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00:05In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous.
00:11In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are
00:15members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit.
00:19These are their stories.
00:35Yeah, but Lord Matthias was dimming her light.
00:40Yes, he's so hot, but also, like, poison to her soul.
00:44God, you get me.
01:13You read her work before anyone else?
01:16Sometimes.
01:17Hey, you need help?
01:18I am the help.
01:20Go enjoy yourself.
01:54Well, she didn't need the wings because she had the magic to move her, you know?
02:04Oh, my God!
02:07Call 911!
02:10Okay, okay, someone's coming.
02:13Someone's coming, okay?
02:15Help is coming, help is coming, help is coming!
02:21Central Unit 11th Precinct, 1034K assault with a knife.
02:25Male stabbed, torso conscious.
02:26Burp at large, described as white, female, black sweatshirt, lead on foot.
02:30243 East 10th on First Avenue.
02:33Five minutes past.
02:34Damn.
02:35That's close.
02:39Bro.
02:52Police!
02:54Don't move!
02:55Hands up!
02:57Hands!
02:58Now!
03:07Okay, are you sure that you got it?
03:09Thousand percent, totally got it.
03:10Okay, because I'm walking away.
03:11Oh, my God.
03:12Give it to me, give it to me now.
03:14No, no, hold on, hold on, hold on, shut up.
03:15Okay.
03:15Not that hard.
03:16Bacon, cheese, salt, pepper over medium.
03:19Make that two.
03:23Look at this guy, not a scratch on him.
03:26Good to see you, man.
03:28Rollins, it's so good to have you back.
03:29It's good to be back.
03:31Hey, I never got word that you were already cleared.
03:34I mean, full, full duty?
03:36Of course, should be in your inbox.
03:38Okay.
03:39Who are you?
03:41I'm, uh, a new guy.
03:43Okay, cool.
03:43Get off my desk.
03:46Oh, I'm, I'm so sorry.
03:48Yeah.
03:50I'm just messing with you.
03:51Welcome to the squad.
03:53Heard great things about you.
03:55Yeah.
03:56Does anybody dust around here?
03:58I mean, this is disgusting.
03:59It is very great to have another body here because Curry is in Orlando for her son's basketball tournament.
04:06Welcome back.
04:11Officers.
04:13Hey, can I help you?
04:15Officer Martin, Ramos, 11th Precinct.
04:17Okay.
04:19Purps, Leah Henning, under four, salt one.
04:21Stabbed a male in the chest last night around 20.05 hours.
04:25Victim, Stuart Morgan at New York Presbyterian.
04:28Critical.
04:29Our boss said to bring her to you.
04:31And why's that?
04:32She said she was raped by our Vic.
05:35Can I get you some water, Leah? Maybe a cup of coffee or something? Looks like you can just go
05:47ahead and slip those off, huh?
05:51Is he dead?
05:52We don't know yet. Look, I just want to remind you that at any time you can request an attorney.
06:01Nothing you do is going to help me.
06:03I can't erase what brought you in here, but I do want to know your side of the story.
06:12So can you tell me what happened?
06:16I went for a walk, passed a bookstore, saw Claire, saw him. Something just came over me.
06:28So how did you meet them?
06:31I was Claire's assistant.
06:34And what kind of boss was she? Was she a good boss?
06:42Amazing. It's like maybe you should meet your heroes, actually.
06:47Her writing, it saved me.
06:51From what?
06:53My family. My past.
06:57I lived with her. Kept her organized.
07:01Okay.
07:01She was my whole wife.
07:03I was so happy.
07:06Now what about the husband?
07:13I can't help you.
07:15Unless you tell me the truth.
07:22Claire wasn't home.
07:26I was in my bed, writing.
07:30I looked up and the sewer was just standing there, naked, like it was normal.
07:41He sat on the bed.
07:45He pinned me down, ripped my clothes, and I was bleeding, and he wouldn't stop.
07:53That was the first time.
07:55So it happened more than once.
07:57I don't even know how many times.
08:01And it's like, do you just deal with it because the rest of the time you get to be around
08:07this amazing woman who changed her life?
08:11I couldn't give that up.
08:14Okay.
08:15Did Claire know?
08:18I never told her.
08:22Claire is an empath.
08:24She cries when she sees a dead pigeon.
