March 31, 2025 • 68 mins
In this powerful episode, Juror #11 takes listeners through the final, weighty moments of the trial for Jasmine Pace. After eight days of evidence, testimony, and deliberation, the jury returns to the courtroom to deliver its verdict. But the journey isn’t over. The jury must reconvene to determine Chen’s fate—whether he will be eligible for parole or spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Sara describes the complexities of the sentencing phase, from Jason Chen’s mother’s heartbreaking plea for mercy to the gut-wrenching victim impact statements delivered by Jasmine’s family. Jasmine’s sister, her cousin, and father each paint a vivid and haunting picture of the young woman whose life was short. They share memories of Jasmine’s kindness, her love for family, and her resilience through repeated grief and loss.
As the jury wrestles with their final decision, Sara reflects on the enormity of the task before them. The emotional toll of the trial and the responsibility to seek justice weigh heavily.
With meticulous detail and heartfelt reflection, Sara provides a firsthand account of what it’s like to serve as a juror in such a high-profile and emotionally charged case. This episode brings listeners inside the courtroom, into the jury room, and ultimately into the lasting impact of Jasmine Pace’s story.
Here is the blog for this episode on our website.
On our website, you can see more photos, videos, and blogs about each day of the trial, organized by episode. Go to SequesteredPod.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Steve, before we begin, pleasebe advised that this episode
contains graphic descriptions ofviolence as presented during the
trial. Please take care whilelistening. It's still Monday,
January, 20, 2025, day eight ofthe trial. But now things feel
different. The alternate jurorshad already been selected and
(00:25):
asked to leave the courtroom,exiled to their own alternate
jury room until further notice,four people who had been part of
our group, people we had eatenwith, shared rides with, walked
the depths of the earth withpeople who had laughed with us
side with us and silently heldthe weight of this case with us
(00:47):
for eight days. Suddenly theywere gone, dismissed, and it all
happened so fast. The rest ofus, those whose numbers weren't
called, just sat there watchingthem leave, it was a gut punch,
like a family suddenly beingsplit apart. I remember feeling
(01:08):
an ache in my stomach becausethose alternates weren't just
observers. They were just asinvested as the rest of us. They
had listened to the sametestimony, seen the same
evidence, and develop their ownopinions, but now the 16 of us
were down to 1212, people whowould carry the full weight of
(01:30):
this next decision. JudgePatterson didn't leave us much
time to process. He continuedright away, reading through our
final instructions, explainingthe legal framework we'd have to
follow the rules we'd need toabide by as we deliberate it, it
felt surreal. Everything we'dheard, everything we'd seen, was
(01:53):
now left for us to make senseof, and for the first time since
this trial began, we were goingto be allowed to speak freely.
We were allowed to form opinionsout loud, allowed to share our
thoughts, our doubts and ourconvictions. It was a big
moment, and I kept thinkingabout Jasmine, her texts, her
(02:16):
voice, her fear, and I wonderedif the rest of the jurors were
thinking about her too. Then thecourtroom stood and one by one,
each of us walked across thehall into the jury room. It was
time to deliberate on a verdict,but it felt like so much more
(02:37):
than that now. It felt likestepping into a place where all
the noise and chaos of the trialfaded away, where everything
came down to 12 people sittingaround a table confronting the
truth and trying to decidewhether justice could be found
in the wreckage of something soprofoundly wrong we were about
(02:59):
to find out if Any of us weretruly ready for what came next.
This is sequestered a juror'sperspective on the murder trial
for Jasmine pace. I'm Sarah,juror number 11 each episode,
(03:19):
I'll take you inside thecourtroom, behind the scenes and
into the weighty moments of thistrial as we honor Jasmine's life
and navigate the complexities ofseeking justice, let's Begin.
This is episode nine, theverdict and sentencing. You
(03:40):
Singh,
it was 4:12pm, when the juryroom door closed behind us. Just
before the bailiff Shut it, wewere instructed not to begin our
discussions until all 12 memberswere seated and present. Once we
(04:03):
were together, we were to selecta foreperson and begin our
deliberations. Upon arriving ata unanimous decision, each juror
would sign the official verdictstatement, and the foreperson
was instructed to flip on alight switch on the wall, which
would illuminate a light in thehallway, alerting the bailiff
that the jury had reached theirverdict. Court was adjourned.
