Web of Lies (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 8 - Online Education - full transcript

Narrator: HE APPEARED TO BE
A STRAITLACED PROFESSOR...

McConnell:
JIM WAS EXTREMELY PRIVATE,

EVEN IN HIS MOST INTIMATE
RELATIONSHIPS.

Narrator: BUT HAD A DEEP SECRET
FINDING EXCITEMENTS ONLINE.

IT WAS INTOXICATING.

THANK YOU.

Stob:
THIS WAS A FORM OF ESCAPE.

HE WANTED TO BELIEVE
THAT THIS WAS POSSIBLE.

Narrator: BUT WHEN THE INTERNET
BITES BACK...

GET OUT!

HE WAS REALLY LOSING IT.



Narrator:...HE FINDS HIMSELF
THE VICTIM OF HIS CHOICES...

YOU'VE HAD
TWO PHONE MESSAGES.

- WHO IS THIS?
- I'm not playing nice anymore.

WHO IS THIS?

...AND A TORMENTOR
WHO THREATENS TO DESTROY HIM.

YES. IT'S POLICY NUMBER "C"...
FOR CHARLIE... 3-X.

AND I SAID,
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Jim:
OKAY, THAT'S IT FOR TODAY.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN
TILL NEXT WEEK.

AND WHEN I DO SEE YOU,
I WANT ALL YOUR ASSIGNMENTS.

Narrator: FOR THE PAST 11 YEARS,
54-YEAR-OLD DR. JIM AUNE

HAS BEEN TEACHING COMMUNICATIONS
AT A&M UNIVERSITY

IN BRYAN, TEXAS.

HE ABSOLUTELY LOVED HIS WORK
AND TEACHING.



MOST PROFESSORS
EITHER DON'T LIKE IT,

OR WON'T ADMIT
THAT THEY LIKE IT.

BUT HE WAS A TEACHER.

AND HE STILL LOVED...

EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A FULL
PROFESSOR, COMPLETE TENURE,

TOP OF HIS FIELD...

HE STILL WANTED TO
TEACH UNDERGRADUATES.

PROFESSOR?
PROFESSOR AUNE?

I- I JUST...

I WAS JUST
IN YOUR SEMINAR...

Narrator:
WELL-LOVED BY HIS STUDENTS,

JIM IS RESPECTED
FOR HIS PASSION FOR TEACHING,

AND IS ALWAYS HAPPY
TO OFFER HELP AFTER CLASS.

UH, MARSHALL MCLUHAN
AND HIS VIEWS ON THE MEDIA.

I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU COULD
EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT THAT TO ME.

- THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
- YEAH.

JIM AUNE TAUGHT A CLASS
FOR ME MY FIRST SEMESTER.

IT WAS RHETORICAL THEORY.

HAVE YOU READ MCLUHAN'S
"MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE"?

MM. NO.

HE WAS THE MOST WELL-READ PERSON
I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE.

AND NOT ONLY HAD HE READ THINGS,
HE RETAINED EVERYTHING.

ANY SUBJECT MATTER
THAT YOU COULD BRING UP,

HE HAD A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF.

WHY DON'T YOU
START WITH THAT?

- THEN WE'LL SEE WHERE YOU ARE.
- OKAY.

UH, THANK YOU.

Narrator: ALONGSIDE HIS TEACHING
AND ACADEMIC RESEARCH,

JIM ALSO LIKES TO COMMUNICATE

WITH STUDENTS
AND FELLOW ACADEMICS

THROUGH HIS ONLINE BLOG,
THE BLOGORA.

Stob:
HE WAS AN AVID BLOGGER.

AND HE WOULD REALLY USE THIS
AS HIS OUTLET FOR HIS THOUGHTS,

WHATEVER THOSE THOUGHTS
MIGHT BE,

WHETHER IT WAS ABOUT FAMILY

OR WHETHER IT WAS ABOUT MORE
SCHOLARLY OR SOCIAL ISSUES.

THAT WAS A WAY HE KEPT IN TOUCH
WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE

AND SPARKED SOME REALLY
IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS.

Narrator: BUT BEHIND THE PUBLIC FACE
HE SHOWS TO HIS ACADEMIC COLLEAGUE,

JIM AUNE
IS A DEEPLY PRIVATE PERSON...

A MAN OF SECRETS

WHO ONLY SHARES WITH OTHERS
WHAT HE WANTS THEM TO SEE.

IT SEEMS VERY INTERESTING TO ME

THAT JIM KEPT HIS WORLD
SEPARATE IN A WAY.

Stob: I THINK HE WAS PRETTY
SELECTIVE AND CAREFUL

ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD TALK ABOUT

AND WHAT HE WOULDN'T TALK
ABOUT WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

Narrator: ONE THING JIM IS VERY
OPEN ABOUT IS HIS HOME LIFE...

HIS MARRIAGE TO MIRIAM
AND HIS TWO SONS, NICK AND DAN.

HONEY!
I'M HOME!

AT LAST!

WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?

UGH. I'M SORRY.
I HAD SO MUCH TO DO.

IT'S JUST CRAZY.

Narrator: JIM AND MIRIAM
FIRST MET 21 YEARS AGO.

Miriam:
I WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT,

AND HE WAS A VISITING PROFESSOR.

AND I HAD BEEN KIND OF ASSIGNED
TO HIM AS, YOU KNOW,

GET HIM AN APARTMENT,
MAKE SURE HE'S HAPPY,

AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING,
WHICH I DID.