08:28She feels so much for so many people.
08:36This is going to destroy her.
08:40I kept it inside for so long.
08:42I can't anymore.
08:48I tried to help Leah.
08:51I wanted to, and I tried really hard.
08:54But, uh, she was damaged.
08:58I guess I let my empathy cloud my judgment.
09:02Did you have much interaction with Leah, Stuart?
09:06No, uh, I saw that she was bad news fairly early on.
09:10Uh, so I just tried to steer clear until Claire had to give up on her latest bird with a
09:16broken wing.
09:17Well, what's bad news mean?
09:19I'm used to avid fans, but Leah was obsessed.
09:25And she hated me.
09:27Why do you think that is?
09:29Because I'm not Claire Morgan.
09:31Leah seems fixated on you.
09:34You have any issues?
09:35Leah is a convicted stalker.
09:38But we had to file an order of protection against her.
09:41Claire's terrified.
09:42It's too traumatized to hire a new assistant.
09:46And now Leah is putting us both through hell.
09:49Whatever she is accusing me of, it's a lie.
10:02Uh, I got hurt on the job before, Liv.
10:05I know.
10:06I'm just, you know, checking on you because it's my job.
10:09It's not personal.
10:11I don't even like you that much.
10:12Likewise.
10:13I'm good.
10:14I'm very good.
10:16And you're getting everything you need from the department, all the support, and, you know,
10:20you know, spend time to process everything.
10:23Yeah.
10:24Eyesight's good.
10:25No headaches.
10:26I'm out working kids in the gym half my age.
10:29I've never felt better.
10:30Great.
10:32You doubting me, Liv?
10:33No.
10:33You have been extremely clear about how physically prepared that you are.
10:38I'm prepared.
10:39Period.
10:41Good.
10:42Because we missed you around here.
10:52Hey.
10:53Hey.
10:54So, the temporary order of protection checks out.
10:57Neighbors saw Leah breaking into the Morgans' home after they fired her.
11:00ACD with a six-month order.
11:01What was this?
11:02Sealed three months ago.
11:03Leah did a time, and then her record was wiped.
11:05Well, that didn't last long.
11:07Can we buy Leah's story, boss?
11:08I think so.
11:09Look, she was very dissociated when I talked to her, but I think with a little bit of rest,
11:13then we'll get some clarity.
11:15Her arraignment said.
11:16It's in two hours.
11:17We need more time than that.
11:19Well, if you want to hold her here longer, you need to get her to waive her arraignment
11:22and accept the charges.
11:23She's going to need a lawyer for that.
11:24Well, good thing you know lawyers.
11:27All right.
11:28I'll ask around.
11:29In the meantime, get more than Leah's word.
11:31All right.
11:31Stuart Morgan, you have any priors?
11:34Squeaky clean, 45, no income going back at least 10 years.
11:37Yeah, Stuart's only interaction with law enforcement is the stalking complaint.
11:41Well, I have to say that Leah does seem very infatuated with Claire.
11:44I mean, she's still protecting her months after she was slapped with this T.O.P.
11:49She sounds like a stalker.
11:51Well, she sounds like a Claire Morgan fan.
11:53They're known to be pretty intense.
11:55And who are they?
12:00I've read her books.
12:01I mean, all of them.
12:05A few times.
12:08And her recent biography.
12:11Rollins, do I need to put you on modified for this one, Sergeant?
12:16I have a unique insight to the readers of her work.
12:22Claire's writing can feel very, um, personal.
12:27It's like a lot of misfits finding out they have secret powers or, you know, finding their voices or war
12:33wings.
12:34Oh, okay.
12:36Well, it sounds like, um, Claire makes people like Leah feel seen.
12:40That can be powerful.
12:42Plus, Claire kind of feeds into the fervor.
12:45I mean, she's been a best-selling author for 10 years.
12:47She still goes by book clubs.
12:49She sends fans gifts.
12:50She volunteers at a DV shelter.
12:52Okay.
12:52But as soon as we brought up Leah's allegation, Claire shut down quick.
12:56She did, but I'm curious to see what she would say outside of his presence.
13:01I think that we need more before we do that, right?
13:04So, look, Leah lived in the house for two years.
13:06Somebody must have seen something.
13:07Yeah, yeah, yeah.
13:08I ran the financials.
