S8, E24: In this season finale, a young African-American girl is found sexually abused, badly beaten and near death in the basement of an apartment building. Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) must search for the 'monster' who committed the vicious assault. Their investigation is slow, due to a lack of cooperation from 'the bosses' that may have to do with Lt. Van Buren's (S. Epatha Merkerson) lawsuit against the department. While the young girl hangs on to life, District Attorneys McCoy (Sam Waterston) and Ross (Carey Lowell) must find a way to work within the law to convict the abuser. Will the judge be fair, or will his past conflicts with McCoy and his attempt to unseat Schiff (Steven Hill) as District Attorney in the upcoming re-election get in the way? Meanwhile, Ross is torn between her career and having custody of her daughter, and Briscoe struggles with the death of his daughter.