...these Are Their Stories: The Law & Order Podcast

After escaping from her kidnapper, Tasha (played by Keke Palmer) tells Benson and Stabler the man rescued her and her sisters from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The detectives track down the abductor and find Tasha's sister, but the suspect has contracted a fatal case of anthrax inhalation. The FBI swoops in, takes the girls, steals all of SVU's evidence, and threatens to prosecute any detective who discloses the information. Olivia leaks the story to reporter Jackson Zane whose front page exposé gets the sisters returned. After she and Elliot arrest a lab tech and learn the anthrax is still at large, Olivia again tips off Zane. The reporter refuses to identify the leaker and chooses to go to jail instead of revealing Benson as his source.We're talking about the jam-packed Special Victims Unit season seven episode ten "Storm." Our guest is Maggie Freleng from the "Wrongful Conviction" podcast. A character in this episode is based on former New York Times journalist Judith Miller. For exclusive content

Benson and Stabler look for a serial rapist who's targeting women with disabilities. Into the squad room walks Miranda Cole, a woman with schizophrenia (Amanda Plummer, in an Emmy-winning appearance), but it's hard to find answers within her disorganized speech. Olivia butts heads with Miranda's doctor, a former cop who went to the academy with her. Tidbits from the victim's ramblings lead Munch and Tutuola to a closeted gay man who's a strong suspect, but Cragen says his DNA doesn't match the crime scenes. Stabler breaks the rules to decipher the misleading DNA, while Benson lets Miranda be Miranda to discover important evidence.We're talking about Special Victims Unit season six episode nine "Weak." Our guest is Aviv Rubinstein of the "Special Viewing Unit" podcast.This episode is inspired by the ripped-from-the-headlines story of Troy Graves. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Benson and Stabler investigate the murder of a woman in her hotel room. She's the daughter-in-law of the president of an ultra-conservative college, Ben Hadley. Munch and Jeffries arrest the culprit behind a string of hotel burglaries, but he's not the killer. Neither is the financial consultant the victim had been hitting on.  Elliot discovers Ben Junior wasn't aware his wife was pregnant, and Olivia learns she had a two-year-long affair with Ben Senior. When Cragen confronts the Hadleys with the DNA results, the son confesses to strangling the victim in a jealous rage, unaware her lover was his father.We're talking about Special Victims Unit season one episode 17 "Misleader." Our returning guest is Nettie Smith from the Saber's Playbook podcast.This episode is inspired by the real life story of George Roche III. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Detectives Goren and Eames investigate the kidnapping of a baby left alone in a hotel room while the parents went out to dinner. They locate a cat burglar who robbed several rooms, then foil a fake ransom scam targeting a wealthy aunt, but baby Emma is still missing.Captain Ross says there's no way the baby could have left the hotel undetected. Maybe she was never there to begin with? The detectives discover the little girl in the picture is actually the Haslum's neighbor. Goren finally gets to the truth: Emma died months ago in a hot car and the grieving parents are suffering from a dual madness pretending it didn't happen.We're talking about Criminal Intent season eight episode seven "Folie á Deux." Our returning guest is Katie from A Date with Dateline podcast.Among the stories drawn upon for this episode include the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Detectives Vincent Riley and Jalen Shaw investigate the murder of a dating app developer. The squad's new lieutenant, Jessica Brady, runs the suspect's DNA through the rape kit database. Laura, the shooter, is a former SVU victim whose case was mishandled. Captain Olivia Benson goes to bat for her, arguing victims will refuse to give their DNA if they think it will be used against them in the future.Benson stuns prosecutors Nolan Price and Samantha Maroun by agreeing to testify the shooting was self-defense. She says Laura's trauma gave her a heightened sense of danger, even though the victim wasn't actually stalking her. Benson convinces Price to offer Laura a deal - which she refuses. Meanwhile, District Attorney Nicholas Baxter pledges to reform the use of that DNA database.We're talking about the latest episode of NBC's "Law & Order" season 24 episode 2 "The Perfect Man." Our returning guest is Brandi Brown.Plot points in this story are inspired by the concerns over the use of artificial intelligence

When two frat boys at Hudson University learn co-ed Evie Barnes earns her tuition shooting violent porn, they rape her in a dorm. Sgt. Olivia Benson says the attack is still a crime because Evie didn't consent. At trial, the defense says Evie is so good in her rape fantasy pornos, the boys had no idea she wasn't acting. Barba wins a conviction, but the judge sets the conviction aside, saying there was no evidence she said "no." Betrayed by the court, disowned by her parents, and expelled from school, Evie leaves the city once and for all to star in even more violent adult films.We're talking about Special Victims Unit season 16 episode 5 "Pornstar's Requiem." Our returning guest is Kimberly from the A Date with Dateline podcast.This episode is inspired by the real life story of Duke University student Miriam Weeks, an adult film actress who performed under the name Belle Knox.  For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Toronto detectives Henry Graff and Frankie Bateman arrest the hit man responsible for the murder of Zoe Vaughn, the COO at grocery store mega-chain Best Betts. The search for who hired the assassin leads them to Douglas Hill, owner of rival Hill Breads. But photos taken by the victim show the competitors were actually colluding to fix the price of bread in Canada. Graff uses his Gorenesque skills to deduce CEO Nadia Betts fooled Hill into hiring the hit man - not to keep Vaughn from exposing their price fixing scheme - but to keep her from stealing Betts's job.We're talking about the new Canadian spin-off series Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent season 1 episode 6 "Minnow and the Shark." Our guest is Simone Paget from the We’re Never Doing This Again podcast.Plot points for this episode come from the scandal over the Canadian bread price fixing scheme. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