13:09They had a dog walker, a housekeeper, and a personal chef.
13:12Okay.
13:13I'm on that.
13:13I'm not looking for desk duty today.
13:16Okay.
13:20Working at the Morgans was fine.
13:22A bit boring.
13:23Claire had a lot of food sensitivities.
13:25Missed the hours, though.
13:27Pull it.
13:28Yes, chef.
13:28What about Stuart?
13:30What was he like?
13:31This is about Leah, right?
13:33Saw what she did to him.
13:34All over the news.
13:36Yeah, pretty horrific.
13:37You don't seem too horrified.
13:39Behind.
13:39Can we do this later?
13:40Not in the middle of all this?
13:42What are you worried about, Nicole?
13:43You?
13:43Using something I say against Leah?
13:45I don't want to be part of that.
13:46So we're not investigating Leah.
13:48We're investigating Stuart, Nicole.
13:55I saw something once.
13:57About a year after Leah moved in, Stuart was in Leah's room, which was totally weird.
14:03I could see her in her underwear.
14:06She looked dazed.
14:08Her makeup was all smeared.
14:10Something about it felt wrong.
14:11Stuart saw me and shut the door.
14:13Did you report it?
14:15Stuart's married to a famous feminist author who's going to believe me over him.
14:19Claire had to have known, right?
14:22You talked to Leah about it?
14:23Didn't get a chance.
14:25Stuart fired me the next day.
14:26Did you tell anybody about this?
14:28A friend?
14:29Yeah.
14:30Texted my boyfriend right after it happened.
14:34Hey, Brian.
14:35Thanks for coming down.
14:35Hey, sorry.
14:36Good to see you.
14:37How are the kids?
14:37You know, a handful as always.
14:39This is Captain Olivia Benson.
14:40This is Brian Moss.
14:41He's in general practice, but he dabbles in criminal law for the right case.
14:44He's an old pal from law school.
14:45Well, thank you so much for coming in, especially on such short notice.
14:49Of course.
14:49Anything else I should know?
14:50You know, Leah is, she's vulnerable.
14:53She's not denying the stabbing.
14:54Okay, so if she waives the arraignment, then she can assist SVU in verifying a sexual assault allegation.
14:59So we just want to make sure, you know, somebody has her best interests in mind.
15:03Well, I'm your guy.
15:04Oh, he's my client.
15:05Second door on the right.
15:07Great.
15:09Hey, how are we doing on the personal shelf?
15:11I love people that don't delete their texts.
15:13Nicole Sandoval texted her boyfriend in detail after seeing Stuart in Leah's room.
15:18Saw red marks on Leah's arms.
15:19She seemed scared, and Stuart seemed suspicious.
15:21We still thinking that Claire had no idea about this?
15:24Well, Nicole had suspicions.
15:26Okay, so we have a witness with Nicole.
15:29So if Leah corroborates...
15:31Well, then we got a case, especially with the potential perjury on the TLP.
15:34Oh, well, that was fast.
15:36Good news.
15:37Leah has agreed to waive the arraignment, so that's all set.
15:39That's great.
15:41She's done talking until she gets a deal.
15:43What?
15:44All right, come on.
15:45Of course I'm going to try to get you a deal.
15:46It's deal or no cooperation, and that's it.
15:49Sorry.
15:51We need access to Leah.
15:55We have to investigate her allegations to prove her story.
15:58It's not a negotiation.
15:59So you call me when you got something.
16:01Good to see you, sonny.
16:04Are you kidding me?
16:12Look, we all know that Leah's situation is complicated,
16:16but Brian is doing exactly what we asked him to do.
16:18Are you his lawyer now?
16:19We asked him to help Leah, not bone us on this investigation.
16:22Look, there's a chance we'd be here no matter who represented her.
16:25At least I know this guy.
16:26Look, the question is, do you trust him?
16:29Yes, I do.
16:29Look, Brian is going to fight for Leah.
16:31I'm going to fight for a deal.
16:32But we can't count on Leah's cooperation,
16:35and I can't go to trial with text messages and no victim.
16:38So we need a new witness and new evidence, something solid.
16:42Bruno found a bunch of Claire's ex-assistants.
16:45Now, none of them want to talk,
16:46except there's one in Queens,
16:47and he's on his way there now to talk to her.
