  |
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. |
| “ | Not only was it consensual, it wasn't very good. | „ |
| ~ Spencer Talbert dismissing having raped Sarah Maslin. |
Spencer Talbert is the main antagonist of the Law & Order episode "Virtue". He is a politician who rapes and sexually harasses his female employees.
He was portrayed by Anthony Heald, who also portrayed Daniel Longdale in 8mm and Simon Canton in Deep Rising.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Talbert is a former corporate lawyer who, as of the time of the episode, serves as a New York City councilman. Although he is married with a young daughter, he regularly sexually harasses his female employees, and has sexually assaulted at least three. He then either buys their silence or threatens to fire them and ruin their careers if they tell anyone.
Before leaving his law firm, Adderley & Perkins, to run for city council, Talbert began sexually harassing his senior associate, Sarah Maslin, before finally trying to seduce her. When she said no, he threatened to make sure she would never be promoted to partner, and to ruin her reputation so she would not be able to get a job at another firm. Maslin, who had worked harder than any other associate at the firm for the eight years she had worked there, felt she had no choice, so she reluctantly slept with Talbert. He pulled strings to get her promoted, but she declined to work with him again, even while keeping silent about what he had done to her.
Talbert, meanwhile, was elected to a city council position, and established strong relationships with the NYPD and the Manhattan District Attorney's office. By the time of the episode, he had begun campaigning for a seat in the state senate.
"Virtue"[]
Talbert rapes Lissa Wesley, a volunteer for his senate campaign, during a fundraising event, and afterwards tells his campaign manager, Todd Locke, to drive her home. Wesley tells Locke what Talbert did to her moments before a drunk driver crashes into their car, killing her instantly. Locke flees the scene to avoid being connected to her death and thus ruining Talbert's campaign. The responding EMTs find evidence of rape while examining Wesley's body, and call in NYPD Homicide Detectives Lennie Briscoe and Mike Logan to investigate.
Briscoe and Logan soon discover that Locke fled the scene of the accident and threaten to arrest him for raping Wesley. Panicked, Locke tells them about Wesley's accusation against Talbert in return for a lesser charge. Briscoe and Logan question Talbert, who says that he had consensual sex with Wesley. The detectives are convinced he is guilty, however, and question his other female employees, both in his campaign and at Adderley & Perkins, before ultimately learning of what he did to Maslin.
Executive Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy and Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid have Talbert arrested for rape, but he claims that his encounter with Maslin was consensual, and arrogantly remarks that it "wasn't very good". After Maslin is smeared in the press as a liar, she admits to consenting to sex with Talbert, but says that he would have ruined her career if she had not given him what he wanted.
Unable to prosecute Talbert for rape, McCoy instead charges him with extortion, reasoning that Talbert threatening to ruin Maslin's career unless she slept with him was the same thing as a criminal threatening to burn down someone's store unless they were paid protection money. Talbert's lawyer, Deirdre Powell, argues that his exploitation of women, while despicable, is not a crime. McCoy, meanwhile, argues that Talbert left Maslin no real choice but to have sex with him, and is therefore guilty. The jury agrees and finds Talbert guilty of extortion, sentencing him to 10 years in prison.
Trivia[]
- Talbert is inspired by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the late U.S. Congressman Brock Adams, both of whom were accused of sexual harassing and assaulting their female employees.
External links[]
- Spencer Talbert on the Law & Order Wiki