(04:27):
While the jury was out, everyoneshuffled out for the evening, I
would imagine, likelyanticipating the long haul
inside the jury room. We weretruly on our own for the first
time, the room felt emptier thanbefore. With four fewer people
to fill the space, it wasstartling how much of a
(04:48):
difference that made withoutthem, the room seemed bigger,
quieter. We shuffled around likestrangers, waiting for a bus,
each of us taking turns using.The restroom, which oddly, was
the only truly private space anyof us had the entire week, a
chance to relieve ourselves,yes, but it was also a chance to
(05:11):
turn off the noise and take afew honest breaths, if only for
a couple of minutes. I lingereda bit longer than necessary this
time, my hands pressed againstthe counter top, breathing slow,
trying to quiet my nerves. Therestroom breaks stretched on
eight, maybe 10 minutes.Meanwhile, the four empty
(05:34):
alternate chairs were rolledaway from the large conference
table and into the hallway, asif we needed more room to
breathe. When we were allfinally seated, there was a
heaviness to it. The first thingwe had to do was choose a
foreperson, someone to speak onbehalf of the group. When the
verdict was ready, it quicklycame down to me and one other
(05:58):
juror. We both hesitated,dancing around the weight of the
responsibility no one wanted tobe the voice that would echo
into the courtroom deliveringwords that would shatter lives.
Eventually, juror number 15conceded, and the printed copy
of the official charges thatJudge Patterson had read from
(06:18):
was slid across the table tohim, I was okay with this move,
relieved honestly, it meant Ididn't have to risk fumbling
such weighty and important wordsin front of the court and the
two families who were anxiouslyawaiting very different results.
But it didn't take away from theweight I felt sitting at that
(06:39):
table all of these details, allof the evidence, all of the
testimony, every tax dollarspent bringing a sequestered
jury to Chattanooga, the localexpenses, the entire effort, it
all came down to one question,not if Jason Chen killed Jasmine
(07:00):
pace. We already knew he did.His own attorney admitted to
that on day one of the trial. Wedidn't even have to deliberate
on whether he abused a corpsethat was also admitted to. So
this whole thing practicallycame down to one word,
premeditation. Remember, therewere six possible verdicts
(07:23):
related to Jasmine's death,ranging from first degree
premeditated murder tocriminally negligent homicide,
and there was a second, separatecharge of abuse of a corpse. For
each charge, we had to reach aunanimous decision, starting
with the first charge of firstdegree premeditated murder. If
(07:45):
we couldn't unanimously agree onpremeditated murder, then we
were to move on to the nextcharge down and so on until a
consensus was found. The foremanstarted with a show of hands.
Who thinks Jason Chen is guiltyof first degree premeditated
murder. One by one, we wentaround the table, all but two
(08:08):
hands went up. Those whohesitated were given a chance to
speak, and the deliberationsbegan. The obvious topic was
premeditation, and we needed tobe certain we understood what it
meant. So what is premeditation?It's a word most people hear and
immediately think of extensive,methodical planning like
(08:30):
something out of a movie wherethe killer plots every detail
out well in advance. But what Icame to learn during this trial
is that at least in Tennessee,premeditation doesn't have to
include an extensive, drawn outplan. Legally, it means an act
done after the exercise ofreflection and judgment, and
(08:52):
that can happen in an instant.All it requires is for someone
to make a conscious decision tokill and have a moment, no
matter how brief, to reflect onthat decision before acting on
it. Jason Chen didn't have toplan Jasmine's murder for days,
hours or even minutes. He justhad to make the decision,
(09:15):
however quickly, and then act onit. Remember the prosecution's
explanation of this with theyellow stoplight analogy in his
closing statement. During hisstatement, da Moyle pulled up a
clip from the Arctic footage ofJason in his 2018 gray Toyota
Corolla. Jason is seen waitingto turn right at the corner of
(09:38):
Tremont and Frazier. Thetimestamp was 6:13pm, and the
suitcase containing JasminePace's body was already in the
trunk of his car. Jason is inthe turning lane as the traffic
light above him flips from greento yellow, traffic slows and a
final car slips through at thelast moment, just before the.
(10:00):
Light turns red. Moyle pausesthe video and explains the split
second decision that driver justmade. We've all been there.
We've all calculated the cost oftapping the brake or hitting the
gas in that moment, a completelyrational decision that really
doesn't take long at all. It wasa huge revelation, one that
(10:22):
reframed how I understood theword premeditation back in the
jury room, I recalled thisanalogy, if even in an effort to
help explain it to myself, therewas a brief discussion before
the group agreed to put it toanother vote, and mere minutes
after our deliberations hadbegun. The 12 of us had already
(10:43):
unanimously agreed on theultimate charge. The next vote
for the charge of abuse of acorpse operated similarly and
resulted in another unanimousvote. We were done. Now. What it
felt quick. I remember sayingsomething to the group like
they're gonna say The jurydeliberated for X amount of
(11:06):
minutes. We've got to be sure.Is there anything else we should
discuss? But what else was therewith this likely being my only
opportunity to peruse? I pulledthe box of evidence towards me
and immediately picked up thelarge stack of 250 pages of
printed paper containing thetext messages between Jasmine
(11:28):
and Jason. I wasn't looking forsomething new. I just needed to
be sure to see her voice againand to see for myself that this
relationship wasn't lopsided. Itwas like searching for something
solid to hold onto some finalpiece of certainty in this
cavernous void of finality, thebailiff had only brought in this
(11:52):
one box of evidence. Itcontained printed photos,
digital reports, all of theflash drives and a laptop in
case we needed to review anyfootage or photo evidence. We
could also request to see any ofthe physical evidence that was
still piled high in front of thejudge's bench, if we needed to,
(12:13):
but we didn't need to see any ofthat. Again, the state had done
a meticulous job of providingthe evidence and proving their
case, we were certain. Theforeman flipped on the light
switch, and a few moments later,the bailiff knocked on the door.