16:50Look, I think that it's time for us to have a chat
16:53with poor, frail Claire.
16:55Look, Rollins, you can bow out, but you do know her,
16:58and I think it would be helpful.
17:01Yeah.
17:01I mean, if she's guilty, screw her.
17:11Hi, I'm Captain Benson.
17:14I think, uh, you know Sergeant Rollins.
17:17We wanted to talk to you, uh, more about Leah's allegations.
17:22Two women.
17:24That's really, it is refreshing.
17:25Look, we understand you wanting to protect your husband,
17:28but if you care about your fans as much as you say you do,
17:34now would be the time to speak up.
17:36Do you two want a bite to eat or some tea, maybe?
17:40No.
17:41Okay, good.
17:42Because I have nothing in the house,
17:44because I have no appetite and I can barely write.
17:48Your former chef, Nicole Sandoval,
17:50do you remember why she left?
17:52Yeah, she was a real perfectionist
17:54and a true Virgo.
17:57What are your signs?
17:58She said that Stuart fired her
18:01right after she witnessed a interaction
18:04between Stuart and Leah.
18:07This is all fairly traumatizing for me.
18:11And I had a migraine earlier.
18:14Now I think it's coming back.
18:18But I think Nicole witnessed
18:21one of Leah's many health crises.
18:24And I feel for her.
18:27I really do.
18:28Do you?
18:30Because it seems like you're calling her crazy
18:32to cover for Stuart.
18:37Have either of you read my books?
18:39Yeah, I have.
18:41Okay, good.
18:42And you know that my primary responsibility
18:44is to other women.
18:47And Nicole feels abandoned by me.
18:51She cooked up this story
18:54to damage my reputation.
18:57So let me stop you for a second.
18:58Our job is to protect victims of sexual assault,
19:01not your reputation.
19:03Yeah, I know.
19:05That's...
19:05That's...
19:06It's not about me.
19:08It's...
19:09But I do know that
19:11Leah's false claim
19:14is a problem for real victims.
19:17And that could be used
19:20to call genuine accusations
19:22into question.
19:24And I know
19:25you don't want that
19:26on your conscience.
19:27So you're saying
19:27charging Stuart with rape
19:29is actually bad for all women?
19:30No, no, no, no, no.
19:31That's a very ungenerous interpretation.
19:33But yes,
19:35generally,
19:35false rape claims
19:36are bad for women.
19:37I think we can all agree on that,
19:38that false rape allegations
19:40are definitely damaging to women.
19:42But that's not what this is here.
19:44And we're going to prove it,
19:46with or without your help.
19:52I started a Claire Morgan fan account
19:55on Twitter.
19:56Your writing was immersive.
19:58A world where I could be strong.
20:01And I loved it.
20:02And I met great people,
20:04including Claire.
20:06Yeah, so, uh,
20:07so how'd that happen?
20:08DM'd her.
20:09I couldn't believe that she replied.
20:12Claire was my idol.
20:15And we'd chat
20:17she was always asking me how I was,
20:19which was really needed at the time.
20:22What was going on?
20:24I was in an abusive relationship.
20:26I couldn't admit it to myself,
20:28but Claire really got me to open up.
20:32The next thing I knew,
20:33I was moving into her house.
20:36Honestly, that job saved my life.
20:39Did you hear what happened
20:39to Claire's husband?
20:41Yeah.
20:43Stabbed or something.
20:45I don't know much.
20:46I tried to stay offline.
20:47Claire's former assistant
20:49stabbed him.
21:00What was your experience with Stuart?
21:04I was in the shower.
21:07Stuart didn't say a word,
21:08just took off his towel
21:10and stepped in.
21:13It was so bizarre.
21:15I was paralyzed.
21:20After, when it was all over,
21:22he just smiled at me.
21:29Wasn't that amazing
21:30for both of us?
21:33It kept happening.
21:34I got pregnant.
21:37I'm not sure I had an abortion.
21:39Did Claire know about all this?
21:41Yeah.
21:43Stuart said it was an affair.
21:45Paid me in cash,
21:46sent me on my way.
21:48My shoulder still hurts
21:50every time I ride on a chalkboard.
21:53Oh, he broke my collarbone.
21:56I tried to fight back that time.
21:59I got hurt.
22:01He still raped me.
22:15Is that our guy?
