Note: This entry will also cover relevant broken laws from episode 5×02
This episode begins with a dazed Ali in bed, grieving about her mother. The girls try to help, but Ali’s dad and brother tell them to leave. The DiLaurentis men are always so polite to the girls. Kenneth doesn’t want any police or press at Jessica’s funeral, and Jason says he’s taken care of that. Judging by the family track record, there should be a barricade of detectives surrounding this funeral, but let’s respect their wishes!
The girls have clearly run out of theories; Aria nearly believes that Ali’s new dog is “A.” Does the think it’s Shana’s reincarnation, since the girls are so convinced that “A” died when Shana did? Spencer insists that she’s changed her mind about Jason and no longer believes that he killed Mrs. DiLaurentis. He looked so shocked when he saw the body, and cunning murderers can never have deceiving expressions on their faces! Ali gets ready for her mom’s funeral and winds up “coincidently choosing” the same dress that Mrs. DiLaurentis wore to Ali’s “funeral” back when Ali was “dead.” Ali acts clueless; she claims that she wanted to feel closer to her mother and had no idea that her mother wore the dress to her fake funeral.
At school, the girls are called to Vice Principal Hackett’s office. He promises them that the school will provide them “limited protection,” but he wants them to keep the disruptions to a minimum. Spencer expresses concern about Noel, Mona, and Ezra, since all of them know that Alison was not kidnapped. Spencer insists that they need to make sure everyone will go along with their story, but Aria protests against going to see Ezra to discuss their cover story. Speaking of that cover story, even if Ali’s suffering a bit of culture shock, she surely still knows that lying to the police is illegal!
Broken Law # 1 Alert! (From Episode 5×02 And Continuing)
18 PA Cons. Stat. § 4906. False reports to law enforcement authorities (In Relevant Part).
| Broken Law |
Click Here to Reveal |
“… (b) Fictitious reports….a person commits a misdemeanor of the third degree if he: (1) reports to law enforcement authorities an offense or other incident within their concern knowing that it did not occur; or (2) pretends to furnish such authorities with information relating to an offense or incident when he knows he has no information relating to such offense or incident.”
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“… (b) Fictitious reports….a person commits a misdemeanor of the third degree if he: (1) reports to law enforcement authorities an offense or other incident within their concern knowing that it did not occur; or (2) pretends to furnish such authorities with information relating to an offense or incident when he knows he has no information relating to such offense or incident.”
The fact that the girls have all agreed to break the law together causes them another legal problem, too.
Broken Law # 2 Alert!
18 PA Cons. Stat. § 903. Criminal conspiracy (In Relevant Part).
| Broken Law |
Click Here to Reveal |
“(a) Definition of conspiracy.–A person is guilty of conspiracy with another person or persons to commit a crime if with the intent of promoting or facilitating its commission he:(1) agrees with such other person or persons that they or one or more of them will engage in conduct which constitutes such crime or an attempt or solicitation to commit such crime; or(2) agrees to aid such other person or persons in the planning or commission of such crime or of an attempt or solicitation to commit such crime…”
“18 PA Cons. Stat. § 905. Grading of criminal attempt, solicitation and conspiracy.Grading.–Except as otherwise provided in this title, attempt, solicitation and conspiracy are crimes of the same grade and degree as the most serious offense which is attempted or solicited or is an object of the conspiracy.”Note: At this point, even though Aria is arguing against going to see Ezra, we know that all of the girls have agreed to go along with Ali’s kidnapping story and to make sure that others don’t reveal the truth. If Spencer truly was the only person suggesting that someone get Ezra on board, then she’d get 18 PA Cons. Stat. § 902. Criminal solicitation, because she’d be requesting that someone else commit a crime without necessarily having their agreement.”
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“(a) Definition of conspiracy.–A person is guilty of conspiracy with another person or persons to commit a crime if with the intent of promoting or facilitating its commission he:(1) agrees with such other person or persons that they or one or more of them will engage in conduct which constitutes such crime or an attempt or solicitation to commit such crime; or(2) agrees to aid such other person or persons in the planning or commission of such crime or of an attempt or solicitation to commit such crime…””18 PA Cons. Stat. § 905. Grading of criminal attempt, solicitation and conspiracy.Grading.–Except as otherwise provided in this title, attempt, solicitation and conspiracy are crimes of the same grade and degree as the most serious offense which is attempted or solicited or is an object of the conspiracy.”Note: At this point, even though Aria is arguing against going to see Ezra, we know that all of the girls have agreed to go along with Ali’s kidnapping story and to make sure that others don’t reveal the truth. If Spencer truly was the only person suggesting that someone get Ezra on board, then she’d get 18 PA Cons. Stat. § 902. Criminal solicitation, because she’d be requesting that someone else commit a crime without necessarily having their agreement.”
