Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)
The Burden of Our Choices (2019)
Kelli Giddish: Detective Amanda Rollins
Photos
Quotes
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Amanda Rollins : Evangeline may be confused. Her religious upbringing, it's just... it's a lot.
Olivia Benson : So she's changing her mind?
Amanda Rollins : No, she never wanted to have an abortion. She just wanted to be a kid, have a life. I should just take her to the clinic myself right now.
Olivia Benson : Amanda, you know that you can't do that.
Amanda Rollins : She kept quiet for years about being abused, and then she finally gets the courage to get on a bus and come to New York from Ohio? We can't let them take her back home, back to that abuse. Force her to have his baby?
Olivia Benson : We can't. It's not up to us. There's a court-ordered stay on the abortion.
Amanda Rollins : When I was 13, I remember being so angry all the time. I wanted to get the hell out of my house, to be free. Now I've got two little girls.
Olivia Benson : I know. I know that it's hard.
Amanda Rollins : No, it's just... I
[sighs]
Amanda Rollins : I worry about them all the time.
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Evangeline Miller : [to Rollins] My friends keep texting me, and Pastor Mark keeps e-mailing me, and that lawyer. They all say murder is never the right choice, that getting an abortion destroys two lives, and it's my obligation to show the world that I choose life.
Amanda Rollins : Evangeline, the rest of the world, that's not your responsibility.
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Olivia Benson : [after Evangeline accuses her stepfather of raping her] Do you remember how old you were?
Evangeline Miller : The day after my birthday. Eleven. He came into my room, sat on my bed... said I was becoming a woman.
Amanda Rollins : What did he do?
Evangeline Miller : He took off my pajamas. At first, we'd just lay there. He said he loved me. That if I loved him, I'd do this. And then he touched me.
Amanda Rollins : Can... can you tell us more?
Evangeline Miller : One night, he said I was ready. He put his thing in, and it hurt. I said no. That I was waiting 'til marriage. He said it didn't count, though, 'cause he was married to my mom, that we were family.
Olivia Benson : So, Evangeline, it's okay if you didn't, but did you tell your mom?
Evangeline Miller : I tried once. She wouldn't listen. Jim got so mad. He said if Mama found out, he'd have to leave us.
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Evangeline Miller : The judge said Ohio was wrong. So I can get an abortion?
Amanda Rollins : Those are, uh, two separate cases. Mr. Langan will go back to family court. Listen, this judge is likely to rule in your favor. You just have to be patient a little bit longer.
Evangeline Miller : Everyone knows who I am. The Ohio girl.
Amanda Rollins : I'm sorry.
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Evangeline Miller : What's gonna happen to him?
Amanda Rollins : Your stepfather?
[Evangeline nods]
Amanda Rollins : We don't know yet, but I do know you will never have to live with him again.
Evangeline Miller : My mom say that?
Amanda Rollins : That's also gonna take a little bit of time.
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Olivia Benson : Evangeline is here now, and New York has full reproductive rights for girls of any age.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : That is right. It's the girl's decision.
Amanda Rollins : Well, she's upset, but she definitely wants the abortion.
Odafin Tutuola : The parents are fundamentalists. Once they get here, they're gonna throw her in the car and take her home.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : She's 13?
Olivia Benson : She is.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : It's gonna be hard for a judge to deny parental custody.
Amanda Rollins : Even with evidence of sexual abuse? I mean, going back years.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : That's a different story. A family court prosecutor could argue that the parents knew or should've known about the abuse. That gets you neglect.
Odafin Tutuola : There may not be time for that. The Millers are on their way here now.
Olivia Benson : We're talking about a pregnant 13-year-old runaway. Carisi, can't we take emergency custody? I'm going to call ACS.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : She's also gonna need her own lawyer. I'll call Legal Aid.
Olivia Benson : And they're gonna just send someone who's handling 75 other cases. Look, I... I know someone who's very good with custody issues. So, Fin, in the meantime, find out from Isaac exactly what their relationship was and how much the parents knew.
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Evangeline Miller : My mom and Jim are here in New York?
Olivia Benson : Well, they're worried about you.
Evangeline Miller : I didn't want them to find out.
Olivia Benson : Find out what, honey?
Amanda Rollins : That you're pregnant?
Evangeline Miller : Mm-hmm.
Amanda Rollins : We're worried about you, too. And if there's anything you want to tell us, your parents don't have to know.
Evangeline Miller : They can't know that I disobeyed God's word. And they can't know why I'm here in New York.
