Pig Brain

[Transcription begins]

(Unintelligible)

A: "--a part of the process, right?"

B: "Totally."

A: "Alright, I'm recording."

B: "Okay."

A: "Okay, so. If you wouldn't mind saying and spelling your name, please."

B: "Sure. Briah Meier. B-R-I-A-H, last name M-E-I-E-R." 

A: "Great. And. Can he?" 

B: "Oh, yeah. He can. Demetri." 

(Unintelligible)

B: "Say and spell your name."

C: "Why?"

(Unintelligible)

C: "D-E-M-T-R-I"

B: "What? That's not."

C: "D-E-M. D-I-M."

B: "It's D-E-M-E-T-R-I. Last name Ida. I-D-A."

A: "Okay, fine. Nice to meet you both. Thanks for taking the time today."

B: "Thanks." 

C: "D-E-M-E-R-T."

B: "Demetri. It's fine."

A: "Alright. So, maybe you could start by telling me a little bit about what happened, and the procedure."

B: "Okay. Yeah. So. Sorry, it's going to take me a sec."

A: "Of course. Take your time. We are in no rush, here." 

B: "Okay. So. I guess maybe you want me to start from the beginning?"

A: "Sure. Let's start there."

B: "Okay. Well. I met Demetri on a dating app. It's so embarrassing, I don't like to admit it, and, like, I hardly ever was on it. But. I don't know. He looked kinda cute, I guess, but, y'know, I wasn't. We were DMing, and, I don't know, he seemed okay. I mean. A lot of guys on these sites, you know? They. Sometimes things click and work out but a lot a lot of times you don't and things don't happen. And they are almost all fucking psychos showing you their dicks, so, just. Well, he seemed just kind of sweet at first, and, I guess I was kind of curious so I messaged him back and he was just so sweet. You know?"

A: "Sure. Like what?"

B: "Okay. Like. How do I explain. It's hard to explain. So like almost every guy on these sites just can't wait to send you a picture of his dick, right? Thinking that's going to get them inside your pants. It's like, come on, it's so demeaning, and is just constant. So it kind of stands out when a guy doesn't do that like immediately? I mean he was kinda cute, but also after a while I was like, okay, when is the other shoe going to drop? Every time he messaged me I was like, waiting for it to be another dick pic or something, right? And the longer he waited to do that the more I was like, afraid that he was going to be a huge total creep? Like if you're going to be a pig and show your dick--" 

A: "Oh. Right."

(Unintelligible)

A: "Ah. Yes, well."

B: "I am so sorry, I did not mean it that way. No pun intended."

(Laughter)

B: "He doesn't even know. It's fine. But, I mean, I'm thinking if this guy is taking this long to do something perverted to me, what's he really hiding?"

A: "So he ended up exposing himself to you?"

B: "No." 

A: "Oh. He didn't."

B: "No, and that's what was really weird because I was, what's wrong with this guy, right? Like, you're a psycho for sending pics like that to complete strangers but if you're waiting that long to do it are you getting, like, some kind of fucked up thrill by prolonging it?"

A: "I see. So you were chatting?"

B: "We were DMing and I kept waiting for something to happen and at one point he kept writing something and writing, you know, the little dot-dot-dot showing up on the message box and I was like, oh my god here it comes, he's going to do it like every single guy ever, but then I don't know what happened because finally after waiting forever with the little dot-dot-dot he sent me this message asking if I wanted to like meet him someplace and go out sometime, and I was like what the hell?"

A: "Okay."

B: "What is wrong with this guy? Right?"

A: "Because he. He was trying to show you his. His penis?"

B: "Yeah."

A: "I see."

B: "It was so obvious and then he asks me out?"

A: "Yeah. That's. And what did you?"

B: "I was like, I don't know, it was kind of sweet. Kind of like middle school again? Like being asked out on a date like that, kind of proper like? But kind of weird and old fashioned, like something on a true crime documentary or something. 

A: "What did you say?"

B: "I was all, I don't know. He pretended he was cool with it at first but I could tell he just would not accept that and eventually kept asking and asking."

A: "How many times did he ask?"

B: "I don't know but he just kept asking and a part of me was, like, kind of scared that he wouldn't just accept that I didn't want to? But finally I was like, fine. But there was no way I was going to meet someone totally random like that all by myself so I brought my friends with me, because, like, I don't know who this guy is."

