"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and its long-lasting cast of characters have become fixtures of the primetime TV landscape. That includes Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish), who has been fighting crime alongside Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) since 2007 when she first appeared in Season 8, Episode 12, "Outsider." Giddish would leave the show during Season 24. And during her 12 years on "SVU," there was one scene she claimed that was so emotional that she was left speechless and in tears.
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Season 24, Episode 9, "And a Trauma in a Pear Tree," finds Rollins tying the knot with Dominick Carisi (Peter Scanavino). Rollins and Benson later celebrate with a box of wine while chatting about Rollins' marriage and the possibility of becoming a professor. Giddish told The Nerds of Color that the scene was hard to get through during the ADR process, which is when an actor re-records lines after a scene is filmed. "I was doing the lines and all of a sudden I couldn't talk. So, I was like in this booth ... watching and I was like ... 'Hold on, hold on. I'll be back with you. Just give me a second.' You know, and wiping away my own tears ... and I texted Mariska. I was like, 'I just had to do our scene and actually put on makeup today and now it's all over my face ...'" she said.
And while it was hard to say goodbye, Giddish is proud of her legacy on the hit show. Following Kelli Giddish's exit from "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Mariska Hargitay wrote on her Instagram, "Kelli, I've loved acting, learning, growing, talking, laughing, and crying with you. I've loved watching your achingly beautiful performances ... You have my respect, my gratitude and my love forever ..." But the two did get to share the screen together one more time in Season 24, Episode 22, "All Pain is One Malady."
The episode finds Amanda Rollins in her new role as a forensic psychology professor at Fordham University. Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) reaches out to her for help with a tough case, giving fans the chance to see her with Olivia Benson once again. The former SVU member arrives at the office pregnant with her third child during the season finale. The episode was also a crossover event with "Law & Order: Organized Crime," giving Giddish the chance to appear during Season 3, Episode 21, "Shadowërk," and Episode 22, "With Many Names."
While reflecting on her time as Rollins, Giddish told Entertainment Weekly that her character's happy ending is very rare for the show. "That's a huge legacy. You won't remember her for like the gruesome way she got murdered ... they gave her [a] happy ending. That's kind of awesome," she said.
When it comes to courtroom procedurals, few are as well-known as the "Law & Order" franchise on NBC. Over three decades on the air, the franchise highlights the inner workings of the criminal justice process. Each episode features a compelling case, many of which have a basis in real-life crimes or current events. Along the way, audiences meet talented detectives and passionate prosecutors that strive to apprehend criminals and hold them responsible for their actions. In most cases, justice prevails, and criminals receive lengthy prison sentences.
Although all the crimes featured in the various incarnations of "Law & Order" are awful in their own right, some of the crimes featured in the franchise are truly horrendous. These crimes often stem from predators who target the most vulnerable members of society, claim multiple victims, or act out of greed. Unsurprisingly, the episodes that include these crimes are among the hardest to watch, but they are also undeniably compelling and memorable.
Many of these perpetrators are vicious and clever, often going to great lengths to evade law enforcement and concoct creative schemes. Other criminals commit crimes after being pushed to their breaking point and are unable to make better choices. Regardless of the motivation, their terrible acts represent the worst crimes in the history of "Law & Order."
The "Law & Order" mothership series features its fair share of ruthless, despicable criminals, but few are as memorable as Mark Bruner (Ritchie Coster). In the Season 14 episode "Bodies," Bruner stands accused of murdering a teenage girl. However, detectives are soon shocked to find that Bruner's latest victim is just one of many when his DNA matches evidence from several cold cases. Worst of all, Bruner has hidden his victims' bodies in undisclosed locations that police can't seem to uncover. His crimes destroy multiple families, leaving the detectives desperate to find the bodies and bring closure to surviving loved ones. Unfortunately, Bruner has no intention of complying with law enforcement.
The serial killer is vile enough to make his first attorney step down, and his second attorney quickly finds himself dealing with a moral dilemma about his client's darkest secret. Bruner has no regard for his own life, and even death penalty threats don't persuade him to tell Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) where he has hidden his victims' bodies. As if Bruner's crimes weren't shocking enough, his lawyer upholds attorney-client privilege and also refuses to disclose the victims' locations. As a result, the families of Bruner's victims are left unable to put their family members to rest.