Mona “welcomes” Aria back to school by shoving Ezra’s Get Well card in her face. She wants Aria to sign it, and reminds her that it’s important to keep up appearances and be careful of how other people see her. She sounds less like “Loser Mona” or “Queen Bee” Mona here, and more like “A.” Mona also informs Aria that Ezra is back in Rosewood, which Aria had not known. Mona also knows that Ezra was shot, which apparently was not common knowledge, since Aria attempts in this scene to claim that he just got mugged.
This interaction seems like a tremendously more polite version of the scene that Mona and Alison had in the previous episode. Mona is making it clear that she has a lot of information on the girls and that if they don’t act the way she wants she’s not afraid to use it against them. Nothing that Mona said to Aria is illegal, but the same is not true for some of Mona’s behavior towards Alison. In episode 5×02, Mona admitted to sending Alison the “The truth will bury you in a New York minute” text message, and she made more threatening remarks to Ali’s face. Perhaps if it had been someone else speaking to Ali this way, there would be less potential for legal action. However, taking into consideration Mona’s past behavior (and if she got caught, her past behavior WOULD be considered), what she’s doing is not within the law.
Broken Law # 3 Alert!
Note that in episode 5×02, it was also established that Mona followed Alison during the scene in which Alison visited her own grave.
18 PA Cons. Stat. § 2709. Harassment (In Relevant Part).
“(a) Offense defined.–A person commits the crime of harassment when, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another, the person: …(2) follows the other person in or about a public place or places; (3) engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts which serve no legitimate purpose;… (5) communicates repeatedly in an anonymous manner;… …Grading (1) An offense under subsection (a)(1), (2) or (3) shall constitute a summary offense. (2) (i) An offense under subsection (a)(4), (5), (6) or (7) shall constitute a misdemeanor of the third degree…”
| Broken Law |
Click Here to Reveal |
“(a) Offense defined.–A person commits the crime of harassment when, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another, the person: …(2) follows the other person in or about a public place or places; (3) engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts which serve no legitimate purpose;… (5) communicates repeatedly in an anonymous manner;… …Grading (1) An offense under subsection (a)(1), (2) or (3) shall constitute a summary offense. (2) (i) An offense under subsection (a)(4), (5), (6) or (7) shall constitute a misdemeanor of the third degree…”
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Paige tells Emily that she’s sorry about what happened to Alison. A new girl named Sydney stares at Emily and her trophies; she wants Emily to help her out in the pool. Spencer partakes in her favorite activity, staring into the DiLaurentis’ window. Melissa walks in and warns Spencer not to get caught doing this. Melissa is unhappy that Alison is back; she tells Spencer that she wishes the girls would have left Alison where she was. When Spencer asks Melissa if she thinks Jason is guilty, Melissa makes a creepy remark that even if he is their half-brother, “people are capable of all sorts of things” and “blood can be slippery.” Melissa instructs Spencer to stay away from Ali and her family.
Hanna goes to the funeral home with Alison. A man working there mistakes Hanna for Alison, and Alison makes a subtle, rude remark that it used to be a lot easier to tell them apart. Ali gets freaked out by a painting there that we’ve seen before in Ravenswood. We see a flashback of the start of Mona and Hanna’s friendship. In the flashback, we learn that Mona’s intent the entire time has been to transform Hanna into a new Alison. When Hanna remembers this in real time, she’s very distraught.
Peter Hastings wants to sell their house; he says they’re finished with the DiLaurentis family. He is willing to have Jason blamed for what happened to Ali and for Jessica’s death if it will take the attention off of his family. I guess he forgot that Jason is his son too.
Aria ends up going to Ezra’s apartment. When she asks how he’s feeling, he tells her that he’s feeling like a carved turkey. They discuss going along with Ali’s story, and Ezra seems a bit reluctant, just like the girls. However, he agrees not to say anything that strays from the story. Since the law works in the same way for him as it does for the girls, he’s not allowed to tell the fake kidnapping story either.
Broken Law # 4 Alert!
18 PA Cons. Stat. § 903. Criminal conspiracy (In Relevant Part).
See broken law # 2 of this article!
Aria has actually done more than just keep Ali’s secret. In episode 5×02, she attempted to make the shed that Ali claimed to the police was her personal hideout, look like a shed where somebody has been hiding for the past two years. Clearly, now that Ali mentioned that shed, it will become part of the investigation, and Aria changed it’s appearance for Ali’s benefit and to the detriment of the police’s investigation.
Broken Law # 5 Alert! (From 5×02)
18 PA Cons. Stat. § 4910. Tampering with or fabricating physical evidence (in relevant part).
“A person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if, believing that an official proceeding or investigation is pending or about to be instituted, he:… …(2) makes, presents or uses any record, document or thing knowing it to be false and with intent to mislead a public servant who is or may be engaged in such proceeding or investigation…”
| Broken Law |
Click Here to Reveal |
“A person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if, believing that an official proceeding or investigation is pending or about to be instituted, he:… …(2) makes, presents or uses any record, document or thing knowing it to be false and with intent to mislead a public servant who is or may be engaged in such proceeding or investigation…”
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Ezra thought that Shana killed Mrs. DiLaurentis, but he now realizes that the timing doesn’t make sense. He wants Aria and the girls to be careful. Ezra has a shiny new lock on his door, and it’s about time someone in this town got a new lock!