Olivia Benson : Okay, Evangeline, why... why are you here?
Evangeline Miller : To get an abortion.
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Evangeline Miller : [at an abortion clinic] I'm scared.
Amanda Rollins : I'll be here, waiting.
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Dr. Sloane : She's dehydrated. Suffering from exposure, exhaustion.
Olivia Benson : Is there any sign of physical abuse?
Dr. Sloane : Damned if I do, damned if I don't in these cases.
Olivia Benson : I know.
Dr. Sloane : If I report, I can't promise patient confidentiality.
Amanda Rollins : She's 13. A runaway.
Dr. Sloane : I know, so if I don't report, I'm breaking the law.
Olivia Benson : If there's anything that you feel comfortable telling us...
Dr. Sloane : The extent of vaginal scarring, given her age? She's been sexually active or abused for at least two years.
Amanda Rollins : Since she was 11?
Dr. Sloane : She's also 12 weeks pregnant.
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Evangeline Miller : [to Rollins] Do you believe God makes mistakes?
Amanda Rollins : I don't know. I definitely know humans do.
Evangeline Miller : If God doesn't make mistakes, that means this baby is part of His plan.
Amanda Rollins : That may be, but we don't always know what His plan is.
Evangeline Miller : Can we pray together?
[holds Rollins' hand]
Evangeline Miller : Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for sending Amanda to help me. Please help me figure out what I'm supposed to do.
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Amanda Rollins : The Mercer County D.A. confirmed through DNA that James Miller impregnated his stepdaughter. They charged him with 114 counts of rape of a child.
Olivia Benson : We knew that Carisi wasn't gonna let that go.
Amanda Rollins : No. Um, and it's, uh, Kat and Fin on the next shift. Do you mind if I punch out early?
Olivia Benson : Oh, of course, sure. Hey, take some family time.
Amanda Rollins : Thanks.
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Evangeline Miller : Next year, I'm supposed to go to high school. I don't want to drop out. I'm too young to have a baby.
Olivia Benson : That is completely your decision, Evangeline. Okay, we're just... we're just trying to sort this out.
Amanda Rollins : Now, can you tell us how you got pregnant?
Evangeline Miller : I turned my back on God. I didn't save myself for marriage.
Olivia Benson : So... so it was someone you know. Okay, well, we know that you came here to see Isaac.
Evangeline Miller : I wanted him to help me.
Olivia Benson : So was it Isaac?
Amanda Rollins : Just tell us what happened. It's gonna be okay.
Evangeline Miller : I didn't want to say no to him.
Amanda Rollins : Did he force you?
Evangeline Miller : He kept asking. He said he loved me, that it was our secret. That if I told anyone, my mom, things would be really bad. I should've told her, but I was just too afraid that she wouldn't believe me.
Amanda Rollins : None of this is your fault, honey.
Evangeline Miller : You can't tell my mom, or Jim, or Pastor Mark that I want an abortion. They would never allow it.
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Tammy Miller : I had a vision we'd find you safe.
Evangeline Miller : I'm okay, Mama.
James Miller : Your mother's been worried sick. What were you thinking?
Evangeline Miller : I'm sorry.
Tammy Miller : James, she's here. She's safe.
James Miller : Yeah.
Tammy Miller : We can all go home now.
James Miller : Okay.
Evangeline Miller : I don't want to go home.
Tammy Miller : Of course you do.
Evangeline Miller : They said I didn't have to.
Amanda Rollins : We need to talk about a few things first.
James Miller : Okay, it doesn't matter. We're your parents. You have to obey us. Come on.
Amanda Rollins : Actually...
[a patrol officer leads Trevor Langan in]
Amanda Rollins : Evangeline, this is Trevor Langan.
Trevor Langan : I'm going to represent you.
Tammy Miller : Why does she need a lawyer?
James Miller : Yeah, what is going on?
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Tammy Miller : Please tell us you found her. We prayed the whole way here.
Amanda Rollins : Her cell is off, but we're tracking her social media.
James Miller : Well, track his cell. Isaac, she followed him out here.
Olivia Benson : Follow? When did Isaac leave Ohio?
James Miller : About a month ago, after they caught him with a 15-year-old girl. They should've kept him in prison after that.
Amanda Rollins : Evangeline and Isaac are friends?
James Miller : Well, she's friends with his little sister, but that would not stop a boy like that.
Olivia Benson : Are you saying that they were involved?
Tammy Miller : Like a boyfriend? No, no. Evangeline can be emotional, but she takes her faith seriously.