A baby snatched from a supermarket leads Benson and Stabler to a sketchy adoption agency. Records show one of the children may have been connected to a cold case from Cragen's days at the 27th precinct.  The late Sergeant Max Greevey never learned who murdered Jennifer Talmadge and kidnapped her infant son, Stephen. After Cragen and Munch find the 12-year-old boy alive and well, a custody battle ensues among his biological father, his grandparents, and the family that raised him. But Olivia and Elliot find evidence the father's ex-wife might have been behind the fatal crime all those years ago.We're talking about Special Victims Unit season three episode three "Stolen." Our guest is Matt Reuter from the Special Viewing Unit podcast.Plot points for this episode come from the 1998 kidnapping of Allyson Dalton.   For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

A tech at an IVF clinic is bludgeoned with a liquid nitrogen tank by someone who dumped all of its embryos down the sink.  Briscoe and Curtis learn, before he died, a wealthy man won the embryos in his divorce. His second wife wanted to implant the first wife's fertilized eggs and create a new heir to his fortune. In order to get a felony murder conviction against the first wife, McCoy has to argue the destroyed embryos were now the property of the young widow. But when Carmichael discovers an additional two surviving embryos, a new battle over who should get the eggs commences. We're talking about Law & Order season 9 episode 6 "Scrambled." Our guest is Ellyn Marsh from the "I Think Not" podcast.This episode is based on the 1998 case of Kass v Kass.    For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Benson and Amaro rescue a teen drawn into the world of underage sex trafficking. Fin and Rollins set up a sting to catch her customers and arrest retired quarterback Jack Stanton (Treat Williams). Olivia believes his disorientation and unusual actions are the result of concussions he received playing football, but Nick thinks it's all an act. She gets defense attorney Bayard Ellis (Andre Braugher) to take his case, much to the ire of Cabot. After he displays signs of dementia on the stand, the jury acquits him. But the QB knows the problem is his brain and calls an audible on the courthouse steps.We're talking about Special Victims Unit season 13 episode 10 "Spiraling Down." Our guest is Ronald Young Jr. from the "Weight for It" podcast.This episode is inspired by the 2010 arrest of Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Tennis star Korey Burke will miss the tournament after an unidentified attacker breaks her wrist with a club. Logan and Briscoe rule out her obsessed fan and turn their attention to Korey's main rival and her burly boyfriend. Kincaid wonders if her demanding father (John Heard) might have set up the assault to boost her image and endorsement money. But when Stone obtains Korey's diary, it's clear the athlete has been looking for a way to get out of professional sports.We're talking about Law & Order season 4 episode 21 "Doubles." Our returning guest is Leigh Bardugo, best-selling author of Shadow and Bone and The Familiar.This episode is inspired by the 1994 attack on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.  For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

A 16-year-old TV actress who plays a hypersexual undercover agent is raped in her trailer. A shock jock (Lewis Black) has been suggesting listeners try to bang her. Stabler and Fin learn the culprit is the teenage son of an anti-smut crusader (Dana Delany) who thought stealing her panties would get him on the radio.  Later, the activist shoots the DJ for corrupting her son.  It's a case of the First Amendment versus family values.We're talking about Special Victims Unit season 6 episode 3 "Obscene." Our guest is Roberta Blevins from the Life After MLM podcast.Among the many figures who inspired this episode includes radio host Howard Stern. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

A fatal tiger attack sends Stabler undercover into an international animal smuggling ring. The leader murders a rap star with a hyena and plans to carving up an endangered gibbon and make the world's most expensive chopsticks out of his breast bone. Benson poses as a prostitute in her underwear to maintain Stabler's cover, then he's is shot and left for dead by the ring leader. As the rest of the squad moves in to shut down the operation, Cragen rescues the gibbon from a hollowed out basketball.This is among the craziest SVUs ever. We're talking about Special Victims Unit season 10 episode seven "Wildlife." Our guest from this February 14, 2018 episode is Tara Ariano from the Extra Hot Great podcast.This episode is inspired by the real international blackmarket for exotic animals. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

The little black book of a porno mag publisher goes missing after the former centerfold who won it at auction is murdered. Photocopies of the book reveal evidence a US Senate candidate took his ex-wife (Rosanna Arquette) to a sex club, even though she didn't want to go. Goren and Eames discover the blackmailer was the club doorman who's just turned up dead. The detectives learn the ex-wife returned to the club without her husband - got it on with everyone - and is now desperate to keep her daughter from knowing the tawdry truth. Carver falsely charges the politician with murder, all part of an elaborate ruse to elicit a confession from the ex in exchange for destroying the evidence.We're talking about Criminal Intent season 4 episode 14 "Sex Club." Our guest from this February 26, 2020 episode is Katie Mitchell from the Date with Dateline podcast.This episode is inspired by the political sex scandal surrounding Jack and Jeri Ryan. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