A: "I see. You brought some friends. Probably a good move."

B: "Yeah."

A: "Did he bring anybody too, or?"

B: "Um. I don't. I don't know. I don't think so, no. Maybe. But I don't remember if he did. I don't think so."

A: "That's fine. Where did you end up going?"

B: "He invited me to this like graffiti art exhibit downtown, and I was all, yeah fine. I don't really know anything about it and thought maybe he might. Well. I don't actually know what I thought but Laramie was all, do you think he's in a gang?" 

(Laughter)

A: "Laramie was." 

B: "Laramie was my friend. My ex, actually. He came with me. With Layla. His other ex."

A: "To your date."

B: "Yeah."

A: "And Laramie thought he was in a gang?"

B: "I don't know. We thought, graffiti? Okay. Downtown? Sure. Maybe. We didn't know. But anyway he totally wasn't anyway, which is fine."

A: "How was the date?"

B: "It was okay."

A: "It must've gone alright. Right?"

B: "I mean. It was okay. When I first saw him he did not look like his picture at all."

A: "How so?"

B: "So his profile picture he was clean shaven but when he showed up he had a beard. Or, like, facial hair. And he had on this coat. Honestly he looked like a murderer."

A: "Were you scared?"

B: "I was at first but we were talking and he was just kind of awkward, mostly. Kind of in a cute way but kind of not? If that makes sense? But we hung out. I don't know if he felt he couldn't do anything because Laramie and Layla were there. Or maybe it was fine, he didn't really even mention it which I thought was kind of weird? Like, I brought my friends and he didn't even? But maybe he didn't even want to try anything with me the whole time, like some kind of weird plan to just meet me and think about what he wanted to do if he could?"

A: "I don't know."

B: "I don't know. But, so eventually we said goodbye which was fine and Laramie was like, that guy is weird. And Layla was like, I don't know."

(Laughter)

A: "But you kept in touch, right?"

B: "Yeah, he texted me and said it was cool hanging out and stuff."

A: "And you did end up seeing each other again."

B: "He texted me and was like, do you wanna go to a show?" 

(Unintelligible) 

B: "What?"

C: "Can you?"

B: "Can I what?"

(Unintelligible) 

B: "Oh. Fine. Sorry. He likes it when I touch his neck right here."

A: "Okay."

B: "Anyway."

A: "Did you bring your friends again along?"

B: "No, cuz. I think. I think he worked and she was kind of scared, but also, I knew how awkward he was so I wasn't too scared to go by myself? Plus I always have some protection with me."

A: "So you met him at the show?"

B: "He wanted to pick me up but I was like, no way, I don't want him knowing where I lived. So he told me to meet him at like this warehouse downtown where a band was playing? I looked it up first to make sure and there was but I hadn't heard of them. They were okay. I don't remember."

A: "How did that go? Better?"

B: "He was kind of dressed funny again, but not with the coat this time. He was not dressed like he was going to a show. It was a little embarrassing, I wasn't sure."

A: "How was he dressed?"

B: "Well, before this, he used to wear a bunch of really wrinkly clothes. He looked homeless. It was really sad."

A: "Did you guys talk?"

B: "Yeah. It was fine. I was suspicious, though. I made sure to get my own drinks. He offered, of course, because, well, I don't know but I wasn't going to. Like I don't know if he was still planning to drug me or grab me or like show his dick to me somewhere or something. I was nervous and all but like, kind of afraid he was going to because I knew when he would it would be really."

A: "Really. What?"

B: "Just really, I don't know. Threatening or terrifying or something."

A: "But he didn't?"

B: "No. Not then."

A: "I see."

B: "And then after the show he asked if I wanted to go do anything else and I was all like what and he said something weird like I don't know or whatever you want. So we went to where his car was parked and he said, do you need me to drive you to your car? I was like, no, I parked real close. So I got in the back seat and he sat back there with me and I was like. This is bad."

A: "You were afraid?"

B: "Yeah. It was dark out and we were right next to the park downtown and like, we were just sitting back there and he was talking to me about random things I don't even remember. And I thought, what was this guy's deal? Why doesn't he do anything to me?"

A: "You thought he was going to."

B: "Yeah. But, like, how twisted is he if he can't even bring himself to do any of them with me when I'm right there?"

