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| “ | Thanks, now I can go kill more of those kids. | „ |
| ~ Thagard gloating to his defense attorney. |
Joseph Thagard is the main antagonist of the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Anchor". He is a racist serial killer who murders several children of illegal immigrants so that their parents would have to leave the United States.
He is portrayed by Thomas Sadoski.
Biography[]
Background[]
Thagard is a veteran who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, from which he was dishonorably discharged because of racism towards his superiors. He couldn't find a job and had to settle for working at a company that shredded paperwork. He was an avid fan of Gordon Garrison, the far-right, anti-immigrant host of the talk show Flashpoint who claimed that all the jobs in the U.S. were going to illegal immigrants. Inspired by Garrison's racist rhetoric, Thagard began targeting the children of illegal immigrants, whom Garrison regularly demonized on his show as "anchor babies", to murder. He soon started killing them after finding their information within shredded paperwork of an immigration assistance charity catering to illegal immigrants.
"Anchor"[]
After two anti-immigration protests take place outside One Police Plaza, Thagard goes to civil rights attorney Randall Carver's office and accuses him of destroying America by defending illegal immigrants. Detective Fin Tutuola of the NYPD's Special Victims Unit arrests him for causing mischief at the office. After that, however, Carver refuses to press charges as the media arrived, forcing Fin to release Thagard.
Fin and his partner, Sergeant John Munch, then discovered Thagard's messages within a stack of hate mail, finding out that Thagard knew the victims and their whereabouts, which was enough for the detectives to get a search warrant. When the police raid Thagard's house, they find he is not there, but discover the pictures of several anchor children, including crossed-out pictures of the victims. This prompts the detectives to place the potential victims in protective custody for their safety. Then Fin sees in a family that where Thagard kills the father and beats and ties up the mother, and attempts to take the child. However, Fin is able to save the child as Thagard got arrested and taken to the precinct.
Afterwards, Thagard tries to claim that he was drunk and went into the wrong house. However, he also insults Fin with racial slurs. When Fin is unfazed and confronts Thagard with the evidence against him, Thagard claims immigrants ruined his life and that they are destroying the country. Randall Carver then announces that he will represent Thagard pro bono.
During the trial, Carver claims that Garrison brainwashed him to kill. Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot reveals the true reason behind his discharge from the Coast Guard, and also points out that if he believed he did the right thing, he would have called up Flashpoint to claim responsibility. When Garrison himself is called to the stand, his testimony provokes arguments among the jury about illegal immigration that soon turns into a massive brawl in the courtroom, and the judge declares a mistrial.
Thagard thanks Carver but whispers that he will continue to kill immigrant children. Horrified and wracked with guilt for keeping Thagard out of prison, Carver lures him into his office and shoots him dead. He then turns himself in, allowing Fin to arrest him after the latter sees Thagard dead.
External links[]
- Joseph Thagard on the Law and Order Wiki