After three girls disappear overnight in a city park, a large man is spotted returning stab victim Zoe from the woods. The child tells Benson her sister, Mia, and her friend, Perry, were kidnapped by the supernatural Glasgowman. They had a map to the creature's mansion they got from Perry's babysitter, a graphic artist. Amaro and Rollins find the missing girls, who say Glasgowman bound and stabbed them. It becomes clear that Perry is delusional, convinced her friends to go into the woods, then tried to make a blood sacrifice to Glasgowman. Mia is released and Perry is sentenced to a psychiatric hospital. Riding the elevator, Carisi spots the two discreetly intertwine their pinkies. The implication: she's faking and it was a set-up from the beginning. We're talking about SVU season 16 episode 6 "Glasgowman's Wrath." Our guest from this September 22, 2021 episode is Ronald Young Jr.This episode is inspired by the Slenderman stabbing case. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Briscoe and Green investigate a socialite who fell into an insulin-induced coma, even though she’s not diabetic. David Moore says he was helping her commit suicide, but the detectives learn the couple are part of a group who get off on a kink called “necrophilia without tears.” Moore injects his wife with insulin to paralyze her so he can have sex with her frozen body.McCoy and Carmichael charge the husband with attempted murder, but become suspicious of Mrs. Moore’s step-daughter and her doctor (John Slattery). In a plot to take her fortune, they’d been spiking the insulin with another drug to convince her she was dying and should end her own suffering.  We’re talking about Law & Order season 10 episode 23 “Stiff.” Our guest from this May 8, 2019 episode is Dr. Kelly Jones from the Still Pretty and Awegasm podcasts.This episode is inspired by the case of Claus and Sunny von Bülow. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Lt. Benson and the SVU squad investigate a kidnapping involving the parents of an infant at the heart of a right-to-die case. ADA Barba sympathizes with the mother and does what she's unable to bring herself to do: switch off the baby's life support system. District Attorney Jack McCoy charges him with murder and enlists Barba's replacement, ADA Peter Stone, to prosecute the case. Even though he's acquitted and McCoy seems perfectly fine with letting a baby killer stay on staff, Barba resigns and leaves New York.We’re discussing the heart-tugging, star-packed Special Victims Unit season 19 episode 13 "The Undiscovered Country." Our guest from this March 11, 2020 episode is Gaby Dunn from the "Bad with Money" podcast. This episode is inspired by the 2017 case of Charlie Gard. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Gunshots ring out after someone heckles the singer at mob-friendly Raimondo's restaurant. Briscoe and Green think a Hollywood producer at a different table was simply caught in the crossfire, but Van Buren says the bullet that killed him was from a different gun. The detectives nab a hitman who took advantage of the commotion to take out the producer. He says he was hired by an author who got stiffed on the movie adaptation of his Raimondo's-inspired book. But McCoy and Southerlyn learn it was Raimondo himself who sought revenge on both the writer and the producer for disrespecting his famous restaurant.We're talking about Law & Order season 14 episode 20 "Everybody Loves Raimondo's." Our guest from our April 17, 2017 episode is Chris Greene of RTÉ Two radio in Ireland.This episode is inspired by the real life shooting in Rao's restaurant by Louie "Lump Lump" Barone. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Captain Olivia Benson thinks the creepy cleaver-wielding butcher who likes to wear clown masks is behind the disappearance of a teenager. EADA Peter Stone charges him with murder, although her body is never recovered. Detectives Carisi and Rollins discover the girl is alive and well, living in hiding and having a secret affair with her music teacher. But sh*t gets bananas when the mother confronts the couple. She confesses to her own affair with the teacher years earlier which left her pregnant. Although they never knew it, the teacher has been sleeping with his own daughter. We'll never ever get over SVU season 19 episode 17 "Send in the Clowns." Our guest for the April 11, 2018 episode is Kimberly from the Date with Dateline podcast.This episode is inspired by the case of Steven Walter Pladl. For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.

Cosgrove and Shaw investigate the murder of a right wing congresswoman's husband, a doctor bludgeoned in his home office. The detectives focus on a teenager who'd been secretly visiting the doctor's home. They learn the patient is a trans girl who'd been receiving gender affirming care despite her parents' objections, and Frank and Jalen arrest the dad for murder. His lawyer argues self-defense, and Price and Maroun quarrel about whether the victim should have been treating the 13-year-old without permission. In order to protect the teen from a withering cross-examination, McCoy offers a plea. But the political fallout from the trial might make things less safe for trans kids in the future.We're talking about Law & Order season 22 episode 19 "Private Lives." Our guest is Brady Carlson from the Cool Weird Awesome podcast.This episode takes its inspiration from the attack on the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  For exclusive content from Kevin and Rebecca, sign up on Patreon.