A: "I see." 

B: "Finally I like laid down in the back seat and he just laid down with me? Kind of cramped but him like spooning me? I felt him against me but he just kind of held me and I pretended to fall asleep but I was listening to his breathing and I know he was just lying there awake with his hands wrapped around me. I think he knew I wasn't asleep or he might have. Might have done something. But."

A: "You fell asleep in the back of his car? On the street? Where were you?"

B: "It was downtown. In front of the park."

A: "And he still didn't?"

B: "Eventually the sun came up and he got out and walked me back to my car and we said goodbye and he, like, kind of hugged me when we said goodbye and I could tell he wanted to. But. He didn't." 

A: "Wanted to. What?"

B: "Kiss me. It was super awkward."

A: "But there was. Sorry."

(Unintelligible)

A: "There was this incident? The allegation?"

B: "Yeah that was a few days later."

A: "I see. Can you?"

B: "Yeah, so. Later. He was like, we're going to Las Vegas. Do you wanna come? And I was like, oh my god yeah right so you can just do whatever and leave me in the desert? But so I was all, okay, fine. So he picked me up with his weird roommate and we drove there."

A: "That's. That's like an eight hour drive?"

B: "Something like that. I forget. And, it was fine. It was awkward. There was a whole group there, kinda, like, going together. But then he was all, yeah, we only have one room. And I was like, oh my god, this was all part of his plan, you know?"

A: "So, it was you, him and his roommate, in one room?"

B: "No, the roommate had another room."

A: "Oh. So, he had gotten a room and his roommate got another room, and brought you too?"

B: "Exactly."

A: "Was it on the strip, or?"

B: "Yeah it was the one with the dolphins I think. I don't really know Vegas that well. I'd only ever been there I think maybe once before? I don't even know why he wanted to go."

A: "But you stayed in the room with him?"

B: "There were a bunch of other people there too, like, as a big group. They all got rooms too, some on the same level as kind of like a big group thing? He didn't really seem to know them but his roommate did. And at one point everyone was in one of the suites and was passing around some drinks, so, I had a few sips, and, we were all hanging out. It was okay. Well eventually we went to the room and we laid down and we got close and finally he was all."

A: "I'm sorry."

B: "It's okay. It's fine. I guess he made a move on me and I was like, wow I can't believe he's actually finally doing it and then."

(Unintelligible)

B: "What?"

C: "I'm thirsty."

A: "Of course. I have water."

B: "Do you mind?"

A: "Not in the least. That's what it's for."

(Unintelligible)

B: "Thank you. Here you go."

A: "My apologies, I should have asked."

B: "Slow down. Can you slow down? You're. I'm sorry."

A: "It's fine. Here. I have some Kleenex."

B: "Thanks. He's. Wow you were thirsty, babe."

A: "Do you need some?"

B: "No, I have my own thanks."

A: "So, he finally?"

B: "Yeah and. I don't really remember so much cuz, like, I had a drink or two but I remember waking up and he was there, and it was late and I was like, um, did we have sex? And he got real quiet and I could tell he was going to be weird about it. He was asking me what I remembered and I was like, um, are you serious? And he was like I thought you were and I was like." 

A: "Right."

B: "I got dressed under the blanket and got up to use the bathroom and looked in the mirror and asked myself did that just really happen? And when I came out he was dressed too, like, on the side of the bed. I was so embarrassed but also kind of scared, like, vulnerable and, not sure what he was going to try and do? But it was late and I was so tired, so we laid back down. I don't know. He seemed kind of sweet and stuff, but, I just didn't know."

A: "That was the incident. The rape."

B: "And he was all, should I sleep on the other bed, like. Come on. I just could not. But. Eventually we laid down but I was awake until I could feel his breath behind me, like, steady so that I was sure he was asleep? And then I fell asleep too and the next day we did a bunch of walking around the strip which was okay I guess, we did a lot of things. He like, kind of hung close to me but kept his distance and I was like, come on already. You already fucked me, but, like, I don't know, it was okay. We went on some rides and after a while we kind of got separated from the rest of the group but just did our own thing which was fine. There was a guy with a pet monkey on the street like doing tricks and we sat and watched him for a while and there's that big water splash show that they do? I'm not sure where, I don't really know Vegas. We got dinner someplace and talked, but he wouldn't really bring up what happened which was super awkward, like, is he going to accept what he did? But we didn't talk about it. I didn't want to stay out super late. I don't know if I kept him from doing whatever else he wanted to do, whatever, he could have gone out again but we went back to the room and stuff and kind of had an early night."