22:16Checked out early.
22:18Not early enough.
22:21Hey, Stuart Morgan,
22:22I got a different car for you.
22:25Stay back.
22:26Your hand's off me right now.
22:27NYPD.
22:32Stuart Morgan,
22:34you're under arrest
22:35for the rapes
22:36of Leah Henning
22:36and Alex Corbin.
22:38That's not necessary.
22:40He's not running anywhere.
22:51Captain Benson,
22:53thanks for making the time.
22:54Of course.
22:55I'm sorry I didn't know
22:56that everybody was already here.
22:57Yeah.
22:57Hey, Downs.
22:59Okay, so Leah Henning.
23:04Benson and Carisi
23:05say she's a victim.
23:06Downs and Price
23:07think she's a perp.
23:09I'm tired of hearing about it,
23:10so we're going to work it out together.
23:12Right now.
23:12The charges against Leah
23:13should be dropped.
23:14She's a victim
23:15of long-term sexual abuse.
23:16She was clearly acting
23:18under extreme emotional distress.
23:20Leah Henning
23:20sought out Stuart Morgan
23:22nine months
23:23after she'd last seen him.
23:24There is no self-defense
23:25argument here, Carisi.
23:26She confessed
23:27and showed no remorse.
23:28Hold on.
23:29She showed no remorse
23:30for attacking her rapist.
23:33Now, Leah lived
23:35with Stuart Morgan
23:36for two years,
23:37and that situation
23:38shows all the hallmarks
23:40of an abusive relationship.
23:42No matter her state of mind,
23:44she committed a B-violent felony
23:46at a public event.
23:47If she walks clean here,
23:49what are we saying?
23:50That vigilante justice
23:51is acceptable?
23:52No.
23:52That it's encouraged?
23:54We can't completely
23:55drop the charges on Leah.
23:57It's against public safety.
23:58Move on, Carisi.
23:59Move on to what, sir?
24:01What's going to happen
24:02at the trial?
24:03Because your argument
24:04falls apart
24:04when Leah's rape comes up.
24:06Nolan, there's no case here,
24:07so let's act like it.
24:11Assault two,
24:12five-year sentence.
24:13Five years, please.
24:14Stuart Morgan
24:15is scum.
24:16He's going to trial
24:18for raping Leah
24:19and at least
24:20one other woman.
24:22So,
24:22however extreme
24:24her actions are,
24:25I mean,
24:25she may be bringing
24:26a potential serial rapist
24:28to light.
24:29this woman.
24:31She's been through hell.
24:33What she needs
24:34is treatment,
24:35she needs healing,
24:37and she needs
24:38a little bit
24:39of understanding.
24:40Now, she's going to get that
24:41from the public.
24:43I think she needs it
24:44from the law
24:45as well.
24:48All right.
24:49Let's give her a split.
24:51One-year house arrest
24:52for probation,
24:53ROR,
24:54ankle bracelet,
24:55and mandatory therapy.
24:57Take it to her lawyer.
24:59You got a deal.
25:03Will Claire
25:03be at the trial?
25:05There is a good chance
25:06that she will be.
25:08I don't think
25:09I can see any
25:10that's in front of her.
25:11She'll be traumatized.
25:12Okay.
25:13Leah,
25:13have a seat.
25:14Look,
25:15I admire
25:16your concern here.
25:18I really do.
25:19But my hope
25:21is that you
25:22can focus on yourself.
25:23Claire
25:23is not the victim here.
25:26Right?
25:26You.
25:27You deserve
25:27to tell your story
25:31You don't know
25:32how she gets.
25:33She'll be so hurt.
25:36Leah,
25:36you've been protecting her
25:37for so long.
25:40Don't you think
25:41that she's the one
25:44who should be worried
25:45about protecting you?
25:50I tried to tell her.
25:53And what happened?
25:55I tried
25:55and I couldn't get far
25:57because I was
25:57so nervous
25:58and I was shaking
25:59and she wouldn't talk to me
26:02because she had a migraine
26:04and then Stuart
26:05fired me a week later
26:06and made me sound crazy
26:08and said that she was
26:11afraid of me.
26:16In a way,
26:16I guess it made it easier
26:18I get to blame
26:18everything on him.
26:19But she knew.
26:21Claire knew.
26:22And maybe the whole time.