The "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" two-part episode "In the Wee Small Hours" follows a complex mystery. When Bethany (Naomi Aborn) disappears on a field trip to New York City, it initially appears that she may have left her school group to meet another teen. Unfortunately, detectives learn that the girl crossed paths with Ethan Garrett (Matt O'Leary), a young man who bills himself as an old-fashioned gentleman but is really a predator. Sadly, law enforcement later discovers Bethany's body and finds signs of potential sexual abuse.
The case looks straightforward initially, but the Major Case Squad encounters a significant hurdle when they discover that Ethan's father is a prominent judge named Harold Garrett (Colm Meaney). As detectives continue investigating and the case moves to trial, Judge Garrett's strange behavior piques Detective Robert Goren's (Vincent D'Onofrio) interest. Following his gut, detective Goren uncovers the disturbing truth behind Bethany's death.
While Ethan seems the most likely suspect, Judge Garrett is the actual perpetrator. Even worse, the judge is fully prepared to let his son go to jail in his place. Judge Garrett only cares about getting what he wants and preserving his reputation, which makes him one of the most cold-hearted criminals in the series.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
The "Law & Order: SVU" Season 13 episode, "Strange Beauty," focuses on a criminal obsessed with a troubling body modification. The episode begins with the harrowing sight of a teenage girl's abduction caught on tape by a business's security camera while an oblivious man works inside the building. When the teen, Nina (Morgan Lynch), is later found dead with one leg missing, the detectives fear they are tracking a dangerous killer. Nina's interest in body modification leads them first to a tattoo shop and then to a former artist who offers a valuable clue. Finally, the team infiltrates an underground event in search of their prime suspect — a medical receptionist named Jess Hardwick (Britt Lower).
However, the "Law & Order: SVU" team eventually learns that Jess' former psychiatrist, Dr. Hal Brightman (David Eigenberg), is the perpetrator. In a bizarre meeting with detectives Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish), the doctor explains that he amputated the woman's legs to improve her appearance. What's worse, the detectives discover that Dr. Brightman has amputated the legs of five other women before Nina.
Although he paid these other women to allow the amputations, his crime against Nina demonstrates the dangers of his obsession. Dr. Brightman genuinely believes he is doing a good deed, but Benson and Rollins can see that he takes advantage of vulnerable young women to fulfill his selfish desires.
Criminals will often stop at nothing to remain one step ahead of law enforcement, even if it means killing innocent victims. For example, in the "Law & Order" Season 17 episode, "Deadlock," a violent convict, Leon Vorgitch (Craig Walker), escapes from police custody. Law enforcement fears Vorgitch will target everyone who worked on his original case, and the race is on to find him before he can strike. Luckily, detectives receive word that Vorgitch is visiting his mother at a local hospital and close in on the killer's location. Of course, Vorgitch isn't willing to surrender quietly.
Instead, he takes refuge in an elementary school and — to the horror of detectives — takes a classroom full of young hostages. Detective Green (Jesse L. Martin) infiltrates the classroom and helps subdue Vorgitch, but not before the convict kills several students. The classroom is one of the most gruesome, heartbreaking crime scenes of the mothership series and enrages Detective Green. Unsurprisingly, Vorgitch expresses no remorse for his actions and reluctantly returns to prison to await trial.
Unfortunately, the tragedy caused by his crimes doesn't end there. One of the victims' fathers, Rob Purcell (Jeremy Davidson), takes justice into his own hands and shoots Vorgitch outside a courthouse.
If you have been impacted by incidents of mass violence, or are experiencing emotional distress related to incidents of mass violence, you can call or text Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 for support.
Some of the most disturbing cases in the "Law & Order" franchise take inspiration from true stories. For example, Season 4 of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" features a case that bears a strong resemblance to the infamous Andrea Yates case. According to The Lancet, untreated mental illness led to Yates drowning her five children. The episode "Magnificat" also features a mother who does the unthinkable. After a car bombing kills three small boys, their mother, Doreen (Carrie Preston), miraculously survives. However, Doreen's husband, Paul (Sam Robards), seems suspiciously unconcerned with his wife's well-being.
As the case progresses, detectives learn that Paul forbids Doreen from seeking treatment for postpartum depression. Instead, Paul's solution is to pressure his wife into having more children and homeschooling them. Overwhelmed and ill-equipped to handle her depression,
Doreen resorts to killing her own children. Unfortunately, her diagnosis and lack of a support system made this harrowing crime feel like the only solution to the difficulties she faced as a mother. Similar to Yates, Doreen expresses genuine remorse for her crimes. Despite his role in the situation, Paul is free to move on with his life while Doreen faces a lengthy prison term.
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