It couldn't have been more than30 minutes that had gone by. He
(12:35):
poked his head in, a littleconfused, and asked if we meant
to turn on the light switch. Wedid, had we already come to a
decision we had good
morning. I'm Megan. P of the W karound.com alerts with breaking
news, a guilty verdict reachedan adjacent Chen murder trial.
(12:56):
This news coming in overnightfrom Chattanooga, according to
WT BC, Chen is convicted offirst degree premeditated murder
and abuse of a corpse in thedeath of his girlfriend, 22 year
old Jasmine pace was on trialfor killing her and stuffing her
body in a suitcase back inNovember of 2022 a jury took
just 45 minutes of deliberationto reach that verdict. Those in
(13:16):
the courtroom say there wereaudible sighs of relief from
Pace's family once it was read,the judge says Chen will be
sentenced this morning at 10o'clock,
at 4:56pm less than one hourafter we were excused to
deliberate, we were alreadymaking our way back into the
(13:38):
courtroom. 44 minutes. That'sall it took. From start to
finish, it took us 44 minutes todeliberate and decide on the
charges we believed weresuitable for Jason Chen's
actions.
With respect to count one ofpresent, 1315228, We the jury
(14:00):
find the defendant Jason Chenguilty of first degree
premeditated murders. Anemotional verdict. Everyone
needs to maintain theCoronavirus. This is your
individual verdict. Please, soindicate by raising your eye
third count two, with respect tocount 2% 315228, We the jury
find the defendant Jason Chen,guilty of abuse of the courts.
(14:23):
This is your individual verdict,please, so indicate by raising
your right hand. Maybe Stevensir, sitting in this case, I do
agree with jurors, guilty,guilty. First murder, jazz face.
This brings us to the sentencingphase of this particular matter.
(14:44):
The group will be asked toconfirm whether or not that the
president of an aggravatingfactor. This will require proof.
We're going to do that tomorrow,so at this point, I've let the
defense mistake gathering proofif they want, but so on, then
that'll be happening to. Harmring again. Can't talk about
anyone you're still part of thiscase, so you must frame being
(15:06):
exposed to any media, and alsomust not talk about any
sentencing matters or anythingabout this case with each other
until back
We the jury had found Jason Chenguilty of first degree
premeditated murder and abuse ofa corpse. When the verdict was
read, you could hear Jasmine'sfamily exhale. There were
(15:30):
audible gasps, maybe even a fewwhispered thank yous and the
kind of tears that come fromholding your breath far too
long, Judge Patterson gentlyhushed the room. It felt like a
final moment, a heavy one, andeven the word guilty echoed
through that room. I knew thiswould never really be over for
(15:53):
them. Nothing we decided, couldbring Jasmine back, nothing
could undo what had been doneonce the verdict was read, Judge
Patterson responded with words Ididn't fully understand at the
time. He said, As the 13thjuror, I agree with this
verdict. I remember feelingreassured, like he was in
(16:16):
agreement with our unanimousdecision. It felt like
validation. It wasn't untillater that I understood what he
meant. The judge, acting as a13th juror, is responsible for
determining whether the evidencesupports the jury's verdict.
It's a safeguard, a final layerof confirmation, if you will.
(16:39):
And in that moment, it was as ifhe was telling us, you did your
job. You got it right, but ourrole as jurors wasn't done yet.
Because of the charge we haddecided on, we still had one
more decision to make. How longJason Chen would remain behind
bars. Judge Patterson announcedto the courtroom that sentencing
(17:02):
would take place the followingday at 10am and court was
dismissed for the evening. Wewalked out of that courthouse
carrying the weight of what wehad just done. It was quiet
between us. No one said much. Westill weren't really allowed to
say much, but we knew we'd beback in less than 24 hours, the
(17:22):
judge had made that much clear.After such a heavy day, we made
the much less weighty decisionof opting to eat dinner at the
hotel's restaurant rather thangoing out. None of us had the
energy to be anywhere but closeto our rooms, but when our van
pulled into the hotel parkinglot, we were stalled by the side
(17:44):
of our four alternates. Theywere packing their luggage and
climbing into the other van andheading home to their families,
their own beds, their normallives. We would have just one
more night in our hotel rooms,because our role carried just
one more responsibility todecide If Jason Chen would ever
(18:07):
be eligible for parole.Attorney.
