Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

The Burden of Our Choices (2019)

Lucy Walters: Tammy Miller

Quotes 

• Trevor Langan : The Millers' main agenda is to force a 13-year-old rape victim to carry to term, to prevent her from exercising her right to choose.

  Tammy Miller : Evie would never choose murder.

  James Miller : I don't know who's gotten into her head, but this is not the daughter we raised.

  Evangeline Miller : No, I can't go back home!

  Tammy Miller : Evangeline!

  Evangeline Miller : [points to James]  I can't because he put this baby inside me!

• Olivia Benson : So Mrs. Miller, the good news is... is that there is a way that we can get to the truth and you should know that Evangeline has now agreed to take a fetal DNA test.

  Tammy Miller : That will hurt the baby.

  Olivia Benson : No, these days, it's a simple test of the mother's blood.

  Tammy Miller : Well, isn't that a miracle.

  Olivia Benson : So if we could get your husband's DNA and if he is innocent...

  Tammy Miller : Which he is.

  Olivia Benson : Then it could very well exonerate him.

  Tammy Miller : Of course it will, but we can wait until after the baby is born. I see you judging me, but however it happened, Evangeline is pregnant and I intend to meet my grandchild here in this world, not in heaven.

  Olivia Benson : However it happened?

• Tammy Miller : An ongoing physical relationship? My little girl? No. It... it's not possible.

  Olivia Benson : Actually, it is possible.

  James Miller : Okay, well, did she say who it was?

  Tammy Miller : It has to be Isaac. That's why she came here.

  James Miller : Have you arrested him?

  Tammy Miller : James, we have to talk to him. He's the father. He has to marry her.

  James Miller : Right.

  Olivia Benson : Mrs. Miller, your daughter didn't come here to be with Isaac.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : She came to New York because she doesn't want this pregnancy.

  James Miller : What?

  Tammy Miller : No! No, whatever happened, this baby is a gift from God.

  James Miller : Wait, are you saying that she wants an abortion?

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : Yes and in New York State, that is her right.

• Olivia Benson : Tammy, you heard your daughter. I didn't put those words in her mouth.

  Tammy Miller : Even if the DNA shows that the baby is Jim's, it's unique DNA. It's created at conception. I mean, DNA that's never been on this earth before and never will be again. It's a miracle. I can never agree to an abortion.

  Olivia Benson : That decision is out of your hands, but you do have a choice to make. You can believe your daughter and leave Jim, or you can choose Jim, and Evangeline will grow up in foster care until she's 18 years old.

• Tammy Miller : [to Evangeline]  I'll take the child. All you have to do is give birth. I'll raise the baby like your little brother or sister.

  Evangeline Miller : What about Jim?

  Tammy Miller : I'll talk to him. Whatever misunderstanding this was, we'll work it out.

  Evangeline Miller : Misunderstanding? He raped me.

  Tammy Miller : Who told you that? That language. You're putting words in her mouth.

  Olivia Benson : Mrs. Miller, now is not the time.

  Tammy Miller : This is your fault. If you had just given her to us, let us take her back to Ohio, she would be fine. She never would've tried to kill her own child.

  Evangeline Miller : No, Mama. I wasn't trying to kill the baby. I was trying to kill myself.

• Tammy Miller : This is all my fault. Before Jim, with my first husband, um, Evangeline saw and heard things. He'd hit me, but what was worse is what he'd say. That Evangeline was gonna grow up to be a whore, just like her mother.

  Olivia Benson : I'm sorry.

  Tammy Miller : He's been dead five years. I can still see his face and hear his voice. Jim's not like that. He's kind. A good man. A single mother with a nine-year-old daughter? He adopted her. He... he adored her. H-He was always so affectionate with her.

• James Miller : We're taking Evangeline home right now.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : Listen, Mr. Miller, I'm sorry, but that's... that's not happening.

  James Miller : Excuse me?

  Tammy Miller : I don't understand.

  Olivia Benson : I know that this is very difficult to hear, but as of now, Evangeline is in the custody of Child Protective Services.

  Tammy Miller : What?

  James Miller : You can't just take our daughter away from us. What about our rights?

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : You'll appear before a family court judge. I can help you get a lawyer.

  James Miller : Uh, our pastor was a lawyer before he was called by God. I know things are different here in New York, but our daughter is not killing her baby.

• Tammy Miller : I'm sorry for not protecting my daughter. What my husband did... God tells us to forgive, and I believe in His word. But I also believe my daughter. I hope that she can forgive me.

• Judge Martinez : I'm satisfied Evangeline understands the ramifications of her decision, and that this decision is hers alone.

  Tammy Miller : She can't kill our grandbaby.

  Judge Martinez : Mrs. Miller, I realize this is difficult, but your daughter has rights.

  Forreston Graham : [entering]  Your Honor! We demand an immediate cessation of these proceedings.

  Judge Martinez : And you are?

  Forreston Graham : Forreston Graham. Mercer County D.A.'s office. I'm here to protect the rights of the unborn baby Miller. I have a writ of habeas corpus, asserting that the State of New York is illegally holding Evangeline Miller. I also have arrest warrants for the detectives involved in this case.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : Well, on what charge? Dominick Carisi, Manhattan D.A.'s office.

  Forreston Graham : I have an arrest warrant for you, too, and your boss. Anyone who facilitates the murder of this baby will be charged with causing fetal harm and conspiracy to commit murder, and is subject to immediate prosecution in the State of Ohio. Here's one for you, too, Judge. So whatever decision you were about to hand down, I'd think twice about making an irrevocable mistake.

• 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?

• 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.