26:24Once I was wearing
26:25a tank top
26:27and I had these bruises
26:29on my arms
26:31from him.
26:35I guess I just wanted her
26:37to see them
26:37and ask what had happened.
26:39but she just avoided me
26:44until they were gone.
26:47I would cry for help.
26:50She acted like
26:51she didn't hear it.
26:58What are you doing
26:59at a lowly pretrial arraignment?
27:01We're going to be in and out.
27:01I want to see
27:02if Claire shows up.
27:08This is calendar
27:09number seven
27:10people of the state
27:11of New York
27:11versus Stuart Morgan
27:13indictment
27:13823 of 2025.
27:16Dominic Carisi
27:17for the people.
27:17Merrill Smith
27:18for the defendant
27:18who's present beside me.
27:20Your Honor,
27:20I am finally serving
27:21the indictment.
27:22Counsel,
27:23have you received
27:23a copy of the indictment
27:24for your client?
27:25Defendant acknowledges
27:26receipt and enters
27:27a plea of guilty.
27:28Mr. Morgan
27:29accepts full responsibility
27:30and he'd like to read
27:32a short statement.
27:32That's not appropriate.
27:34We're not giving a rapist
27:35a public forum.
27:36Hold on, hold on, hold on.
27:36What is the purpose
27:37of this statement, Miss Smith?
27:38To apologize.
27:39To what end?
27:40Order, Mr. Carisi.
27:42Mr. Morgan,
27:43you may proceed.
27:46What I did
27:48to Leah and Alex
27:51was inexcusable.
27:53I take full responsibility
27:55and I'm sorry.
27:57And to my wife,
27:59Claire,
28:01whose trust I betrayed
28:02and whose world
28:03I shattered last week
28:04when she first learned
28:05of my horrible actions,
28:08I am so very sorry.
28:18Stuart will go
28:19for at least 15.
28:20He's a convicted rapist.
28:21This is a win,
28:22but it doesn't feel like it.
28:23Because he's doing it
28:24all to protect Claire.
28:25Yeah, so no trial,
28:26means no discovery,
28:27so whatever's still out there
28:29to implicate Claire's day secret.
28:31Can you tell us about this?
28:32My heart
28:32is with Stuart's victims.
28:36And now I
28:37would really like
28:39to put this chapter behind me
28:41because I have worked hard
28:43to become who I am.
28:46And frankly,
28:47to have my name
28:49tethered to someone else's misdeeds
28:53would be unjust.
28:56A woman must
28:57use her own voice
28:59to tell
29:00her own story.
29:02And I do hope
29:03you will listen to mine.
29:11Leah still needs her day in court.
29:14We got work to do.
29:23Now,
29:23I'm just taking it
29:26one day at a time.
29:28And I'm processing
29:29this personal apocalypse
29:31the only way I know how.
29:33And that's through
29:35writing.
29:36Should we be expecting
29:37a Claire Morgan memoir?
29:39I don't know.
29:41All I know is that
29:42it's going to be smaller.
29:44Wow, she is shameless.
29:46More like cutthroat.
29:47And gets to keep
29:48making a living off women
29:49while ignoring
29:50their assaults
29:51in her own home.
29:51But she has no duty
29:52to protect.
29:54Look, I'm telling you
29:54this is going to be
29:55a tough case.
29:56I might be able to get
29:57witness stampering
29:58or intimidation, maybe.
30:00But if you want
30:00conspiracy to commit rape
30:01there needs to be
30:02an overt act.
30:03Knowing after the fact
30:03is not enough.
30:04So we need to prove
30:05that Claire actively
30:06helped plan
30:07or facilitate these rapes.
30:08So what?
30:09Dig up more people
30:10who might have seen
30:10something in that house?
30:11Hope they want to
30:12denigrate a supposedly
30:13great writer?
30:14We may not have to.
30:15Claire's biography
30:16is long
30:17and it's intimate.
30:18The writer spent time
30:18with Claire.
30:19He had access to
30:21her friends,
30:22collaborators,
30:22her archives.
30:23Jacob Engel,
30:24UNY professor?
30:25Yeah.
30:27Interview here
30:27bragging about
30:28his exclusive access
30:29to Claire Morgan.
30:30Okay, so Claire
30:31trusted him.
30:32Or thought she could
30:33control him.