A: "Okay. You stayed another night there."

B: "Yeah I guess he had gotten the room for like two nights. We left early the next morning."

A: "What was that like?"

B: "Going back you mean?" 

A: "Yeah."

B: "It was fine. It was a long ride. There was a lot of silence, right, cuz, his roommate is kind of weird. They were both weird but I'm not going to confront him with his roommate in the back seat. But I could tell he was awkward while he was driving and then eventually he took my hand, and his hand was so sweaty after holding my hand for hours and hours on the drive back. It was weird."

A: "Then what?"

B: "He dropped me back off at my place which was a few towns over from where his apartment was or whatever and we texted for a bit afterward. He asked me if I wanted to get dinner or see a movie sometime and I said yeah, we can watch a movie at my place. We kept texting different random movies that would be funny but he came by to pick me up for dinner and when we got there, I told him, like."

A: "Oh. So you were going to confront him."

B: "I'm sorry."

A: "Please. Don't apologize. It's fine."

B: "It's just. Sorry. I told him what he did was not cool. And he played all dumb, like, what? And I was all, don't do that and pretended he didn't know but I was all, um. You raped me? And he had this big dumb look on his face. It made me so fucking angry. It would've been so sad if it wasn't so fucked up because, I mean, he wanted to pretend like he truly did not really get it. Like, that it was consensual? Like, how could you not?"

A: "I'm sorry you had to go through this. I'm sorry we have to revisit this, it's just. His testimony has been stricken from the record due to the procedure, so. I knew we'd want to have it on the record."

B: "It's fine. It's just."

A: "So do you think. Did he not know, or was he pretending?"

B: "Um."

A: "I'm sorry."

B: "Oh, no, it's fine. He. He doesn't remember."

C: "What?"

A: "May I?"

B: "I mean. It's fine. He just won't remember."

A: "Demetri. Hi. Yes. Right here. So. Do you remember what took place? What do you remember about yours and Briah's encounter? In Las Vegas?"

C: "What?'

A: "Do you remember what took place? Between you and Briah in Las Vegas?"

C: "Briah. Yeah. She's right here."

B: "Hey, babe."

C: "I want to."

B: "Babe. Come on."

(Unintelligible) 

A: "Demetri. I just. I wanted to get you on record. To see if you could recall anything from Las Vegas?"

C: "That's what you were talking about."

A: "Yes. Do you remember that event at all?"

C: "Wasn't you just talking about it?"

A: "Yes. I just. I wanted to hear it from your perspective"

C: "Why? Okay. Why?"

B: "He'll talk like this forever. They took all that out."

A: "Did he not know? Then, I mean? He knew he did it."

B: "I was like, how could you not know? I was expecting him to be mad but he was more, like, kind of like, quiet about it? It was sad but pathetic too, you know?"

C: "Briah."

B: "What is it, babe?"

C: "Can we touch?" 

B: "Later."

A: "And that's when you submitted the accusation?"

B: "Almost."

A: "And when did that occur?"

B: "I knew he was going to be pissed but he wasn't. And then I was, so, what do you wanna do? He was being so evasive. Like, I just wanted to know what he wanted. Just tell me, right? But no, he had to be all. So, like, I don't know. But then he was like, I guess this is over?"

A: "Wow."

B: "And I'm all, what?"

A: "He wanted to end the relationship?"

B: "I mean it wasn't a relationship. At that point. Kind of, but whatever it was he was like, I guess this is over, and I could not fucking believe it. Like, after everything, he's all the sudden, I guess this is over? What the fuck?"

A: "Right."

B: "Who the fuck does that?"

A: "It's."

B: "So I was, if that's what you want, and he said something like I just thought you wanted it, and I was like, what, rape? And he was like don't call it that and I was like what the fuck do you call it? He got real quiet like he does. Like he did, or used to. And we left the restaurant and he took me back home and, like, when he came inside he talked to my Mom for a bit before we went back to my room and we watched a movie."

A: "He came in your house?"