AND THEN THE MORE WE TALKED,
THE MORE WE... TALKED,

AND THE MORE WE TALKED,

THE MORE WE THOUGHT,
"WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE,

'CAUSE I REALLY CAN'T TAKE
A COURSE FROM YOU

WHILE WE'RE DATING,"
YOU KNOW?

WE STARTED DATING,

AND WE WERE ENGAGED BY AUGUST
AND MARRIED BY DECEMBER.

JIM AND I BOTH HAD PhDs
IN RHETORIC,

AND I HAD TAUGHT FOR TWO YEARS

UNTIL OUR FIRST CHILD
WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM.

OKAY, YOU HANG ON TO THAT.

Miriam: AND THEN WE HAD
OUR SECOND CHILD

AND THEN A YEAR LATER FOUND OUT
THAT HE ALSO HAD AUTISM,

SO I SAID, "YOU'RE GONNA
HAVE TO MAKE THE MONEY.

I'M GONNA TAKE CARE
OF THE KIDS."

[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]

DID YOU CALL THE PLUMBER
TODAY, JIM?

NO, I DID NOT CALL
THE PLUMBER TODAY.

JIM WAS LIKE,
"I CAN'T TALK TO THEM."

HE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

YOU KNOW, HE COULDN'T
SOLVE THIS WITH PAPER AND PEN,

THE WAY
HE SOLVED MOST OF HIS PROBLEMS.

AND I THINK IT WAS
EXTREMELY HARD ON HIM.

AND HE WAS A LITTLE EMBARRASSED,
I THINK, ABOUT THE BOYS.

Narrator:
COPING WITH HIS SONS' AUTISM

HAS FORCED JIM
TO MAKE DIFFICULT LIFE CHOICES.

JIM HAD TOLD ME THAT HE
WAS A RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC

AND HE WAS NO LONGER DRINKING.

HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE THING
THAT HELPED WITH HIS SOBRIETY

WAS HIS TWO BOYS AND HIS BOYS
BEING AUTISTIC, NICK AND DAN.

AND SO TO HAVE HIS BOYS
THAT NEEDED SUCH CARE

MADE HIM PUT SOMETHING ELSE
IN FRONT OF HIMSELF.

Narrator: NOW AGED 16 AND 18,
CARING FOR DAN AND NICK

IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE
FOR THE COUPLE.

AND RECENTLY, JIM'S BEEN HIT
WITH SOME WORRYING NEWS.

I ALWAYS INSISTED
THAT HE HAVE A YEARLY PHYSICAL,

WHETHER HE WANTED TO OR NOT.

AND OUR FAMILY PHYSICIAN
DID THE, YOU KNOW,

"TURN YOUR HEAD AND COUGH" EXAM,

AND WAS JUST CONCERNED

THAT HIS PROSTATE WAS
SO LARGE,

WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY CANCER,
BUT IT CAN BE.

SO HE SENT HIM TO THE UROLOGIST.

I GUESS
I'LL FINISH UP MYSELF.

Narrator: AS JIM WAITS TO LEARN
WHETHER HE HAS PROSTATE CANCER,

HE'S PLANNED A VISIT TO
THE NEARBY UNIVERSITY OF AUSTIN.

GOT YOUR WALLET, HONEY?

YES, I DO.

HE'S TOLD MIRIAM

THE TRIP IS FOR RESEARCH
AT THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.

THE TEXAS A&M LIBRARY
IS REALLY QUITE GOOD,

BUT JUST HAD DIFFERENT THINGS

THAN THE TEXAS AUSTIN
LIBRARY HAD.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE?

[ SIGHS ] Y-YEAH.
OKAY.

GOOD.
DRIVE SAFELY.

OKAY.
I'LL CALL YOU WHEN I GET THERE.

[ ENGINE TURNS OVER ]

THANKS.

BYE, YOU GUYS.

JIM WAS EXTREMELY PRIVATE,

EVEN IN HIS MOST INTIMATE
RELATIONSHIPS...

EVEN WITH MIRIAM.

Narrator: AND CONTRARY
TO WHAT HE'S TOLD MIRIAM,

JIM'S TRIP TO AUSTIN HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH ACADEMIC RESEARCH.

I THINK THE VERY SYMBOLIC WEIGHT
OF THE PROSTATE-CANCER TEST

WAS HANGING OVER HIM
RIGHT FROM THE START.

HE NEEDED TO RECOVER A SENSE
OF VITALITY AND LIFE,

AND HE WAS GONNA
DO THAT SEXUALLY

AND GO OUT
AND HAVE FUN AS A GUY.

WHEN JIM RETURNS HOME,

MIRIAM IMMEDIATELY SENSES
SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE PLUMBER,
OKAY?

HE WAS DEFINITELY NOT HIMSELF.

IS EVERYTHING OKAY,
HONEY?

ABOUT 10 MINUTES
BEFORE HE WAS LEAVING FOR CLASS,

HE SAID, "WHEN I WENT TO AUSTIN,
I WENT TO BED WITH A MAN.

SORRY. GOT TO GO TEACH."

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS
LATER.

AND HE LEFT.

IT WAS A DEVASTATING MOMENT.

Narrator: IT'S NOT UNTIL JIM'S
HOME FROM WORK LATER THAT EVENING

THAT MIRIAM IS ABLE TO CONFRONT
HIM ABOUT HIS WEEKEND IN AUSTIN.

