Stabler and Benson find themselves on opposite sides when Valerie Sennet accuses her estranged husband, Miles Sennet, of breaking into her home and raping her. Because Miles has no history of violence and Valerie refuses to allow detectives to use her daughter Tessa as a witness, he is soon released, and Stabler and Benson continue to clash as Benson remains convinced that Miles raped Valerie and is a danger, and Stabler believes it may be a case of a wife crying foul to punish her soon-to-be ex-husband.

Darius Parker, goes on trial for the rape and murder of a woman and her 14-month old child. The case brings Fin under fire from the media and even has Munch and Stabler at odds. Novak prosecutes the trial that brings Stabler and Tutuola, among others, to the stand. Many previous stories are brought into the trial.

After investment banker Jeremy Haynes is found dead, suspicions turns to his boyfriend Lincoln Haver, a professional football player who could lose everything if the truth of his sexuality became public. When news of Haver's sexual orientation comes out, Benson comes under fire for her relationship with a reporter.

Holiday celebrations are interrupted when Detective Tutuola's ex-brother-in-law is arrested for attacking a priest; during the investigation, a church scandal is uncovered.