Law & Order (TV Series)

The Wages of Love (1991)

Michael Moriarty: Executive ADA Ben Stone

Photos 

Quotes 

• Adam Schiff : [waiting for the jury]  It's going to be a bad six days.

  Ben Stone : It's been 4 hours, it's *already* bad.

• Ben Stone : [on the phone, covers mouthpiece]  It's Lehrman, he wants to make a deal, 2 counts of Man 1, 9 years.

  Adam Schiff : It's more than 4.

  Paul Robinette : But less than 25.

  Adam Schiff : [Stone looks at him]  It's your case.

  Ben Stone : [into receiver]  Deal.

  [hangs up] 

• Frank Lehrman : Murder two? Why even have it on the menu? This isn't murder, it's manslaughter.

  Ben Stone : So you're admitting she killed them?

  Frank Lehrman : No, but if she killed them, it was extreme emotional disturbance. And that's manslaughter.

  Ben Stone : I get it. She wasn't there. And if she was there, she didn't kill them. And if she did kill them, she didn't mean to. And if she did mean to, it's because she was upset.

  Frank Lehrman : Cute. The murder charge is inflated.

  Ben Stone : If she killed in the heat of passion and you can prove it.

  Frank Lehrman : Her husband was in bed with another woman. Juries tend to be sympathetic.

  Ben Stone : They also tend to sympathize with people who have been shot six times.

  Frank Lehrman : Criminally negligent homicide. She does no time.

  Ben Stone : No time? Why don't we throw her a tickerttape parade? Manslaughter one, eight and a third each count.

  Frank Lehrman : It's called plea bargaining, not plea scalping. Pass.

• Paul Robinette : Never seen you like this before.

  Ben Stone : I've never done anything this potentially stupid before. I just pray to God that when I get out of here, I'm not competing with Melanie Cullen for an uptown cab.

  Adam Schiff : Jury just finished dinner catered from Walter's. Hope you don't have a lousy six days.

  Ben Stone : Well, it's four hours and it's already lousy.

  Adam Schiff : Good night, gentlemen.

  Paul Robinette : Good night.

  Ben Stone : [Phone rings]  Stone.

  [Listens to phone] 

  Ben Stone : Just a minute.

  [to Schiff and Robinette] 

  Ben Stone : It's Lehrman. He's pacing too. He'll take two counts of man one. She'll do nine years.

  Adam Schiff : It's more than four.

  Paul Robinette : Less than 25.

  Adam Schiff : [Stone looks to Schiff]  It's your case.

  Ben Stone : And my stomach.

  [Picks up phone] 

  Ben Stone : Deal.