WHY DON'T YOU
SAY SOMETHING?!

HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD MET
A MAN IN AUSTIN THE WEEK BEFORE.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING
THAT I PLANNED...

OH, YOU DIDN'T PLAN IT?!

OH, BOY,
THAT'S JUST GREAT!

...AND THEY HAD BEEN
COMMUNICATING THAT WHOLE WEEK,

WHICH I HAD NO IDEA,

AND HE WENT BACK,
THEY MET UP,

THEY WENT TO A HOTEL,
THEY DID THEIR THING,

AND THEN HE CAME BACK HOME

BECAUSE, OF COURSE,
HE WAS VERY GUILTY.

OH, DON'T EVEN THINK
ABOUT TOUCHING ME.

DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.

THE ONE THING THAT WE HAD SAID
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED DATING

AND WHEN WE WERE FIRST MARRIED

WAS THAT THAT WAS
THE ONE THING

WE WERE NEVER GONNA DO.

WHY DON'T YOU JUST ADMIT
THAT YOU'RE GAY AND GET OVER IT?

I DON'T KNOW
THAT I'M GAY.

SO HE SAID
WHAT HE WANTED IN HIS LIFE

WAS IF HE COULD HAVE OUR FAMILY

AND THEN HE COULD GO BE
WITH MEN ON THE SIDE.

I LOVE YOU.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE CAN'T...

WE CAN'T JUST HAVE THIS.

AND I SAID, "OKAY.
I'M A VERY SIMPLE GIRL.

YOU KNOW, I WANT ALL OF YOU
ON MY SIDE OF THE FENCE."

Narrator: MIRIAM IS STILL
REELING FROM JIM'S BOMBSHELL

WHEN THE COUPLE RECEIVE
EVEN MORE UPSETTING NEWS...

THE RESULT OF JIM'S
PROSTATE BIOPSY.

I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE
TO BE MAD AT HIM.

AND I THINK I HAD A RIGHT
TO BE MAD AT HIM,

THAT HE DID THIS AFTER... WHAT,

21 YEARS OF MARRIAGE.

BECAUSE ON THAT WEDNESDAY
AFTER THAT MONDAY,

WE GOT THE CALL
THAT HE HAD PROSTATE CANCER.

IN THE WAKE OF HIS DIAGNOSIS,

JIM NOW PROMISES MIRIAM
HIS GAY FLING IN AUSTIN

WAS JUST A ONE-NIGHT STAND
THAT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

WELL, HONEY,
IT'S NOT...

IN RETURN,
AS HE FACES THE PROSPECT

OF SURGERY
AND GRUELING CANCER TREATMENT...

- I'M SCARED.
- OH, SWEETIE...

...MIRIAM DECIDES SHE MUST STICK
BY HER HUSBAND.

WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH STUFF
BEFORE.

YOU KNOW THAT.

IT'S VERY HARD
TO YELL AT SOMEONE

WHO'S JUST GOTTEN
A DIAGNOSIS OF CANCER.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAGNITUDE
OF FACING CANCER,

VERSUS, YOU KNOW,
WHATEVER THAT WAS,

THAT SEEMS VERY LITTLE.

YOU KNOW?
AND CANCER LOOMS LARGE.

Narrator: BUT JIM FINDS HE CAN'T
EASILY FORGET THE FEELINGS

HE DISCOVERED IN AUSTIN,

AND SOON HIS DARK IMPULSES

THREATEN TO DESTROY
EVERYTHING HE HOLDS DEAR.

Narrator: IN JANUARY 2008,

FOLLOWING AN OPERATION
TO REMOVE HIS PROSTATE,

DOCTORS TELL JIM AUNE
HE IS CANCER-FREE.

HE WAS SO LUCKY,
BECAUSE THE CANCER

WAS COMPLETELY CONTAINED
IN THE PROSTATE.

THIS ONE NASTY,
LITTLE THING GOT TAKEN OUT.

I WAS SO HAPPY
HE WASN'T GOING TO DIE.

'CAUSE I FIGURED, AS LONG
AS HE'S THERE, THERE'S HOPE.

Narrator: STILL, ONE ASPECT
OF JIM'S LIFE POST-CANCER

WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT.

AS A RESULT OF HIS SURGERY,

HE WILL BE UNABLE
TO GET AN ERECTION.

THE THREAT OF PROSTATE CANCER IS
ENORMOUSLY DISTURBING TO A MAN.

IT CARRIES SYMBOLIC WEIGHT

THAT GOES WAY
BEYOND JUST HAVING CANCER.

Jim: HEY. IT'S ME.

LISTEN, I'M GONNA HAVE TO WORK
A LITTLE LATE TONIGHT, OKAY?

I GOT A TON OF MARKING TO DO.

Narrator: THROUGH JIM'S
SEX DRIVE REMAINS UNCHANGED,

HE MUST COME TO TERMS

WITH THE FACT THAT THE DAYS
OF AN ACTIVE SEX LIFE

ARE EFFECTIVELY OVER.

HE COULD GO ON THE INTERNET
AND START EXPERIMENTING.

I THINK HE ALSO REALIZED, "OH.

I CAN RE-EXPERIENCE
WHAT HAPPENED IN AUSTIN

IN A SORT OF SAFE, CONTROLLED
CIRCUMSTANCE OF SOME KIND."

