Cagney & Lacey (TV Series)

Date Rape (1983)

Tyne Daly: Mary Beth Lacey

Quotes 

• Carole Mitchell : I met him in a singles bar. Had a drink with him. In fact, I even ordered a second round. Then we went back to my apartment. We had another drink. I even let the guy kiss me. What do you two ladies think about that?

  [Mary Beth and Christine look at each other] 

  Christine Cagney : We don't think anything.

  Mary Beth Lacey : Can you tell us what happened then?

  Carole Mitchell : He wanted to go to bed. Well, I don't know. It's just something weird. The guy's just creepy. I mean, I told him no. You know, I asked him to leave. And he just got crazy.

  Mary Beth Lacey : How do you mean crazy?

  Carole Mitchell : He started shouting and screaming. I mean, he comes up with this old story, you know, "You can't say no to me after you've got me all worked up like this". And then... he just... He... just beat me up very badly and raped me.

  Christine Cagney : He beat you?

  Carole Mitchell : My face, my arms and my neck. It's all faded now.

  Christine Cagney : How long ago did this happen?

  Carole Mitchell : Two weeks.

  Christine Cagney : Well, why did you wait so long to report it?

  Carole Mitchell : Why? Because I heard how insensitive cops are. That's why this is not my most favorite thing to do!

• Lt. Bert Samuels : So, what kinda case is it?

  Christine Cagney : She was raped.

  Mary Beth Lacey : We're gonna run his name through BCI.

  Lt. Bert Samuels : She knows his name?

  Mary Beth Lacey : Well, she was on a date with him.

  Victor Isbecki : [while reading the notes of the case]  Met him in a bar. Took him home. You know what this smells like to me? A one-night stand that never called back.

  Ronald Coleman : Sure. The chick get's upset. Turns him into the cops. Is that revenge?

  Paul La Guardia : Classic "Woman scorned" and all that.

  Mary Beth Lacey : Paul! The woman was raped. Read your penal code: "Sexual intercourse without consent."

  Victor Isbecki : Hey, don't be so literal. What do you think us guys are? Mind readers or something?

  Christine Cagney : What do ya mean?

  Victor Isbecki : Hey, women always say "No". Sometimes they mean "Yes", but usually they mean, "Maybe". Am I wrong?

  Mark Petrie : I think you're over-generalising.

  Ronald Coleman : I think the man knows what he's talking about, all right?

  Lt. Bert Samuels : Do you know who Thelma's most famous hero of all time is? Rhett Butler. So romantic, she says. So how come when Rhett Butler throws Scarlett down on the bed, that's romance, but when some poor slob does it, that's rape?

  Mary Beth Lacey : With respect, sir, if you don't know the difference between rape and romance, then you've got a serious problem.

  [walks off] 

  Ronald Coleman : Is it her time of month or what?

• Mary Beth Lacey : A woman has been hurt out there or maybe since you got in with the guys, you forgot about that.

  Christine Cagney : No, I remember.

  Mary Beth Lacey : Oh, I was beginning to wonder.

  Christine Cagney : Is it too much to ask you to lighten up a little?

  Mary Beth Lacey : Yeah. Sure. You heard any good rape jokes lately?

  Christine Cagney : Mary Beth, please. I know people get hurt... every day. Some of the stuff we see, if we took it in without some kind of joke, how would we deal with it? Makes us a little crazy, so sometimes I laugh. That's what I do.

  Mary Beth Lacey : Well, there's certain things I don't laugh at.

  Christine Cagney : And I'm sorry. That's my way. That's what I do.

• Christine Cagney : The bartender doesn't remember our guy, but he does remember Carole Mitchell. He says she goes into the bar a lot. In fact, sometimes she even takes a guy home with her.

  Victor Isbecki : What a surprise. And here I was thinking she was a vestal virgin.

  Paul La Guardia : We called them roundheels when I was in high school.

  Victor Isbecki : Hey, every school had one. We had one with big legs and a moustache.

  Ronald Coleman : So what? All cats are great in the dark.

  Mary Beth Lacey : Thank you, gentlemen for the view from the gutter.

• Carole Mitchell : [to Mary Beth & Christine]  Oh, look at you two. You're standing there so busy judging me, huh. Because I pick up guys in a bar?

  Mary Beth Lacey : No, ma'am.

  Carole Mitchell : Well, where else am I supposed to meet someone? You know, I work in an office with three women. What am I supposed to do? Sit home and wait for Prince Charming to come knocking at my door?

  Mary Beth Lacey : I think that you could be more careful.

  Carole Mitchell : No. What you really think is that I'm a tramp and I don't have the right to say "no."

  Mary Beth Lacey : That's not true, Miss. Mitchell.

  Carole Mitchell : I thought women cops would be different. You're not. Just beads and dresses.

  Christine Cagney : Hey, you wait just one damn minute!

  Mary Beth Lacey : We're trying to help you!

  Carole Mitchell : I don't need this garbage.

  Christine Cagney : Lady! You think this is garbage? Wait 'til you see what a defense attorney'll do with you.

  Carole Mitchell : I'm not gonna give him a chance, see. I don't care. Let's just drop the whole thing right here. Let's just forget it!

  Mary Beth Lacey : Miss Mitchell, we want to get this man as much as you do.

  Carole Mitchell : No, you don't. Get out. Go on. Get out. Go on.

• Mary Beth Lacey : [after Carole Mitchell ends up hospitalized after being attacked again]  The woman told us she was scared of him and we didn't listen. All we listened to was the guys' funny jokes and all we cared about was our lousy conviction percentage!

  Christine Cagney : You don't mean us, you mean me!

  Mary Beth Lacey : No, I mean us. I mean, I let that nonsense get to me and it kept me from doing my job.

  Christine Cagney : I'm not wasting time feeling guilty, Mary Beth. I'm gonna find that bastard and bring him in.