30:33Either way,
30:34she made a good bet.
30:35Stewart comes off
30:35looking perfect
30:36in that book.
30:37Jacob says it took
30:37over a thousand
30:38hours of research.
30:40A thousand hours?
30:41He must have
30:42recorded it.
30:43What?
30:50Hey.
30:51How's it going?
30:53Not great.
30:53Kill me.
30:54So, a disturbing
30:56number of people
30:56in Claire's orbit
30:57had strong reservations
30:59and suspicions
31:00about Stewart.
31:01Surrounded herself
31:02with sycophants,
31:02people more concerned
31:04with protecting
31:04her career
31:05than the women
31:06that Sue
31:06were victimized.
31:07Hey, I got something.
31:09Claire and our
31:10biographer, Jacob.
31:12Everything seems
31:13to be reduced
31:14to how much
31:15our mothers
31:16have damaged us
31:18and I really
31:19want to explore
31:21the...
31:21Jacob, can you
31:22just pause that
31:23for a moment?
31:24Just one minute
31:24and go into
31:25the kitchen, please?
31:27Stewart,
31:27can you come
31:28in here, please?
31:29Now, here's the good stuff.
31:30Our boy, Jacob,
31:31kept recording.
31:32Thank you, Jacob.
31:33It gets quiet.
31:34I'm blasted.
31:36I saw that look.
31:37I wasn't doing
31:38anything.
31:39You know, I hate it.
31:41I hate it
31:42when you lie to me.
31:44We've discussed this.
31:45That one...
31:47That one isn't yours.
31:48She's here every day.
31:50You can't expect me to...
31:51I do so much for you
31:52to do it.
31:53More than a reasonable
31:55person might expect.
31:56So do something
31:57for me, too.
31:58All right.
31:59I know
32:01you need an outlet
32:03to expel
32:04that energy.
32:06And, um,
32:07I found a new one.
32:09It starts next week.
32:11I think you'll...
32:12I think she'll stick around.
32:13More like...
32:13More your time.
32:15What is the date on that?
32:16May 5th, 2022.
32:19Leah's first check
32:20from the Morgans
32:21was cut in June of 2022.
32:23Okay.
32:23She hired Leah
32:25for Stewart.
32:28How's that for conspiracy?
32:29I'm safe.
32:56Step aside, please.
33:10I'm not taking any more questions.
33:13Oh, it's okay.
33:13We don't have any.
33:15So why are you here?
33:19You're so good
33:20at finding them.
33:21These vulnerable women
33:23who idolized you,
33:24confided in you,
33:24they were so desperate
33:26for your approval,
33:27for your closeness,
33:28that you knew
33:29that they would do anything.
33:31But when that didn't work anymore,
33:32then you threw your fame at them,
33:34you threw your money at them.
33:35If you had something solid,
33:37we wouldn't be here right now.
33:39We wouldn't be talking about this.
33:42But clearly you don't.
33:44All you have
33:45is this story.
33:47To justify what?
33:50Like,
33:50arresting the wife
33:52of a sexual predator?
33:54You can't sell that story.
33:56It's too messy.
33:58And there's too much room
34:00for interpretation.
34:01Hold on.
34:01You don't like our story?
34:02That is devastating.
34:03Well, you know what?
34:04I bet the DA
34:05is going to be
34:05a lot better at telling it.
34:06Yeah.
34:07Claire Morgan?
34:09You're under arrest.
34:10That is...
34:10Turn around.
34:23What's going on?
34:25Is she okay?
34:26Claire,
34:27what's going on?
34:29Is she okay, Claire?
34:31Claire, Claire, Claire, Claire!
34:34Back up, please.
34:38Got her?
34:57Wow.
34:59Leah used to be one of them,
35:00and now...
35:02now they're all rooting
35:03against her.
35:04Well, I'm glad
35:05we could be here.
35:07Leah needs our support.
35:09I think Leah's
35:10pretty tough, right?
35:11She's already
35:12done the hard part.
35:14She's admitted something
35:15that's incredibly
35:16difficult to admit.
35:19She's very courageous.
35:21She's, uh...
35:23I think she's free now.
35:27Liv?
35:28Yeah?
35:30Me getting jumped.
35:32You think that could have
35:33happened back in the day?
35:37I think that could have
35:39happened to any one of us,
35:40Vin.