AND I THINK
THAT WAS ENORMOUSLY EXCITING.

Narrator: JIM SPENDS MORE AND MORE
TIME IN ONLINE GAY CHAT ROOMS,

WHERE HE USES THE NAME
"TEXAS TOP."

McConnell:
I THINK THAT THE INTERNET

WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
FOR HIM,

BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE ON IT,

WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALONE,

AND AT THE SAME TIME,

WE'RE IN THE COMPANY
OF IMAGINARY OTHERS.

Miriam: IT GOT THE POINT WHERE HE
WOULD COME HOME FROM WORKING...

HI, HONEY!

Miriam:
HEY. HOW WAS YOUR DAY?

...AND HE WOULD GO
TO THE COMPUTER.

I GOT ABOUT AN HOUR'S WORK
TO DO.

OH, OKAY.

AND HE WOULD BE THERE
UNTIL BED.

AND IT JUST
GOT WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE.

Narrator:
AS THE YEARS PASS,

MIRIAM HAS NO IDEA OF WHAT JIM
REALLY GETS UP TO IN HIS STUDY,

AS HIS ONLINE SEX LIFE

BEGINS MOVING IN A VERY
SPECIFIC DIRECTION.

McConnell: HE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN
LOOKING FOR TRANSGENDERED WOMEN.

AND I THINK HE WAS INTERESTED
IN SOMEONE

WITH THAT EXTREMELY EXPRESSIVE
FEMININITY.

Narrator: IN DECEMBER 2012,

JIM BEGINS CHATTING TO SOMEONE
IN A TRANSGENDERED CHAT ROOM,

WHO IMMEDIATELY
GRABS HIS ATTENTION.

HER ONLINE NAME
IS PRETTY-GURL1985.

BUT SHE SOON TELLS JIM
HER REAL NAME IS KAREN.

KAREN PRESENTS HERSELF
TO JIM ONLINE

AS AN 18-YEAR-OLD
TRANSGENDERED GIRL.

AND HE'S IMMEDIATELY INTRIGUED.

AND IN THIS CASE, WITH KAREN,

SOMETHING REAL
DEVELOPS BETWEEN THEM.

THAT WAS THE POWER
OF THE INTERNET FOR JIM.

HE COULD START TO CONFESS
IN A WAY

HE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE
TO DO WITH A REAL PERSON.

HE WAS ABLE TO DO IT ONLINE.

THEY BEGAN TO TELL TRUTHS
ABOUT THEMSELVES.

AND IN KAREN'S CASE,

ONE OF THE TRUTHS WAS
THAT SHE WAS IN FACT 16, NOT 18.

Narrator: SEXUAL CONTACT
WITH A MINOR IS ILLEGAL,

BUT JIM IS HOOKED.

McConnell: I THINK JIM
WAS THREE TIMES OLDER THAN HER,

AND, YOU KNOW,

FOR HER TO SORT OF REACH
OUT TO HIM

AND REACH OUT SINCERELY...

APPARENTLY VERY SINCERELY...

IT WAS INTOXICATING.

THIS WAS A FORM OF ESCAPE.

HE WANTED TO BELIEVE
THAT THIS WAS POSSIBLE.

HE WANTED TO BELIEVE
THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH HIM.

AND SO IT SEEMED RIGHT.

McConnell: GRADUALLY THEY BECAME
MORE AND MORE EXPLICIT

IN THEIR DISCUSSION.

AND THEY TALKED ABOUT EXCHANGING
NAKED PICTURES OF EACH OTHER.

AND THEY DID.

Narrator: EXCHANGING NUDE PHOTOS
WITH A MINOR IS AGAINST THE LAW.

JIM KNOWS HE'S PLAYING
WITH FIRE, RISKING HIS JOB,

HIS MARRIAGE, EVEN PRISON.

McConnell:
HE WOULD BE KEENLY,

KEENLY AWARE OF THE RISKS
INVOLVED WITH AN UNDERAGE GIRL,

OF THE THREAT TO HIS PROFESSION,

AND ALSO THE OBEDIENCE
TO THE LAW.

[ PHONE RINGS ]

HELLO?

MAN: Stay away from my daughter,
you sick perv.

- WHO IS THIS?
- She's only 16.

WHO IS THIS?

[ Dial tone ]

[ DOOR CLOSES ]

HI.

McConnell:
I IMAGINE HE JUST WAS PETRIFIED.

IT WAS THE SCARIEST THING
THAT HAD EVER HAPPENED TO HIM.

Narrator:
JIM TRIES TO ERASE THE RECORD

OF HIS COMMUNICATION
WITH KAREN FROM HIS COMPUTER.

IT WAS LIKE A REAL FIST
REACHING OUT OF THE INTERNET.

AREN'T YOU EVEN
GOING TO SAY HELLO?

GET OUT!

I THINK HE, YOU KNOW,
FEARED FOR HIS CAREER,

FOR HIS DIGNITY, FOR HIS FUTURE.

HE PROBABLY FEARED
GOING TO JAIL.

Narrator: BUT IT ISN'T LONG BEFORE
KAREN'S FATHER IS IN TOUCH AGAIN...

...THIS TIME WRITING
FROM HER E-MAIL ADDRESS.

McConnell:
JIM TOOK IT UTTERLY SERIOUSLY.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,
HIS FEAR WAS INTENSE AND REAL.

