Melfi’s ex-husband — the weak, self-hating Italian type — it’s common knowledge the guy’s retarded.

I’m watching season 3, episode 4: Employee of the Month.

Melfi is raped and the police fuck up the “chain of custody” (more on this) and can’t do anything to lock up her rapist.

Melfi’s ex-husband walks into her bedroom as she’s recovering and says: “I just want to go find that bastard and kill him with my hands. And I could and I would. But I can't. They'd put me in jail, that's how things are.“

But we see numerous times in the Sopranos universe that murder essentially goes unpunished. How many times are people — civilians, even — killed in cold blood, and nothing happens? Does Richard not know this? Is he stupid?

Side note: the “chain of custody” excuse for why Melfi’s rapist is released is comically stupid. They have a victim with clear physical injuries who filed a police report and is willing to ID the suspect.