Ned Eisenberg

The grisly murder and dismemberment of a New York cabbie draws the elite Special Victims Unit of the NYPD, including veteran Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni, "Oz") and his partner, Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay, NBC's "ER"), who soon discover that the victim had assumed the identity of another man -- mainly because he himself was a wanted man. As they dig deeper, the pair draw a bead on the two likely killers (guest stars Mili Avital, "Kissing A Fool") whose tortured pasts explain their very personal reasons for hating the slain cabbie. Richard Belzer reprises his character of Detective Munch from NBC's "Homicide: Life On the Street." Dann Florek (reprising his role of Captain Cragen from NBC's "Law & Order"), Dean Winters, ("Oz"), an enthusiastic newcomer who worships the ground on which his partner Munch walks, and the street-savvy detective Monique Jeffries (Michelle Hurd, "The Practice") also star. Dick Wolf ("Law & Order") created the series. Angie Harmon ("Law & Order") guest-stars as D.A. Abbie Carmichael.

Uncle Junior's associate Mikey Palmice stirs things up by making Junior think Tony wants to be next in line for boss. Meanwhile, Tony, Paulie and Silvio deal with Hasidic family problems.

Benson and Stabler (Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni) discover that they are working the same case as a sexual assault victim (guest star Tracy Pollan) when they investigate the activities of an unconvicted rape suspect (guest star Neil Maffin).

When three unrelated people connected to cases that were handled by Detective Benson (Mariska Hargitay) are found ritualistically murdered, all the evidence points to Benson as the true target of the violence. As she struggles with guilt over the murders, Benson continues to pursue the assailant despite warnings from the FBI that she may be in danger.

Patty Branson (Abigail Breslin), 6, is attacked at the park while her father reads the paper. Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Stabler (Christopher Meloni) believe a teenage boy attempted to molest her, but it turns out the boy (who's really a young man), and a middle-aged man, were following her. The pair are P.I.'s and they'd been hired by Michele Osborne (Lea Thompson) to kidnap Patty, who claims she is her daughter. Michele's story is strange - she said her husband took her daughter (who she named Anna) on a car trip, and was snatched from a rest stop. He subsequently died in a car accident. Sarah (Camilla Scott) and Matt Branson (Beau Gravitte) are horrified by the whole situation, claiming Patty is their daughter.