THE FATHER
WANTS TO HEAL HIS DAUGHTER

FROM THIS TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE
OF BEING INVOLVED WITH JIM

AND HE TAKES THIS POSITION

OF BEING BOTH DISGUSTED
AND AN OUTRAGED FATHER.

Narrator:
JIM DECIDES HE HAS NO OPTION

BUT TO AGREE
TO KAREN'S FATHER'S DEMAND.

WHILE CAREFULLY KEEPING UP
THE APPEARANCE OF LIFE AS USUAL,

SOMEHOW, FROM SOMEWHERE, HE
KNOWS HE HAS TO FIND THE MONEY.

THERE WERE FINANCIAL
DIFFICULTIES AT MANY TIMES.

I REMEMBER JIM TALKING AT TIMES

ABOUT HOW MEDICATION OR CARE
FOR THE BOYS

WAS JUST EATING AWAY
AT THEIR FINANCES,

AND THAT WAS VERY STRESSFUL,

AS MONEY ISSUES
ALWAYS ARE FOR COUPLES.

Narrator: IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG
FOR KAREN'S FATHER

TO TELL JIM EXACTLY
HOW MUCH HE WANTS

AND TO MAKE CLEAR
THE CONSEQUENCES OF NON-PAYMENT.

McConnell: I THINK JIM
WAS FRANTIC AT THAT POINT.

I THINK HE MUST HAVE BEEN,

BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING
TO RAISE MONEY,

HE WAS TRYING
TO KEEP IT ALL SECRET.

Narrator: TERRIFIED
HIS ILLICIT ONLINE RELATIONSHIP

WITH 16-YEAR-OLD KAREN
IS ABOUT TO BE EXPOSED,

JIM IS LIKE A TRAPPED ANIMAL
WITH NO WAY OUT.

Narrator:
JIM AUNE NEEDS TO FIND $5,000

TO PAY FOR THE THERAPY
OF A 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL

HE SENT EXPLICIT PHOTOGRAPHS TO,

OR FACE HAVING HIS ONLINE
RELATIONSHIP WITH HER EXPOSED.

A RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC,

JIM'S OLD DEMONS RETURN
TO HAUNT HIM WITH A VENGEANCE.

TEXAS A&M
IS PRETTY CONSERVATIVE,

AND ONE OF THE THINGS IT IS MOST
CONSERVATIVE ABOUT IS,

THERE IS NO ALCOHOL ON CAMPUS.

PERIOD.

HE WAS REALLY LOSING IT,
BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY ON CAMPUS
KNOWS THAT.

THAT'S JUST ONE
OF THE TRADITIONS HERE.

IT'S A DRY CAMPUS.

Narrator: FACED WITH KAREN'S
FATHER'S FINANCIAL DEMANDS,

JIM HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO RAID
WHAT LITTLE SAVINGS THEY HAVE.

McConnell: HE WAS TRYING
TO KEEP IT ALL SECRET,

AND MIRIAM WAS IN CHARGE
OF FINANCES IN THEIR FAMILY,

SO, YOU KNOW, HE HAD TO
SOMEHOW GET THE MONEY

WITHOUT TIPPING OFF MIRIAM.

THE FATHER TOLD HIM THAT THE WAY
THE MONEY WAS TO BE PAID

WAS ON A GREEN DOT BANK CARD...

...MUCH LIKE A PREPAID
PHONE CARD,

ANYTHING YOU CAN ADD MONEY TO.

AND HE PROVIDED PROFESSOR AUNE
WITH PIN NUMBERS

TO USE TO LOAD MONEY
ONTO THESE CARDS.

HIS RESPONSES WERE VERY SINCERE.

HE REFERENCED THAT HE WAS DOING

THE BEST HE COULD TO GET HIM
THE MONEY AS SOON AS HE COULD,

AND HE BELIEVED
THAT THIS WOULD END

ONCE HE MADE THESE PAYMENTS.

Narrator:
WITHOUT TELLING MIRIAM,

JIM MANAGES TO SCRAPE
TOGETHER $1,500

OF THE $5,000
HE'S BEEN ASKED FOR.

Zack: PROFESSOR AUNE
TURNS OVER $1,500,

AND AT THAT POINT
INDICATES TO KAREN'S FATHER,

"I'M HAVING TROUBLE GETTING
THE REST OF THE MONEY.

I WILL DO MY BEST
TO GET IT TO YOU."

Narrator: JIM KNOWS HE'S ONLY
GOT UNTIL THE NEW YEAR

TO FIND THE $3,500 HE'S PROMISED
KAREN'S FATHER,

OR FACE THE THREAT
OF BEING EXPOSED.

WE STARTED TO FIND LOTS
OF HIDDEN CACHES OF ALCOHOL.

AND HIS CAR WAS MORE AND MORE
FULL OF EMPTY CANS.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ]

Narrator:
AS SOON AS JANUARY ARRIVES,

KAREN'S FATHER
IMMEDIATELY TEXTS AGAIN.

Zack: AT THAT POINT,

THE RESPONSES START COMING
IN FROM KAREN'S FATHER,

VERY AGGRESSIVE.

HE CALLS HIM ALL SORTS OF NAMES.

"HOW DO YOU THINK THE A&M
COMMUNITY IS GONNA TAKE

TO YOUR TALKING
TO MY TRANSGENDERED DAUGHTER

AND SENDING
OBSCENE PHOTOGRAPHS?"