B: "Yeah."

A: "You. What was the conversation with your mother like?"

B: "Um. I don't really. I don't know, I think I remember they talked about clothes? Like, random?"

(Unintelligible)

B: "Yeah, we watched Wild Wild West on my laptop."

A: "Wild Wild West. The Will Smith one?"

B: "And again, we laid there and he had his hand on my hip, like, right here. But he wouldn't, like, touch me anywhere. And we watched the whole movie and I was next to him and he never even like tried to put his hands on me any kind of way. It's like a whole movie."

A: "I just, don't even know."

B: "Right? So anyway after he said goodbye and I was like, are you mad? Just to try and get him to. And he's like no, but I was like, you're just kind of being weird, and he was like, well I don't really know what we are now and I was like. Just. I didn't know what to do."

A: "What. What were you, actually, do you think? Were you boyfriend girlfriend or something else?"

B: "I don't know. Probably nothing, yet, but also not, like, 'I don't really know,' like who says that?"

A: "Complicated."

B: "So he left and I called Laramie and told him and he was like, that guy is going to do this again."

A: "And that's when you went?"

B: "I think so. We may have texted back and forth a few more times, but, he wasn't going to take responsibility. And I was thinking. What if he does this again? To someone else? It made me feel sick thinking about him with someone else."

(Unintelligible)

A: "I have the report here. Your testimony. It's not as detailed as what you've told me just now."

B: "Well, I was traumatized."

A: "Of course. Yes, of course, I understand that. I appreciate you filling in the details because it helps me understand." 

B: "Thank you."

A: "You stopped contact with him at that point?"

B: "That's what they said I should do, but, we were still texting."

A: "I see. That's not mentioned."

B: "I didn't say. They would've been pissed if they found out we were still talking."

A: "What were those exchanges like?"

B: "He was mad, and I was like, you're a psycho? Like why can't you show me any emotion when we're talking about this the two of us and now, yeah, when he's being held accountable and is going to go to prison, then he wants to show me who he is? I was like, I mean, that's what happens when you rape someone. How do you not understand this?"

A: "It could have given the defense cause for dismissal."

B: "What?"

A: "Well. It's not my field. But the defense could have submitted the new texts as evidence and potentially gotten a dismissal, or appealed for one. I don't know if it would have worked, but."

B: "He didn't say that."

A: "Maybe he didn't know."

B: "Well I don't know."

A: "You did press charges."

B: "Yes."

A: "Were you aware of the possibility that Demetri could have been a candidate for the."

(Unintelligible)

A: "The compulsory prefrontal criminal rehabilitation procedure at that time?"

B: "I didn't even know. I thought he was going to jail."

A: "How did you learn about that?"

B: "So. I mean. If I remember, my lawyer said that my testimony made them go for the compulsory prelobal crime thing conclusion because what I had said when they called me to testify, which, I fucking hated."

A: "I understand."

B: "Because apparently I had said something like, I don't know what I said but I guess I said something like that I was disgusted knowing that he was walking around knowing what it was like to, like, have sex with me."

A: "I have it here. Can I?"

B: "I mean. I'd rather not obviously."

A: "I just mean. I'm sorry. For the record. For the recording?"

B: "I mean. Fine."

A: "I'm so sorry. You said, I do. I am. I'm upset. But what upsets me most is that he knows. He knows about me and how it feels to be with me that way. It makes me sick thinking that someone knows how it feels to treat me that way. That he can always remember that night anytime he wants to revisit what it's like to be with me whether I want him to remember or not." 

C: "Here."

B: "Okay, baby."

A: "That was your testimony."

B: "That's what I said. When the judge was passing sentence or whatever, they took me aside and asked me what I thought about this new thing they can do."

A: "The. Sorry, let me find it again."

(Unintelligible)

A: "The compulsory prefrontal criminal rehabilitation procedure. That's hard to."

B: "Yeah. Cuz I guess it's good because one, you don't have the criminal in prison taking up space in jail and eating free meals and watching cable and living off the taxpayer and stuff. And B, he also doesn't have any recollection of the event, so, that thing I said, I wouldn't have to feel that way about it. He wouldn't even know he'd done it. Cuz I guess they take out that part of the brain, I guess. Not enough to make him disabled but enough to where he can't just form the memories or access them or something?"

