  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
| “ | Gia's crazy. | „ |
| ~ Bella callously disregarding her niece's accusation against her husband George Zane's molestation of her. |
Bella Zane is the secondary antagonist of the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Educated Guess"'. She is the wife of George Zane, who remains willfully ignorant of her husband's long-term sexual abuse of her niece Gia, and who helps her husband keep Gia locked up in a psychiatric hospital.
She was portrayed by Carrie Preston.
Biography[]
Bella is the wife of George Zane, as well as the aunt of the episode's protagonist, Gia Eskes.
As revealed in the episode, George is a pedophile who sexually abused Gia from childhood, and Bella stood by his side by denying the accusations and calling her own niece crazy because of her repeated accusations on other men.
She and her sister came to the precinct with Bella annoyed George was brought in and were aghast by the detectives revealing George admitting to an affair with Gia but she allowed the NYPD's Special Victims Unit to search the Zane house.
Detectives Olivia Benson, Fin Tutuola, and Amanda Rollins uncover his toolbox, beneath the bed. They see it requires a combination and ask for birthdays of those in the room, which a suspicious Diane supplies while Bella keeps quiet. They finally inquire on Gia's birthday, which turns out to be the combination. The detectives open the box and finds it contains pictures of a teenage Gia in various states of undress.
Diane realizes Gia was telling the truth about the abuse and accuses Bella of allowing George to molest her daughter. Despite seeing the incriminating evidence, Bella insists that the pictures are fake and that George would never do such a thing. Diane finally sees through her sister, however, and says that she is just as bad as George while condemning her for letting this go on to her own niece. In heavy guilt, Bella bursts into tears and runs out of the room.
In the end, George is imprisoned for child molestation and child pornography and sentenced to life in prison. Bella's fate is left ambiguous.
Trivia[]
- She is similar to Criminal Minds villain Susan Jacobs, who also turns a blind eye to her husband sexually abusing their niece and even blames the girl herself for her own abuse.
External links[]
- Bella Zane at the Law & Order Wiki