AND HE JUST GETS

MORE AND MORE AGGRESSIVE
WITH THE PROFESSOR.

McConnell: HE WAS DESPERATE.

HE WAS, YOU KNOW,
COLLAPSING UNDER THE PRESSURE.

HE'D RETURNED
TO VERY HEAVY DRINKING.

CLEARLY HE WAS
IN A DOWNWARD SPIRAL,

AND A RATHER DANGEROUS ONE.

Narrator:
UNABLE TO FIND THE MONEY,

JIM'S DESPAIR
DRIVES HIM TO BREAKING POINT.

Miriam:
I LOOKED, AND I SAW...

IT WAS A PICTURE
OF ME IN MY WEDDING DRESS

THAT HE'S ALWAYS KEPT
ON HIS DESK AT WORK.

BUT IT WAS WRAPPED UP
IN A PIECE OF LINED PAPER.

AND... IT WAS A SUICIDE NOTE.

Narrator: MIRIAM IMMIDIATELY
RUSHED TO THE CAR PARK.

HOPING THAT SHE WASN'T TOO LATE.

AND JIM HADN'T CARRIED OUT
HIS SUICIDE THREAT.

JIM!

AW, JIM.

AW, SWEETIE.

AND I SAID,
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

I'M SO SORRY. I'M SO SORRY.

NO, NO.

AND THAT'S WHEN HE TOLD ME
WHAT WAS GOING ON

WITH THE INTERNET THING

THAT HE HAD GOTTEN
INVOLVED IN.

I WAS... I'VE BEEN CHATTING
WITH THIS...

TRANSGENDERED WOMAN ONLINE.

WHAT?

AND JIM SAID THAT HE HAD ALREADY
SENT THIS MAN OUR HOUSE PAYMENT

TO PAY HIM OFF.

HE WANTS MONEY FOR THERAPY.

WELL,
YOU DIDN'T GIVE HIM ANY.

AND AT 5:00 ON THAT WEDNESDAY,

HE WAS EXPECTING ANOTHER PAYMENT
OF ANOTHER $1,500.

AND I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?"

SHE'S ONLY 16.

WHAT?!

AND I SAT THERE FOR A MINUTE,

AND I STARTED LAUGHING...

BECAUSE IT WAS THE MOST
RIDICULOUS THING

I HAD EVER HEARD.

I DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO.

IF THEY HAD DONE THIS
ON AN EPISODE OF "LAW & ORDER,"

HE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN HUFFY
AND GOTTEN OUT OF THE ROOM

'CAUSE IT WAS SO STUPID.

NO, WE NEED TO FIND
SOME MONEY!

- JIM. JIM, LISTEN TO ME.
- I'M SORRY.

LISTEN TO ME.
LISTEN TO ME.

BUT JIM WAS
IN SUCH A DEMENTED FRAME OF MIND

FROM THE ALCOHOL
AND THE EMOTIONAL THINGS AND...

AND SO I SAID, "WELL, UH,

HE'S GONNA BE WAITING
A WHOLE LONG TIME,

'CAUSE HE'S NOT GETTING
ANOTHER DIME FROM YOU."

JIM.

Narrator: TO MIRIAM, IT'S
OBVIOUS THAT JIM IS THE VICTIM

OF A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT
AT BLACKMAIL.

YES, I-I CALLED
EARLIER ABOUT MY HUSBAND, JIM.

NOW THAT SHE
KNOWS HIS DARK SECRET,

SHE TAKES CHARGE,

FORBIDDING HIM FROM ANY FURTHER
CONTACT WITH KAREN'S FATHER.

NO, NO.

THINGS AREN'T GOOD.

YEAH, THE LAWYER'S, UH,
THE LAWYER'S GONNA CALL BACK.

I HAVE A LAWYER, AND HE SAID,
"WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE.

"WE'RE GOT TO PROTECT HIM.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE
HE'S OKAY."

YEAH, YEAH.
ARE YOU AROUND TODAY?

Narrator: WITH THE HELP OF
JIM'S CLOSEST FRIENDS AT WORK,

SHE ARRANGES FOR HIM TO TAKE
A BREAK FROM THE UNIVERSITY,

GIVING JIM THE CHANCE TO RECOVER

AWAY FROM HIS BLACKMAILER'S
TAUNTS.

I KEPT TELLING HIM,
"THIS GUY IS PUNY.

HE'S A GNAT.

THIS IS NOT SOMEBODY
WHO CAN TAKE YOU DOWN.

IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN."

Narrator:
WITH HIS LEAVE OF ABSENCE

SCHEDULED TO BEGIN
IN JUST A FEW DAYS' TIME,

JIM SEEMS TO HAVE TURNED
A CORNER.

UNTIL THE MESSAGES FROM KAREN'S
FATHER START POURING IN AGAIN.

IT WAS "TING" AFTER "TING"
AFTER "TING" AFTER "TING."

[ CELLPHONE CHIMING ]

AND HIS HAND WOULD BE
VISIBLY SHAKING

AS HE WENT
TO JUST TURN THE PHONE OVER.

IT WAS LIKE THIS WAS GOING
TO BE THE MOST POWERFUL THING

THAT WAS GOING TO GET HIM
WAS LOOKING AT THIS TEXT.

HE STILL BELIEVED THE STORY,
YOU KNOW,

AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO LET GO
OF WHAT HE BELIEVED.

