn't change how sympathetic the jury is to Nina's claims. Morrison's opinion doesn't matter here. Nolan can't let his ego get in the way. Nolan says it's not ego. It's belief in the system, of the ability of 12 people to see the truth. He will make the jury see that Nina is a charming, sophisticated killer. McCoy agrees to let the trial proceed.

Nolan starts his cross-examination. He has a long preamble about the coverup that the defense attorney objects to.  He asks if she lied about the data. She says that's not correct. She also claims the science isn't perfect.  She insists the tests work. She is defensive yet stays cool. The defense attorney eventually objects. Nolan asks her about some wrongful termination lawsuits. Nina says it's complicated. What is the truth anyway? The defense attorney again objects and the judge seems annoyed with Nolan as she tells him to move on.

Moving on. Nina claims that the company went bankrupt because of her arrest when Kyle was violent toward her. Nolan starts trying to poke holes in her claims. She claims she was scared of Kyle and her real self is scared. She says Kyle abused her, beat her, raped her, he broke her arm, don't you dare question her truth. Nolan says that's his job, to question her ridiculous assertions.

Samantha isn't happy that Nolan attacked the claims of domestic violence and that he played into what she wanted. Nolan again says it isn't about a movement. Samantha says you called her a liar without proof. Nolan says let's find some. Where are the medical records from this alleged broken arm?

Bernard and Cosgrove go to the hospital. Nina came in for a broken arm and her record says she fell.

Nolan calls Nina's equestrian coach to the stand. She says that Nina broke her arm falling off a horse and was in no pain prior to the accident. Also Kyle was not present.

The jury comes back. The defendant refuses to rise for the verdict. Nina is found guilty. She tells her defense attorney they got it wrong. Mr. Morrison thanks the ADAs.

Nolan is glad there are no protesters. Samantha says but the mantra is the victim's truth is the only truth.

Show:
Law & Order
Season:
Episode Number:
2
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Law & Order Season 21 Episode 2 Quotes

Woman: I wasn't really paying attention. I was trying to keep Nina happy.
Cosgrove: Nina? I thought you were working with Kyle.
Woman: I was, but Nina's the one who's really in charge.

Cosgrove: We're investigating a homicide.
Ellis: What's that got to do with me?