The following contains spoilers for Law & Order: SVU, Season 24, Episode 5, "Breakwater," which debuted Thursday, Oct. 27 on NBC. This article also contains descriptions of sexual assault.
Law & Order: SVU starts off with good vibes at swim training at a pool where Martina -- the younger sister of lifeguard Diego -- is finishing a session. Head lifeguard Paul Greco has to be a creep and uses Martina to not only demonstrate proper CPR techniques but then has her meet him in his office alone with the door closed, to tell her that she's not making qualifying times. He says it's because her brother trains her and he (of course) needs to put his hands on her to show her the proper techniques. Minutes later, Martina walks out looking slightly upset, and her brother snaps, threatening and knocking down Paul. At home, Martina is mad that Diego might've ruined her chances while their mom is mad he's drinking.
Back at the SVU precinct, Detective Odafin "Fin" Tutuola lovingly ribs Detective Amanda Rollins about how her relationship with ADA Sonny Carisi has progressed. He then gives her a charm made out of a bullet similar to the one she got shot with to help her "own her trauma." Gee, thanks? They then head down to another precinct to speak with a drunk Diego, who says he swore to protect his sister from Greco, but not because Greco raped her -- because Greco raped him.
The next morning, Diego is ready to leave but Fin and Rollins want to chat. He says he was just drunk and that worried about Martina who -- perfect timing -- arrives then. Fin stays to speak with Diego who recounts Greco sexually assaulting him and how Greco then gave him all the preferential shifts. Rollins and Fin then debrief Captain Olivia "Liv" Benson, alongside Joe Velasco and newcomer Grace Muncy. With no rape kit and a late accusation, it'll be tough. But Benson never backs down from helping a victim so she and Fin question Greco who, of course, denies it and claims it's retaliation. Fin's not too happy with Greco's story.
Velasco and Muncy head to talk to another lifeguard, Ronnie Volpe, who's on shift alongside Diego at the beach. He corroborates Greco's take on Diego amping up his violent persona in the past year. Velasco wonders if Diego is lying after all. They then question a third lifeguard, Frank Pinsky, while Diego is forced to swing laps in the ocean to sober up. However, Diego soon falters and sinks beneath the water -- and Pinsky doesn't swim out to save him but Velasco does.
Diego is in bad shape and after 30 minutes of CPR, he ends up passing away. Pinsky makes light of not going to rescue Diego as Velasco fumes. Upon receiving the news, it seems extra fishy to the squad that Diego was sent out into the water -- perhaps to silence him? Fin is livid. Martina tells Rollins and Fin that Diego confided in her that morning about Greco's rape. They ask her if she can think of anyone else Greco might have groomed and she has a name. Velasco and Muncy go to talk to Danielle, Greco's ex, who tells them that Greco raped her as well. She says Greco offered her a lifeguard job despite her hardly being able to swim. Even though she reported her rape to a precinct in the Bronx, they never did anything. But SVU detectives are built differently and Benson immediately arrests Greco.
Greco is granted bail pending his trial, to the disdain of Carisi. His disdain is noted by a political predator to whom Greco is a contributor. And at trial Daniellle is nowhere to be found. Velasco and Muncy go to her apartment and she says she can't testify. Greco found out that her dad is on parole and threatened to send him back to Riker's Island if she testifies. Greco and his lawyer meet with Benson and Carisi and he plays up being upset about Diego's death. Benson gives him a Targaryen stare when he claims to not be a monster and she purports that he's such a good liar, he's got even himself convinced.
But once he's gone, she and Carisi have to spring into new brainstorming action. Since Danielle couldn't swim as a lifeguard and Pinsky was hesitant to go into the ocean, is Greco hiring unqualified lifeguards in exchange for sex? Probably; nine other drowning deaths occurred under Greco's staff. Their best bet is to talk to Volpe and tell him he's on the hook alongside Greco for 10 counts of manslaughter since he helped him lie about their scores. Volpe folds immediately and says it was all Greco changing scores -- he noticed and actually took pictures as evidence. It's enough for Carisi, who thinks he can get Greco charged with murder in the second degree.
An expert witness corroborates that all 10 drownings involved no drugs or alcohol and all occurred under the watch of Greco's staff. A retired lifeguard testifies that there is no reason a qualified lifeguard should not have been able to save every single victim -- especially since one of the lifeguards was seen turning back around.
Next Volpe takes the stand and testifies that Greco changes scores in exchange for sex or a 10 percent kickback of their salary. He even has an audio recording to bolster his claim. Of course, Greco's lawyer calls into question why Volpe never came forward until he was offered a deal. At the end of the day, Rollins and Carisi chat. She jokingly muses about a career change as he lovingly tells her she actually slept through the night. She smiles and holds up Fin's gift; it worked after all.
The next day, Greco's up for questioning. He considers himself a man of integrity, so obviously he's got jokes. When it comes to hiring underqualified candidates, Greco claims he's understaffed and that he's stressed from having to save people all the time. But he doesn't stop there -- he goes on a rant about how people are too stupid to stay alive in the ocean. Oh, and Diego was an alcoholic so he sent him out in a rip current, obviously. Because he's the boss. The big cheese. The fearless leader. A super swell guy.
It's down to Pinsky to make the case. Was he more afraid of the riptide or of Greco? Velasco approaches him at court and Pinsky says Greco told them they all needed to show up. Looking distraught, he says he thought Diego would be okay because he's a strong swimmer. Greco told Pinsky not to go in after Diego no matter what, and following that order is eating him up inside. Velasco asks him what Greco has on him, promising him not to use whatever it is. Pinsky says Greco has incriminating pictures of the two of them in compromising situations and threatened to share the pictures with Pinsky's family and girlfriend if he ever betrayed him. Velasco, though, implores him to take his power back.
Greco's lawyer then advises him to clam up since Carisi has a clear upper hand. He tells him that his bought political clout has limits and offers him a deal because his facade is crumbling around him. It works and Carisi wins. Greco pleads guilty to 10 counts of manslaughter with consecutive sentencing. Though he's not convicted of rape, he's still going away for decades. Velasco still feels the loss of Diego as Benson assures him it's not his fault. Take notes, Greco -- that's a real leader.
Law & Order: SVU airs Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. on NBC and streams on Peacock.