Stob: JIM WAS SORT OF CAREFUL
TO MANAGE HIS PUBLIC PERSONA.

IF ALL THESE DETAILS
ALL OF A SUDDEN CAME OUT,

HE NO LONGER HAD CONTROL
OF THAT.

I THINK ULTIMATELY THAT WAS THE
MOST TERRIFYING THING TO JIM,

IS THAT HE WOULD LOSE CONTROL
OF HIS PUBLIC FACE.

Narrator: WHEN JIM ARRIVES AT
WORK THE NEXT DAY,

IT IS TO LEARN
THAT KAREN'S FATHER

HAS FOLLOWED THROUGH
ON HIS THREAT.

JIM.

JIM.

JIM, YOU'VE HAD
TWO PHONE MESSAGES.

IT'S SOMETHING TO DO WITH
A SEXUAL ASSAULT ON A STUDENT.

NO MORE CALLS
FROM THIS AREA CODE.

- DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
- I UNDERSTAND.

OKAY.

OKAY, I'M GONNA TAKE CARE
OF THIS.

OKAY, OKAY.
GOOD.

CAN TALK ABOUT PROFESSORS
AND TEACHERS AT UNIVERSITIES,

AND, I GUESS, EXCHANGE COMMENTS
AND RATE THEM.

SUDDENLY,
THERE WAS THIS LITTLE COMMENT

ON A WEBSITE RATING TEACHERS
PUBLICLY.

Narrator:
THOUGH IT'S JUST ONE BRIEF LINE,

IT'S A LOADED ONE
ON A VERY PUBLIC WEBSITE.

AND TO JIM, THE THREAT
IT REPRESENTS IS ALL TOO CLEAR.

I THINK THAT WAS THE STRAW

THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK
FOR HIM.

BECAUSE THAT WAS HIS WORLD
WHERE HE WAS THE, YOU KNOW,

THE GREAT RHETORICIAN
IN CHARGE OF HIS PERSONA.

Miriam:
I THINK IT WAS ONE THING

FOR HIM TO BE ASHAMED
OF WHAT HE HAD DONE.

[ ELEVATOR BELL DINGS ]

BUT IT WAS A WHOLE
DIFFERENT THING

OF OTHER PEOPLE
KNOWING WHAT HE DID...

...AND THEN HAVING TO LIVE WITH
THAT KNOWLEDGE BEING OUT THERE.

[ DINGING ]

I JUST THINK THAT WAS MORE
THAN HE COULD LIVE WITH.

NICK COMES IN, AND HE SAYS,
"MOM, THERE'S POLICE HERE."

SO I GET OUT OF BED.

I DON'T EVEN REALIZE
I'M STILL IN MY PAJAMAS.

AND THAT'S WHEN THEY SAID,

"ARE YOU RELATED TO"...

I THINK WAS HOW THEY PUT IT.

"ARE YOU RELATED TO JIM AUNE?"

AND I SAID, "WELL, YEAH.
HE'S MY HUSBAND."

[ Voice breaking ]
NO.

MA'AM,
WE'D LIKE TO STEP INSIDE.

NO!

I LET OUT THIS "ROWL."

I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHERE THIS SOUND CAME FROM.

IT WAS NOT A SCREAM.

IT WAS SOMETHING
WAY MORE PRIMAL.

AND I JUST COLLAPSED.

Narrator: JIM HAD TAKEN HIS ONLINE.

THE HUNT FOR HIS TORMENTOR
WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

Narrator:
ON JANUARY 8, 2013,

PROFESSOR JIM AUNE
COMMITTED SUICIDE

AFTER HIS ONLINE RELATIONSHIP
WITH A TRANSGENDERED GIRL

WAS ABOUT TO BE MADE PUBLIC
BY HIS BLACKMAILER.

WHEN POLICE
RECOVERED JIM'S CELLPHONE,

THEY ARE ABLE TO ACCESS
HIS VOICEMAILS,

WHICH INCLUDE
A THREATENING MESSAGE

FROM KAREN'S FATHER.

I PROMISE YOU,
I GOT MORE THAN ENOUGH STUFF

TO SEND TO THE SCHOOL
AND SEND IT TO THE POLICE...

WHOEVER I NEED TO SEND IT TO.

I'LL SEND IT
TO ALL YOUR STUDENTS.

I DON'T CARE.

Narrator:
THE MESSAGE'S MENACING TONE

IMMEDIATELY SUGGESTS JIM'S
SUICIDE WAS MOTIVATED BY FEAR.

THE POLICE GET ON HIS COMPUTER
AT A&M,

AND THEY FIND SOME
OF THE EXCHANGES AND THE E-MAILS

THAT TIE BACK
TO AN E-MAIL ADDRESS.

Narrator: BY RECOVERING
JIM'S E-MAILS AND TEXTS,

INVESTIGATORS ARE SOON ABLE
TO MAKE THE CONNECTION

BETWEEN KAREN, HER FATHER,
AND HIS DEMANDS FOR MONEY.

WHENEVER YOU'RE DEALING
WITH COMPUTER FORENSIC EVIDENCE,

THERE ARE CHALLENGES,
BECAUSE EVEN PEOPLE

WITH A RUDIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE
OF THE INTERNET

KNOW THAT YOU CAN
CREATE PERSONAS

AND CREATE E-MAILS
TO MATCH THOSE PERSONAS.

