Law & Order: Special Victims Unit · S5, E24
Poison
A young Romanian girl, Alexis Campbell, who was adopted by an American family, lies near death after two cups of detergent are pumped from her stomach. Her seemingly normal family is upset, but her six-year-old sister Katie (Sloane Momsen) claims her mother tortured Alexis. Even though the family wanted to adopt Alexis, her mother, Karen (Cynthia Gibb), got pregnant with twins shortly after. A.D.A. Novak (Diane Neal) wants to prosecute Karen for murder, but Oliver Gates (Barry Bostwick), her defense attorney, doesn't want to allow Katie's testimony. Judge Oliver Taft (Tom Skerritt) makes it very difficult for Novak and agrees Katie should not be allowed to testify, but does agree to a bench trial. Stabler (Christopher Meloni) testifies and rips Judge Taft apart and "mouths off" on his way out. Judge Taft retaliates quickly, tossing Stabler in jail for contempt. Judge Taft finds Karen not guilty and Novak is furious, and wants Taft off the bench. Mary Conway Clark (Marlo Thomas) advises Novak to be careful, but Novak is determined to proceed.
