Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Episode 10.21 Liberties

A woman calls the police reporting a rape, and Stabler and Benson begin their investigation. The accused is lying in a hospital bed with cuts and bruises from where his victim, Pam, defended herself during the attack. Her attacker, Owen, tells Stabler that he was only answering an online ad posted by a woman who had a rape fantasy. Pam is appalled by Owen's claims. But, a search through Pam's computer proves she really did solicit on a fantasy rape site.

After a more detailed search through Pam's computer, the detectives discover that somebody planted the pornographic images on Pam's computer, downloaded child porn, and put up an ad with Pam's address on the rape fantasy site. Pam is sure it's her ex-boyfriend Tyler, whom she had a restraining order against in Rhode Island before moving to New York.

The detectives discover Tyler has recently moved to New York and is also living on the same block as Pam. When Pam's dog attacks Tyler, the detectives bring him in and accuse him of harassing his ex. He confesses to the hacking of her computer and now Cabot has a case to build against him. During trial, Tyler has an outbursts and tries to leave, but is apprehended. This makes Cabot's case even stronger and she requests the judge take away Tyler's right to bail.

Stabler is surprised when Judge Koehler calls for a meeting with him in his chambers and wants to hire the detective to work another case. Koehler tells Stabler about the murder of his son, Marshall, thirty years ago and the confession from a serial killer years later. The only thing Koehler was never able to find out was the location of his son's body. He wants Stabler to get answers so the family can finally rest.

Stabler agrees to help Koehler by talking to Roy Datsun. Stabler finds Roy to be weak and dying of emphysema. Roy spares no details when talking about what he did to the young boy before killing him. Stabler tries to coerce Roy into confessing where Marshall Koehler's body is located so he can die with a clear conscience. Roy laughs off Stabler's request.

As Stabler is interrogating Roy, Koehler is continuing to preside over the case against Tyler. As Owen is giving his testimony about the events that lead him to Pam's bedroom the night she was attacked, Koehler continues to be distracted and checking his phone, hoping for an update from Stabler.

Stabler begins to play around with Roy's oxygen tube, hoping to scare him into confessing the whereabouts of Marshall's body. Roy promises to tell Stabler as soon as he is allowed to breathe again. Back in court, Koehler gets a text from Stabler telling him Roy has finally talked. Koehler has a hard time paying attention to Owen's testimony and finally says court is adjourned and everybody will reconvene the next morning.

Koehler rushes to the recreational center where Roy claims his son is buried, only to find it was a dead-end lead. But, there is still evidence that a decomposed body once was placed in the scene Roy pointed out. The next morning, Novak grows worried when Koehler doesn't show up on time for court. She calls Benson in hopes she will have a lead on where Koehler might be. Both women go visit Tyler in prison and he confirms Koehler visited him but offers no more details. Benson begins to worry for the judge's psychological health.

Fin and Munch rush to Koehler's residence to check in and find the judge in bloodied clothes. Koehler tells the detectives to head to the study and there they find a bruised and bloodied man tied up. His identification reads "Gregory Brunson," the same last name as Tyler's. Benson interviews Tyler again, and this time wants details of what exactly the judge and he talked about. Tyler admits that he told Koehler about his history of sexual abuse at the hands of his father, Gregory.

Warner tells Fin and Munch that Koehler knew about the body that was once placed in the recreational center, but also told him that the DNA left behind did not match his son's. But, Warner also told the detectives that Koehler had an unusual request; he wanted Tyler's DNA results from his arrest.

Stabler and Benson interview Koehler about wanting Tyler's DNA sample and comparing it to a clip of Tyler's hair that the judge had possession of. Tyler says he never gave the judge a hair sample. Koehler tells the detectives that the hair was from Tyler's baby book. Benson puts it together that Tyler is really Koehler's missing son, Marshall. Koehler admits that he knew Roy never kidnapped his son. Koehler knew it was Gregory who kidnapped his son and he was going to make sure justice was served.

Stabler wanted to know when Koehler first realized Tyler was his son. Koehler says it was at Tyler's bail hearing, when Tyler started ranting in the courtroom on his first day in court. Tyler quoted a fable that Koehler used to always read 30 years ago. It was just a crazy fate that Koehler happened to preside over Tyler's case and hear his rant in the courtroom that day.

Stabler wants Koehler to know he can plead insanity for the attack on Gregory, but Koehler wants to accept whatever punishment he receives. Koehler already feels victorious because the truth in the end has set him free. But, he has one request from the detectives.

Benson and Stabler bring a confused Tyler into the SVU to talk to Koehler. Koehler's big concern is just how Tyler is holding up. Tyler wants to know why Koehler attacked his father and Koehler quotes the same fable Tyler repeated in the courtroom.

Tyler can't recall how he first heard the fable, but it must have been something his father read to him when he was younger. Koehler feels he's finally getting through to Tyler and asks him to remember more about his childhood. Tyler finally has a breakthrough that Koehler is his real dad and the two have a tearful reunion. The father and son are both transported to Rikers prison where they can catch up on lost time, and it dawns on the detectives why Koehler refused to take an insanity plea for his case.