35:41Yeah, but even a couple
35:43years ago, I would have been
35:44faster, would have caught on
35:46quicker, definitely wouldn't
35:48have lost my gun.
35:49I don't see it that way.
35:52I don't think anybody does.
35:54Yeah.
35:56I just think I need a little
35:58bit more time before I come
35:59back.
36:01Just get my head around here.
36:04Take all the time you need.
36:08There's always, always going to be
36:10a place here for you.
36:13Thanks.
36:15I thought I was
36:16hallucinating at first.
36:18Claire Morgan walked into
36:19our book club meeting.
36:22Everyone tried to corner her,
36:23but within minutes, Claire was
36:25only talking to me.
36:26What did you two talk about?
36:27About reading her books and
36:29feeling like I could escape.
36:30How I moved to the city and
36:32felt lost.
36:35Felt like she cared.
36:36She don't feel that way anymore.
36:38It feels like I was being
36:40studied.
36:43recruited for Stuart.
36:45Objection.
36:46Speculation.
36:47Speculation?
36:48Your Honor, these are her
36:49feelings.
36:50Overruled, but be careful,
36:51Mr. Creasy.
36:52Go ahead.
36:54Claire was only interested in
36:55hearing about why I felt
36:57broken.
37:00It was research.
37:01A checklist of
37:03vulnerabilities for Stuart to
37:04exploit.
37:07Claire wanted everyone to see
37:09her as this empathetic
37:10champion of women.
37:13That's just a story.
37:14Thank you, Leah.
37:15Not further questions.
37:19Who assaulted you, Leah?
37:21Stuart Morgan.
37:23And was Claire ever present
37:24when these assaults occurred?
37:26No.
37:27Did you tell Claire what Stuart
37:28did to you?
37:29I tried.
37:30In fact, you were deliberately
37:31hiding it from her, correct?
37:34Yes, but I...
37:35No further questions.
37:41My life is turned upside down.
37:44I can't sleep.
37:46I can't eat.
37:47I'm in analysis three times a week,
37:49and I'm only beginning to process
37:52the trauma of living with a
37:54rapist for 15 years.
37:56So I hope the jury can see how cruel
37:59and unjust this trial really is.
38:04No further questions.
38:07Mrs. Morgan,
38:08Leah Henning and Nicole Sandoval
38:10worked at your home at the same time,
38:12correct?
38:13Correct.
38:14And you felt it appropriate
38:15to only designate Leah as someone
38:17that your husband could pursue?
38:18I didn't designate anyone.
38:21It was a harm reduction
38:24because Stuart can't help himself.
38:27What couldn't he help himself from?
38:30Stuart likes young women,
38:33and young women like to work for me.
38:36And so I figured
38:39if an affair was going to happen,
38:41it might as well be
38:43with someone who's replaceable.
38:46So why did you think
38:48that Leah was replaceable?
38:50Nicole's work is specialized,
38:52and so it requires
38:54expertise and time and skill.
38:57But you didn't see Leah's job that way.
38:59No.
39:00Leah's job is doing things
39:02like organizing my desk
39:03and making reservations
39:06and shipping off gifts to fans.
39:08Did Leah ever travel with you?
39:11No, she'd never tracked your expenses
39:14or maintained your calendar
39:16or anything like that?
39:17No, I do all of that.
39:19Oh, okay.
39:19Well, that doesn't sound
39:20like much of a job at all.
39:22I mean, if you didn't hire her
39:23to do that work,
39:24then why did you hire her?
39:26I wanted to help her.
39:28Did you tell Leah
39:29that it was possible
39:30your husband could be interested
39:32in her sexually?
39:33No.
39:33So, to be clear,
39:35you told your husband
39:36that she was for him,
39:37but you never bothered
39:38to mention that to Leah.
39:39And you're somehow surprised
39:41that all of this has happened.
39:50I'm done with that.
39:58Has the jury reached a verdict?
40:01Yes, we have.
40:03On one count of witness tampering,
40:05how do you find the defendant?
40:08Not guilty.
40:11On two counts of conspiracy
40:13to commit rape?
40:17Guilty.
40:19Thank you to the jury
40:20for your service.
40:21You're dismissed.
40:25You're welcome.
40:37Your Honor,
40:38may I make a statement?