A: "And that felt. It felt as though that would help heal the. What had happened."

B: "I mean. No. But. It was fine. It was a new thing and I thought, well, yeah, it'd be weird knowing he's like not in jail or whatever, but, also he wouldn't be, like, able to do that anymore, to anyone else. And he wouldn't be able to, like, fantasize about what he did to me. So I mean it made sense. Honestly by then I just wanted the whole thing to be over. I wanted to get on with my life. I didn't want this to define who I was."

A: "Due to the sentencing, and to remove the record that the incident took place, they had Demetri's testimony redacted. Which is why it's so helpful to have you recount the event for us today, so thank you for that. I know how difficult this is for you."

(Unintelligible)

A: "The judge sentenced him for the procedure when the court reconvened the following week. It made the paper."

B: "People were. People were optimistic about how it all turned out. I had a lot of women come up to me and say thank you. Parents of victims too."

A: "How did you feel?"

B: "It's not what I wanted. But. It was for the best kind of?"

A: "So he was incarcerated to await his procedure. Did you keep in touch or stay up to date on his procedure date?"

B: "No. I tried to forget everything about it. The whole thing kind of messed me up."

A: "Right. I can imagine. So what was the next thing you learned about Demetri?"

B: "Um. I may have heard about it but I think it was my Mom who sent me the thing online about it. There was an article online she sent me and asked if it was Demetri and I was like, yeah. I didn't want to read it, but, she was like, oh my god did you see what happened? And I was all, why are you sending me stuff about him, Mom, but, then I saw it and was like, yeah, I guess that's him."

A: "There was an accident during the procedure. Or. No, sorry, I misspoke. It wasn't really an accident. It was. Where was that? What was the word they used? Let me see if I can find it."

B: "Yeah it was like, they botched it or took too much or something."

(Unintelligible)

A: "Here. Due to an oversight during the. Complications during the lobotomization procedure administered upon the convicted sexual offender, Demetri Ida, rendered the patient in a persistent vegetative state. They said. They say a cruel and ironic twist from an operation that was promised to the voters as a low-cost administration of justice with minimal long-term taxpayer burden." 

B: "You were in a coma."

C: "I don't know."

A: "Unbelievable."

B: "I know, baby. I know." 

C: "I'm tired." 

B: "It's okay, baby. We're almost done. We're almost done, aren't we?"

A: "Do you need a break?"

B: "He's fine. He just needs some exercise and he'll bounce back."

A: "You sure?"

B: "No. Stop it."

C: "I'm tired."

B: "You're not tired. That's not tired. That's touching."

A: "Is he alright?"

(Unintelligible)

B: "He's fine. Okay. He's fine."

A: "Well, so, did you try and make contact with him at all by then?"

B: "No, but, like. I didn't feel sorry for him but I guess I did kind of feel bad for him in a way? I know, but, that's just who I am. I mean. I know he did that to me. But I also remember that he at least tried to be kind of sweet to me, once, you know? Even if it was all kind of. It may have worked out if he'd have just, like, controlled himself. I just wished he'd have, like, been more honest about how fucked up he was when we first started dating. Maybe things could have been different. I don't know." 

A: "So you didn't try to see him?"

B: "I mean the reporters who interviewed me after the trial reached out to get my opinion, and, like, I didn't want to get into it. I just kind of felt bad for him, a little bit."

A: "He went from a criminal to a victim of the state."

B: "I mean. No."

A: "I just mean, in some people's view."

B: "Yeah, but. It's not. Like, people who were calling him a monster a week earlier were, like, crying for him all the sudden. It was weird."

A: "That's when they contacted that surgeon."

B: "Yeah. That guy."

A: "I have him right here. Dr. Aloysius Garrison, M.D. The reverse-procedure took 46 hours." 

B: "Damn."

A: "Did you know what the reversal would entail?"

B: "It didn't seem real. It seemed like something that would be on like one of those joke news sites. A pig?"

A: "I mean. I honestly still didn't really believe it until I met you today. Until I met you."

(Unintelligible)

A: "Do you recall the procedure, sir?"

C: "Huh?'

A: "I said, do you recall what they did? To your memory?"

C: "Yeah."

B: "He doesn't remember."

A: "You don't remember?"

C: "Yeah."

