Law & Order (TV Series)

Burden (1998)

S. Epatha Merkerson: Lieutenant Anita Van Buren

Quotes 

• Lennie Briscoe : [to Joe Sutter]  Look what's happened to your beautiful family: your wife is sleeping with some dance instructor, your daughter is one step away from living on the street and you have no money and it's all because of that kid!

  Joe Sutter : You don't know me, if you knew me, you would see...

  Lennie Briscoe : Oh, I know you. If you had the stones...

  Rey Curtis : You don't know this man, Lennie. This isn't about money or adultery or anything like that, is it, Joe? My wife's got MS. I picture her life 10 years from now, and it kills me because it might not be a pretty picture. You picture your son. He used to be strong. Played soccer, yeah?

  Joe Sutter : Yes.

  Rey Curtis : My wife used to run three miles every morning. Did you imagine Michael at 20 years old, 40 years old, still in the same bedroom, still in the same tortured pain?

  Joe Sutter : [choked up]  Yeah.

  Rey Curtis : Me, too. And you wanna know the worst part? I know why it's happening. It's my fault. God is punishing her for something I did.

  Joe Sutter : No, you can't think that way!

  Rey Curtis : I try to tell myself that. I try to think that. But every time I look at her, I feel the guilt. Every time I look at my daughters and think about what they're going to lose. Someone you love is in pain. They have no hope. What can you do to help this person? How often have you asked yourself this question? Every time you bathe him?

  Joe Sutter : [now in tears]  Every time I kiss him good night.

  Rey Curtis : And you knew there was only one way out. You had to do it. You had to do it because you loved him. Let it go. It was an act of love, Joe.

  Joe Sutter : [sobs]  I love Michael! Maybe I... but I didn't do this. I didn't kill him. Can I leave?

  Anita Van Buren : Not for another 30 years.