Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Charisma (2004)

Mariska Hargitay: Detective Olivia Benson

Quotes 

• Detective Olivia Benson : [after Melanie shoots Abraham to death]  Melanie, it's okay. It's okay, honey. It's okay. Put it down. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.

  Melanie Cramer : That was a lie.

  Detective Olivia Benson : What was?

  Melanie Cramer : He said he was greater than God, but nobody is.

• Detective Olivia Benson : [to Sarah]  Sarah was Abraham's wife in the Bible, right? From what I recall, Sarah whored out her servant to her husband so that he could have a child. Is that why you let Abraham have sex with your daughter? Of course, your Abraham is different because he likes to have children with his own children.

  Cindy Cramer : Melanie is not his daughter.

  Donald Cragen : And we're supposed to believe you now because you've been so forthcoming?

  Cindy Cramer : Her father abandoned us when she was a baby. Abraham took care of us.

  Detective Olivia Benson : Abraham raped your daughter.

  Cindy Cramer : I don't expect you to understand.

  Detective Olivia Benson : Don't try to tell me for a minute that you believe this is right because I know you don't. You took Melanie to the hospital. You called us to see if Abraham had murdered your son.

  Cindy Cramer : No, no.

  Detective Olivia Benson : Your son was shot along with all these other children. Those women out there might be brainwashed, but you're not. You know exactly what he is: a murderer and a child rapist.

  Cindy Cramer : That's not true.

  Detective Olivia Benson : You knew who he was and you let this happen. You let all those children die.

  Cindy Cramer : It was God's will.

  Detective Olivia Benson : No, Sarah. It was your will! You can blame God and you can blame Abraham, but we all know the truth. You did this. You sat there and you watched as a man raped one of your children and then murdered the other. You might as well have killed them yourself!

  Donald Cragen : Olivia!

  Detective Olivia Benson : He has one of your children and he has your unborn grandchild.

  Cindy Cramer : This is a test. I won't be tempted.

• Detective Olivia Benson : [tosses a wallet on the table in front of Cindy]  Do you recognize that? Cindy?

  Sarah's Attorney : Her name is Sarah, Detective. Get your cases straight.

  Detective Olivia Benson : Belonged to John, your husband. The one that you said abandoned you 10 years ago.

  [Cindy picks up the wallet and looks at it] 

  Detective Olivia Benson : This is what's left of him. He was shot in the back of the head and buried in the wall in the house where you lived.

  Sarah's Attorney : Are you accusing my client of murder?

  Detective Olivia Benson : No. Just of being stupid. And gullible. You know, it's interesting how Abraham only surrounds himself with women and girls. There's no men anywhere. I wonder if he didn't like the competition.

  Cindy Cramer : [teary-eyed; shakes her head]  No.

  Detective Olivia Benson : No? He killed your husband. The father of your child. What exactly does he have to do for you to stop defending him?

  Cindy Cramer : Abraham told me that John fell in love with another woman and I believe him.

  Detective Olivia Benson : [holds an evidence bag that has John's wedding ring in front of Cindy]  He was wearing it when he died.

  [throws the bag onto the table; Cindy picks it up and starts to cry] 

  Sarah's Attorney : What do you want from her?

  Detective Olivia Benson : Abraham was last seen at Grand Central Station. He's going to wherever he's keeping Melanie. Now, she's gonna have her baby, he's gonna get his hands on her trust fund and then your daughter is dead. Where are they?

  Sarah's Attorney : What are you offering?

  Detective Olivia Benson : A chance to do the right thing for Melanie. Something you've never done her entire life.

  Sarah's Attorney : That's not good enough.

  Cindy Cramer : [as she still clutches her husband's wedding ring]  Up north. This warehouse.

• Melanie Cramer : [to Olivia]  I'm not talking to you.

  Detective Olivia Benson : Melanie, I know that you think that I want to hurt you and your family, but that is not true.

  Melanie Cramer : Just go away.

  Detective Olivia Benson : Your mother was asking about a little boy. Is that your little brother? Is that Samuel?

  [Melanie holds her magazine close to her, but Olivia pushes the magazine away] 

  Detective Olivia Benson : Melanie, do you know what happened the night that you came to the hospital?

  Melanie Cramer : I'm not listening.

  Detective Olivia Benson : Something terrible. Abraham is a liar. He killed your little brother. He killed your friends. He might kill your mom. Now, I can protect her, but I need you to tell me where she is.

  Melanie Cramer : Mom said Abraham was taking them to a safe place.

• Detective Olivia Benson : [to Abraham]  Tell me where Melanie is.

  Abraham : How can you stand it? How can you invite this depravity into your mind, your body, your soul? It will kill you. Every horror, every torment afflicts your body like a cancer. It's devouring you and you can't see it. Open your eyes.

  Detective Olivia Benson : You know, I thought that you were just another con artist, seeking out people who were starved for anything that would give them meaning in their life. They're easy marks. You talk about God, the apocalypse and they give you all their money, but you're much more pathetic than that. You actually believe your own hype. You've conned yourself.

• Detective Olivia Benson : [to Melanie]  You know, if you want, I can also try to find the father of your baby. Can you tell me his name?

  Melanie Cramer : Abraham.

  Detective Olivia Benson : And who's Abraham?

  Melanie Cramer : He's my husband.