A: "Is it. Is it like they wrote in the paper? The pig brain? I'm sorry. Is that the right term?"

B: "I mean, I don't know what else you'd call it. It was from a pig. Like, a baby pig I guess? Or like a fetal pig. I don't think it was born yet when they took part of it out."

A: "So they took part of the pig's brain out and then. They grafted it onto Demetri's damaged prefrontal?"

B: "I mean. If you really wanted to know, for your records or whatever, I think you'd have to talk to that doctor guy."

A: "But adding that material back in was supposed to be what allowed Demetri to be able to function, right?"

B: "He's not in a coma anymore."

A: "I'm just. I'm sorry, I'm just amazed."

B: "It's crazy. Like, I could have this totally wrong but I think the way they told me was that the brain has these like pathways or whatever that connect different parts of his brain to the parts they took out for the, like, criminal reconfigure. Rehabilitation. Sorry. The criminal rehabilitation. But since they took out too much, he was gone. But then by putting the baby pig's brain in there, those pathways started finding endpoints to connect up to?"

A: "It's just unbelievable."

B: "It's crazy. I mean, he's not perfect, but. And it's made it so he can connect enough to whatever there is left that he can still use to be functional again. And he's not a burden on the state or taxpayers or whatever really."

A: "How does he. I mean. How does he seem?"

B: "I mean, you've been sitting with him this whole time."

A: "How are you doing, Demetri?"

C: "Hungry." 

B: "You're always hungry." 

(Laughter)

A: "Well, it worked, right? I mean. How much rehabilitation did he take on afterwards?"

B: "A lot. If the taxpayers knew."

A: "Yeah."

B: "There's still a long way to go, but. They got him up and walking again. Some doctors think he can still develop quite a bit more, cuz, pigs are pretty smart animals I guess. So, I don't know. Maybe he might be even better in some ways. Who knows?"

A: "Yeah."

B: "But there's always, like, weird things that stand out. That's why it's still hard to take him out lots of places still, but, we're working on it."

A: "Like what? If you don't mind."

B: "I mean, like."

(Laughter)

B: "Some of it is really weird, like you would not expect. Like. I mean he is so good at taking naps. It's weird. I feel destroyed sometimes after I take a nap, and like, I can't get the rest of the day back. But he'll lie down and take a nap and is out like that. Immediate. And then when it's time to wake up or do something, he gets up just like that. But he's waking up a lot in the middle of the night, too, but can just go back to sleep real easily unless he gets upset or riled up or something."

A: "Wow."

B: "And. There's other stuff too."

(Laughter)

A: "What?"

(Unintelligible)

B: "So random. For the weirdest reason he just can't, like, this is weird, but he can't like cut things in half?"

A: "Cut things in half?"

B: "Yeah. It's something about his brain, I guess. Like we'll be making dinner together and I asked him to cut an onion in half. And he just. Cannot. Do it. He can't. His brain just can't figure that out or whatever, how to cut something in half."

A: "How funny."

B: "Even if I mark on the onion, with a marker. Like, cut here. He'll line the knife up but it just won't match up straight down the middle. They're always lopsided, or uneven, or something. It's really weird. I don't know why."

A: "Weird."

B: "And like. He gets real needy. But. It's kind of sweet. Like he just wants to hold me. Or be next to me. He'll follow me around sometimes, and sometimes I don't even think he knows it. Like he'll be in the room and I'll go to another room, and then I'll turn around and he'll be there with me and I'll say, why did you come in here? And he's like, I don't know. But he'll just stay there until I go, and then he'll do the same thing, just, kind of wander back next to me."

A: "That is so peculiar."

B: "He's kind of out of it here, cuz this is a new place for him, so, you don't really get to see. What he's like. At home. When he's comfortable. But he's super sweet and chill but sometimes he gets mad but its for the weirdest reasons he can't really express. Never at me. But he doesn't. It doesn't last. He kind of forgets why he got mad, so, then he wants to be comforted. And I mean. He's so affectionate. And it just."

A: "Really. That's so interesting. But. So. When you were reunited with him, what was. What did you make of him, then? Were you surprised?"

B: "Yeah. I was super surprised. I wasn't sure what to expect but I kind of thought he'd be. Like, he was in a vegetative state or whatever, so, I kind of figured he'd be. Like. Disabled. And I guess he is technically but I mean he doesn't look it."

