A rebellious child dies during an unsanctioned exorcism ceremony. The defendant claims that St. Michael instructed her to perform the exorcism.A rebellious child dies during an unsanctioned exorcism ceremony. The defendant claims that St. Michael instructed her to perform the exorcism.A rebellious child dies during an unsanctioned exorcism ceremony. The defendant claims that St. Michael instructed her to perform the exorcism.
Photos
- Bill Crawford
- (as Melvin Rodriguez)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode appears to be based on the 1998 Charity Miranda case. Charity's mother, Vivian, and a classmate, Serena Martin, engaged her in a two-hour exorcism because her mother believed that Charity had a demon inside of her. Charity died during the exorcism process, and to cover her death, her mother placed her in a plastic bag, leaving her at the bottom of the stairs.
- Quotes
Jack McCoy: [in closing summation] What do you make of Rosa Halasy and her calling? I can't answer it myself. Mr. Wade says you can't convict her because she's a good person, maybe even a holy person. I'm not sure I disagree with his characterization, but it brings you right back to the contradiction: can a righteous person commit a wrongful act? What I do know is that Rosa Halasy is flesh and blood like you and me. We can't let Rosa Halasy assert for herself the power we vest in our Supreme Being. She may hear God, but she may not play God! Just because she has a divine mission, it doesn't exempt her from the code of human behavior. When she squeezed the life out of Kira Grayson in the back room of her apartment, she violated that code. Her passion for God, however tangible and heartfelt, rendered her oblivious to the mortality of Kira Grayson. She's responsible for the consequences of her convictions. And just as her God holds her accountable, so should we!
- ConnectionsReferences NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (1970)
Now he has a case that truly challenges his own non-beliefs. A young hyperactive adolescent is brought to a hospital by Mel Rodriguez and she dies while in the waiting area of the emergency room and Rodriguez who is a retarded individual books.
When Rodriguez is located the trail leads to Frances Conroy who many consider an urban saint. She is a drop out from a convent, preferring to do things her way. What she was doing was conducting an unauthorized exorcism and the child died as a result of the injuries.
Conroy goes on trial for criminally negligent homicide and the picture that is brought out by her lawyer Wendell Pierce is a selflessly dedicated woman who takes no money for her services, such a contrast to all those pompadoured reverends shamelessly asking for coin on every broadcast. I even wondered how she paid her rent.
Like Joan Of Arc she hears voices, like the Maid of Orleans the specific voice of St. Michael. Waterston never crossexamined a defendant like her before or after in his tenure with the show. It reminded me of Michael Clarke Duncan's character in The Green Mile, a simple selfless soul with great gifts. Somewhere in the human community you like to think there are such as these.
If Waterston felt like the Bishop of Cauchon after it was all over you could hardly blame him.
- bkoganbing
- Nov 22, 2015