AND SO
KAREN'S FATHER HAD TAKEN STEPS

TO CREATE E-MAIL ADDRESSES

TO MATCH THESE PERSONAS.

Narrator:
STILL, THERE IS ONE SOLID CLUE

THEY ARE ABLE TO ACT UPON.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS
IN A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IS,

FOLLOW THE MONEY.

AND THE MONEY LEADS THEM
TO THE GREEN DOT ACCOUNT.

SO THEY TRACE THE USE
OF THE GREEN DOT CARD

TO A TRANSACTION AT A LOWE'S,
A HOME-IMPROVEMENT STORE.

THEY OBTAIN SECURITY FOOTAGE,

AND NOW THEY KNOW "THIS IS
THE PERSON WE ARE LOOKING FOR."

DETECTIVE OHANA.

YES. YEAH.
DO YOU HAVE A NAME?

WHAT WE FOUND OUT
WAS THAT A MAN NAMED DUPLAISIR

WAS, IN FACT, THE PERSON

COMMITTING THE EXTORTION
OF PROFESSOR AUNE.

DANIEL DUPLAISIR.
HOW ARE YOU SPELLING THAT?

DUPLAISIR DOES IN FACT
HAVE A DAUGHTER.

THE DAUGHTER IS INTERVIEWED.

ALL RIGHT.
DO YOU HAVE AN ADDRESS?

Narrator: WHAT THE DAUGHTER REVEALS IS SHOCKING.
HER NAME ISN'T KAREN, BUT SCARLETT.

SHE HAS NEVER HEARD OF JIM AUNE

AND HAS NEVER HAD ANY CONTACT
WITH HIM.

THERE WAS NO KAREN.

THERE WAS NO KAREN'S FATHER.

ALL OF THESE CHARACTERS

WERE FIGMENTS
OF DUPLAISIR'S IMAGINATION.

BUT THEY WERE VERY REAL
TO PROFESSOR AUNE.

Miriam: YOU KNOW,
WHAT DUPLAISIR DID WAS,

HE READ JIM VERY WELL.

HE READ THAT "THIS IS SOMEONE

WHO DOES NOT WANT
THIS TO BECOME PUBLIC.

AND THIS IS SOMEONE
THAT I CAN KEEP BLEEDING

FOR A VERY LONG TIME."

Narrator: WHEN INVESTIGATORS

RUN DUPLAISIR'S NAME
THROUGH THE POLICE DATABASE,

THEY COME UP
WITH A DISTURBING REVELATION.

HE HAS A RECORD FOR SEXUALLY
ABUSING HIS OWN DAUGHTER.

AND DUPLAISIR
HAD FORCED HER TO POSE

FOR THE EXPLICIT PHOTOGRAPHS
HE HAD USED TO LURE JIM AUNE.

IT'S INCREDIBLY SAD,

AND IT'S DEMONSTRATIVE
OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN ONLINE.

PEOPLE HAVE FULL-BLOWN
RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDIVIDUALS

THAT THEY NEVER SEE,
THAT THEY NEVER SPEAK TO.

AND SO ANYONE CAN BE ANYONE.

NOW IN HIGH-DEFINITION
FROM THE NEWS LEADER...

Narrator: IN MARCH 2013,

DANIEL DUPLAISIR IS ARRESTED.

GOOD EVENING.
A MAN CONVICTED OF BLACKMAILING

A TEXAS A&M PROFESSOR WILL BE
IN FEDERAL COURT

IN HOUSTON TOMORROW FOR THE
SENTENCING PHASE OF HIS TRIAL.

DANIEL DUPLAISIR PLEADED GUILTY
TO ONE COUNT OF EXTORTION...

Narrator: DUPLAISIR IS SENTENCED
TO A YEAR IN FEDERAL PRISON.

WE ALL HAVE OUR STRUGGLES.

WE ALL HAVE OUR FLAWS.

AND I WISH THAT I COULD HAVE
BEEN THERE TO DO SOMETHING.

I WISH THAT HE WOULD HAVE
SHARED...

PERHAPS NOT EVERYTHING, RIGHT?

BUT CERTAIN THINGS THAT I COULD
HAVE BEEN A SUPPORT SYSTEM.

SINCE HE DIDN'T SHARE,
I COULDN'T SUPPORT HIM.

Stob: JIM WAS BRILLIANT.

HE WAS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.

HE WAS A GENIUS
IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

BUT THAT DIDN'T MEAN

HE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT
OF DIFFERENT PROBLEMS.

IT DIDN'T MEAN HE DIDN'T HAVE
THE DARK CORNERS OF HIS LIFE.

AND I THINK IT'S GOOD
TO REMEMBER THAT.

FOR ALL THE PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS
JIM HAD,

HE STRUGGLED WITH A LOT.

AND IT'S TRAGIC.

IT'S SAD.

HE HAD MADE THIS WORLD

STARTING WITH THE BLOGGING

AND THEN GOING TO FACEBOOK

AND THEN TO THE VARIOUS
SEXUAL WEBSITES

AND ALL OF THAT.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THIS INTERNET THAT WAS HIS
FANTASY REALM BECAME VERY REAL.

AND I THINK THAT...

MADE ALL OF THOSE WORLDS
COLLAPSE IN ON HIM,

'CAUSE IT WASN'T GONNA
BE FUN ANYMORE.

IT WASN'T GONNA BE FANTASY
ANYMORE.

AND THAT WAS THE END FOR HIM.