A: "No. Not at all. I'd think he was just a normal guy sitting here."

B: "The state got in touch wanting PR and they asked if I'd be open to being there when he was released. They wanted to say justice was served, he was no longer a predator, but also he was walking and talking. Pretty capable of living on his own again, with supervision. That kind of wasn't totally true and the family got a settlement out of that, but, nobody really knew about that I guess." 

A: "That's when you met him again?"

B: "Yeah, and, it was weird, because. It was him. Demetri. I. I remembered everything, and. I didn't know how I would feel seeing him again but. I felt a lot of things. But. There was a look in him that was, like, innocent, and trusting? But at the same time when he saw me I could kind of tell that he recognized me a little, I think. He says he did but he says that about a lot of things he doesn't."

A: "Did he really? I was curious."

B: "Not like, clearly, but, I feel like there was like this familiarity he had with me. They were all like, he likes you. He doesn't do that with anybody. And. It was. I also saw there was this kind of hint in his eye at something there. And."

A: "Like what?"

B: "That kind of thing. I don't know. That thing that maybe he wanted me before but couldn't show it? That hesitation was gone. From before. He just looked at me and it just. It clicked, and, well. It worked out."

A: "Unbelievable."

B: "It's a miracle."

A: "Yeah."

B: "I don't know. He didn't remember what had happened to us, but, he did know my name, which, made me cry."

A: "Wow. He knew your name?"

B: "Yeah, I wasn't expecting that. When we were hugging for the newspaper photo he was like, Briah, and I was like, oh my god you remember me." 

A: "That's amazing." 

B: "I mean, it was fine. It was kind of scary. But, yeah, it was kind of sweet."

A: "Even with the brain?"

B: "That's the weird thing. Even though he's got like, 1/5 of a baby pig brain or whatever he's surprisingly pretty normal for the most part."

A: "Even with the cutting things in half or things like that?"

B: "Yeah there's those weird things. I don't know. Like he gets really thirsty, as you saw, and the naps. But he can just be super normal and chill most of the time until he gets. Until he gets, sort of antsy."

A: "I see."

B: "Yeah, and, like, he was not like this before, or if he was I didn't know it, but, apparently pigs don't have a refractory period or anything? So. I mean."

A: "I see."

B: "Like. It's."

(Laughter)

B: "Yeah. But mostly he just wants to cuddle and be super sweet and sometimes he's gross or whatever and we deal with that. We're taking it slow, but. Then I thought. He really needs me."

A: "How do you mean?"

B: "Like. When I leave. He gets real upset. And when he sees me again, it's like. It's like he can't control himself. He just gets so happy to see me, even if it's only been just a short time. And. Just because of everything we've been through, and because we're both kind of like victims now, and because of how much he really needs me. I. I thought. We both thought we needed to be together."

A: "How beautiful." 

B: "We're getting ready for September. But just because of everything that's happened, Laramie was like get a prenup."

(Laughter)

A: "I mean, it's never not a good idea."

B: "Right? That's why I was like, good idea. I mean, for both of us. Because you never know. Like, what happens if this brain thing doesn't work out long term, right?"

A: "Makes sense. I mean, there's a lot here that's uncertain. And prenuptial agreements by design are meant to provide a certain level of certainty when there is otherwise a good deal of uncertainty."

B: "Exactly. Uncertain. I want to be certain. That's when we looked you up and found you guys."

C: "Can we go?"

B: "Almost, baby. Almost." 

A: "Can I just say. Your story has been one of the most. I don't even know. I guess just remarkable? Just a remarkable story. And I've been doing this a long time and I've never seen anything like this."

B: "Aww. Thank you." 

A: "I mean it. When Joel told me that you were looking for a family attorney, I was astounded that you thought to contact us. It's. It's really. Really a unique case."

B: "You heard about us?"

A: "Not closely, but, it stood out in my memory. I knew who you were right away when I heard your names."

B: "That's so sweet. You've been so supportive."

A: "Well we appreciate you coming to us for what you're looking to arrange. I think we've got all the background context we need on the record in order to proceed, unless."

B: "No. That's. We're good."

A: "Okay, great. Alright. I'm going to turn off the recording. Okay?"

B: "Okay sure. So, like, how long does a--"

[Transcription ends.]