Emily and Paige coach Sydney and make snide remarks to each other in the process. They talk about how they were “together in and out of the pool.” It’s an awkward scene. Hanna has another flashback of herself and Mona. This time, Mona was helping Hanna with her makeover, and she deliberately chose one of Ali’s outfits for Hanna to wear. In real time, Hanna sees Mona sitting alone at a table, and it almost looks like Hanna misses her.
Ali is glad to hear that Ezra is going along with her story. She says that it’s one less problem for her. She asks Aria if Ezra knows about Shana. Aria warns Ali that Rosewood High will be trouble when she walks in, but Ali doesn’t seem to care. She tells Aria that Ezra’s too romantic for his own good. Aria gives Ali a copy of Ezra’s book that she had requested.
Emily and Hanna approach the creepy old man from the apartment in Philly that we saw in episode 5×02. They make snarky comments about the amount of pizza he gets each week, then Emily claims that she’s looking for Jason. The creepy old man asks if Emily is one of Jason’s old drinking buddies, which is interesting because Jason used that building as his fictional rehab. The old man gives Jason an alibi.
Spencer goes to see Jason, who’s planning on leaving. Jason says his mom had too many secrets and that’s what really killed her. He also says that it feels like living in a haunted house now that Ali is back from “the dead.” Spencer shows Jason the “I can’t protect you anymore” email, and Jason suggests that perhaps Mrs. D didn’t send the email because she decided to deliver it in person instead. He asks Spencer, “do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?” Before Spencer leaves, Jason calls out, “you can’t trust our father!” (referring to Peter Hastings)
Hanna has another flashback, this time of herself and Mona strutting the halls of Rosewood high as Queen Bee/Killer Babes. In real time, Hanna’s having a serious identity crisis that leads her to ask Emily questions about when she came out of the closet. Emily refers to it as “becoming who [she] really was,” but Hanna replies that she never knew who she was.
Ali goes to Ezra’s apartment because she needs more information than what she saw in his book so she can stay alive. She thinks that Ezra has more information than he’s letting on, but Ezra says he’ll only help her if it will help Aria too. He demands that Ali tell Aria the truth about going to Ezra’s apartment that day, because of course Ali didn’t say anything to Aria before going. Ezra says that “absolute honesty” is “all he has left.”
Hanna confronts Mona about their “glamour bootcamp,” and she accuses Mona of wanting Ali back. Mona’s defense is that she gave Hanna the “Ali upgrade.” Oh, well that makes it perfectly fine then! Spencer thinks that the mysterious email was intended for her father. She speaks with Aria and tells her that she thinks her parents believe that Spencer killed the girl in Ali’s grave. Aria can’t get over killing Shana.
Peter and Alison have a tension-filled scene. Ali seems incredibly uncomfortable as Peter suggests that she is not safe in Rosewood. He offers her a ride home “under the circumstances.” Paige shows up at Emily’s porch. Emily says that maybe they’ll be friends one day. Paige admits to rehearsing telling Emily that she loves her. Emily says that she’s sorry and that Paige deserves the best of everything.
Peter brings home secret salty pretzels. That’s it! The big secret he and Melissa have been keeping is that Peter likes salty food. If only they had everyday family issues. Spencer shows Peter the email from Jessica, and Melissa tells Spencer to leave Peter alone. The Hastings sisters have a screaming match, then Melissa suggests to her father that they should tell Spencer their secret. Peter’s only response to that is, “you can’t lie about something you don’t know anything about.” However, we already know that the “something” he’s referring to was enough to make Melissa lie to the police. In episode 5×02, we found out that when Melissa told the police she came home after seeing Toby in London, it was a lie.
Broken Law # 6 Alert! (from 5×02)
18 PA Cons. Stat. § 4906. False reports to law enforcement authorities (In Relevant Part).
See Broken Law 1 of this article
Aria returns to Ezra’s apartment. In a comforting tone, he says “there’s no crime here,” which is the perfect comment for Aria to hear before confessing to Ezra that she killed Shana. Instead of suggesting that she call the police or take some normal action, Ezra asks what he can do to help.
Note: Ezra’s intent has been established, but I will explore the broken laws as they actually happen. I anticipate writing more about this in upcoming entries!
Hanna decides to change her hair color, likely a result of realizing that her look originated with Mona’s weird desire to transform her into Alison 2.0. At the end of the episode, we see Mona with somebody, but it’s not revealed who it is. I can’t wait to find out what happens next week! Hopefully for the sake of this blog, everyone continues to break the law!
