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| “ | No. I want to say something. This is my knife. I killed that policewoman with it. [...] I saw her badge, but I didn't care. I'm sorry. Oh, God, I'm so sorry. | „ |
| ~ Monica's confession on the stand. |
Monica Johnson is the main antagonist of the Law & Order episode "Bad Girl". Monica is a music groupie and the murderer of NYPD Officer Dana Flynn.
She was portrayed by Isabel Gilles.
Biography[]
Monica grew up with an abusive father, Al Johnson, who used to put cigarettes out on her back and slam her head into the floor. She also watched him brutalize his girlfriends, her mother having been an addict who left the family early in Monica's life. Monica and her sisters had a long history of foster homes, and she trolled the club scene, but she was rebellious and struggled with rage. She accumulated a record for assault, attempted robbery, and disorderly conduct, being arrest nine times. She also shoplifted from clothing stores, people she knew often having to return her spoils. She dated numerous men, most if not all of them abusive to her, and one of her exes, Isaac Alvarez, made her steal drugs from her former place of employment, Maimonides Hospital. When she dated Louis Salvi and found out he was cheating on her, she attacked both him and the woman she suspected of being his mistress.
For reasons unknown, Monica violently stabbed Officer Dana Flynn to death in a public park. She then gave Officer Flynn's golden cross to Johnson. When NYPD Homicide Detectives Lennie Briscoe and Rey Curtis, who were investigating Flynn's murder, talk to Monica, she tried to blame Jesse Rosado, the good Samaritan who was shot and wounded by a stray bullet trying to save Officer Flynn's life. But her accounts didn't match most of the other witnesses, so she was sought for arrest. When the police apprehended her, she was again fighting the women she suspected of being with Louis, even slashing at Briscoe and Curtis with the same knife she used to kill Flynn. She cursed Briscoe and Curtis out during her interrogation and denied her crimes, but Jesse's blood on her Walkman and Johnson giving Officer Flynn's crucifix back to police proved her guilt. However, when she was brought to trial and Executive Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy confronted her with the murder weapon, she broke down in tears and confessed to the murder. Monica was found guilty and sentenced to death, a sentence she accepted.
On death row, she became a born-again Christian, fired her attorney, and said she believed it was God's will she should be executed. As District Attorney Adam Schiff was up for reelection, pressure was added on his campaign to have her executed, but McCoy and Assistant District Attorney Jamie Ross had mixed feelings because of her sincere expression of remorse. The ACLU and the Christian Alliance filed a joint motion to the State Supreme Court to stop her execution, but the efforts failed. Monica gave one final interview before she was executed by lethal injection.
Trivia[]
- Monica is inspired by Karla Faye Tucker, a convicted murderer who was executed by the state of Texas, which, with her being a woman and becoming a born-again Christian while on death row, resulted in nationwide outcry.
- Monica's murder of Dana Flynn is inspired by the murder of WPC Nina Mackay.
- Isabel Gilles, who portrayed Monica, would later be hired onto Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for the recurring role of Kathy Stabler, Detective Elliot Stabler's wife.
External links[]
- Monica Johnson on the Law & Order Wiki
