Scorched Earth - Recap

The episode begins with a man all suited up walking out of his hotel room; meanwhile an African American woman from housekeeping comes out of another room. She is barely able to walk and her colleague asks her what’s wrong. She is shown crying uncontrollably, hence is barely able to talk. The suited man in the meanwhile is shown in a restaurant, raising a toast to him having a grandchild. The security in the hotel meanwhile gives the cops a call. The captain tells Munch, Fin and Olivia to get into action. He also tells them that, the suspect is Roberto Distasio, a man slated to possibly become Italy’s next prime minister. Meanwhile Distasio who is flying out, on his way to the airport realises, he has left his laptop back at the hotel.

The captain tells Fin and Munch to tell the guys at the hotel to somehow, stall Distasio when he comes to pick up his laptop. Meanwhile, the African American woman from the hotel describes to Olivia in the hospital how she was sexually abused. Meanwhile, Rollins the new girl who has just joined the team and the SVU team, scan the hotel room where it all took place, for clues. Meanwhile it is shown that Distasio has already boarded the plane. Fin and Munch are in the meanwhile rushing to the airport to stop him. Munch and Fin later board the plane which hasn’t taken off yet, and place Distasio under arrest. Later, Distasio claims diplomatic immunity and Marvin Exley comes in as his counsellor. Meanwhile Alex comes in as the lawyer for SVU. Later at the hospital Olivia reassures the victim she has nothing to worry if she tells her the complete truth.

Meanwhile, the Italian Council General tells the DA that Distasio has diplomatic immunity. Alex informs him that Distasio only has immunity from prosecution and not arrest. Later the victim identifies Distasio from a line up. Distasio is later taken for a medical exam. Later Rollins tries small talking Distasio in his cell, to get some information out of him. She is unfortunately not able to make headway, as Distasio excuses himself by in the end telling her that he is tired. Later in court, Alex manages to get remand for Distasio. Alex and Olivia later tell the victim that Distasio’s lawyers would try to find out every embarrassing detail about her life, and would also make accusations. The victim meanwhile reassures Olivia and Alex that she isn’t doing this for money. Later, the captain informs Olivia that, if Elliot wants to keep his job he has to undergo an anger management test.

Munch comes and informs the captain that, Distasio has been released on bail. Meanwhile, Distasio’s wife and Exley are seen talking to the press and telling them how, even for a second they never doubted Distasio’s innocence. Alex later informs the team that the DNA came back and it’s a match for Distasio and the victim. Meanwhile, the DA comes in and informs the team that a newspaper report explains how the victim is in it for the money. He also tells them that “they got her on tape”. It was basically another maid at the hotel who sold the victim out. The tape is played in front of the victim, where she is heard telling another maid how she wants to take millions from Distasio for raping her. The DA then tells the victim that, the defence can now say that she wasn’t raped.

He also reminds the victim how she had promised that this whole thing wasn’t about money. Olivia and team then decide to find out all they can about Distasio. Rollins finds out that, Distasio had earlier acted in a similar fashion with a maid in a hotel in Buenos Aires, but the manager was called in before he could rape the maid. They decide to reach this maid and see if she would agree to testify. Meanwhile in the pre-trial hearing Exley reveals to the court that the victim was accused in her home country of prostitution. The victim tells Olivia that she wasn’t a prostitute but was instead gang raped. She also tells Olivia that she went to the police, but was called a whore by them. The maid from Buenos Aires in the meanwhile, has moved and won’t return any calls. But as there is no way to prove her story, the new DA it turns out has decided to drop the charges.

Alex in the meanwhile decides to pursue the case, as she believes the victim’s story. Later in court the victim describes how she was sexually abused. She also tells the jury how she was wrongly convicted of prostitution. Exley then questions the victim. He gets the victim to admit that she lied on the form while seeking political asylum, when she hid the fact that she was convicted in her native country. Later, Olivia and Fin discuss the case, and Olivia at some level feels that the victim isn’t being completely truthful; Fin in the meanwhile feels Distasio is guilty. Later Distasio tells the court that “the woman offered herself and foolishly I obliged”. He also tells the court that later she asked for money, and when he denied her the money she blackmailed him, threatening him that she would tell everyone he raped her.

He claims that, he in turn told her “many in my life have tried to blackmail me, and this will not stand”. He then describes to the court how the maid offered herself to him. He claims that she was turned on by his power and clout. Alex then asks Distasio about the injuries on the victim’s body and on his neck. He tells her that it was all a part of the rough sex that they had. He then tells Alex that had seen it in the victim’s eyes that she wanted to continue. Alex then questions him as to how he made the assessment, when the woman was trying to fight him and yelling for help. Exley just then informs the court that, there is another witness in the case. The witness has been flown in from the Sudan, the victim’s native country. The witness reveals in court that he is the one who helped the victim fill her asylum form.

He also told the victim that the best way to get into the US is to be raped. As the Americans cry the hardest when they hear rape, and also open their doors wide. He then reveals that the victim had told him one soldier had raped her, but he prompted her to write one dozen soldiers, as it sounds better. The witness and the victim had also rehearsed her whole story. Later Exley tells the court that the victim has made a habit of lying. He then reminds the jury how she lied to get into the country, and how she had planned to blackmail Distasio. Later the jury tells the court that it hasn’t been able to come to a consensus on the charges of first degree rape.

On the charges of assault in the second degree the jury finds Distasio not guilty. But on the charge of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, the jury finds him guilty. Later the captain tells Olivia that, Elliot has put his papers in. Olivia is shocked to hear this. She later confines herself to a room and breaks down. The episode ends at this point.

Written By David Sibert

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