Now it's Tuesday, January 212025 day eight of the trial. We
(18:34):
return to the courtroom one lasttime. Our suitcases already
packed and ready for departure,but before we could head home,
we had just one more heavydecision to make. It was a
strange, almost crueljuxtaposition to be preparing to
go home thinking of familiarcomforts, our own beds, our
(18:55):
families, only after decidinghow long Jason Chen would spend
in his new home. For us, the endwas in sight, but for him, today
was the day he would learn hisown fate. There was something
chilling about the finality ofit all, knowing that the same
(19:18):
doors we would walk through toreclaim our freedom would close
behind him, sealing him awayfrom everything he once knew.
This wasn't just the final dayof his trial. It was the day his
future would be decided. Todaywas sentencing day. At 10am
(19:40):
Judge Patterson began with avideo connection to a translator
making sure everything was inplace before we began by 1026,
we learned that Jason Chen hadchosen not to testify before his
sentencing. We weren't in thecourtroom during this exchange,
but it felt significant up untilthat moment. Jason Chen had
(20:01):
remained completely silent. Infact, the only two words the
jury ever heard him say were notguilty twice, two words spoken
on the very first day of histrial, and then nothing. We were
now eight days into this trial,and this was his moment, his
final chance to speak on his ownbehalf, to offer explanations,
(20:25):
apologies, justifications,anything, and he chose silence.
Here's the moment he was posedwith his choice.
Hey, there. I'm delamie Young.I'm an actor and a producer.
I've been working with theglobal humanitarian organization
(20:47):
care, and I am so excited toinvite you along from a new
podcast she leads with care.Each week, you'll meet some
incredible women who havechanged their lives and their
communities. We
raise our voices for people whodon't raise their voices to
defend themselves.
Listen to she leads with care.Now on your favorite podcast
(21:08):
platform, new episodes everyTuesday.
Do you swear a farm to thetruth, the whole truth, nothing
but truth. Happy. God, I do.
All right, Jason, you have thechoice today of whether to
testify or not testify. Is aftertalking with your attorney and
(21:34):
you're going through your ownthoughts, what is your decision
of whether or not you want totestify,
not to testify? Yes, sir. Mswhite, want to talk a little
about how you talk about it.
Yes. So Jason, we've met anumber of times. We've talked
about what your testimony wouldbe, and you understand that even
(21:56):
though you might have anopportunity this safer piece
that you would be subject tocross examination, and I've
explained to you that the crossexamination would probably be
very intense and relentless, andby subjecting yourself to that,
you can change the status ofyour case.
(22:17):
Before Jason Chen's decision wasfinalized, there was an
important legal step that had tohappen in front of the judge.
Defense Attorney Joshua Weissstood beside Jason and walked
him through a formalconfirmation process. I've
learned that this is standard incriminal trials before a
defendant waives their right totestify, the court needs to be
(22:39):
absolutely certain that thedecision is being made
knowingly, voluntarily andwithout pressure from anyone
else. Weis asked Jason a seriesof direct questions. Had he
discussed this decisionthoroughly? Did he understand
the consequences? Was thisentirely his choice only after
(23:01):
Jason clearly stated that he wasmaking this choice of his own
volition did the court moveforward. Mr. Weiss confirmed
Jason's decision not to testify.
Whatever it is that yourdecision is, it is a personal
decision that only you can make.Have you had enough time to
(23:22):
consult with me talk aboutwhether or not go over the
benefits and detriment totestify?
Yes.
Are you deciding not to testifyon your own volition? Yes, and
that's what your personaldecision is. Yes.
(23:42):
That exchange might have soundedroutine, but in reality, it
carried tremendous weight witheach yes Jason Chen was sealing
his fate, choosing silence overexplanation, and placing his
future entirely in the hands ofhis attorneys and the evidence
already presented from thatmoment forward, the jury would
(24:04):
never hear from him directly, nojustifications, no explanations,
only the defense that had beenbuilt on his behalf. Another
thing I found interesting,something I learned after the
fact, was that technically,Jason Chen should have been
seated in court that morningwearing his prison issued
(24:26):
attire. He was, after all, aguilty man. Now, the jury was
out of the courtroom during thisexchange, but da WAMP made a
point of bringing it up to thejudge that morning. I hadn't
considered it at the time,especially since we weren't even
supposed to know he was incustody during the trial. That's
why he wore professional attirethroughout the trial, though, to
(24:49):
present the appearance of afree, innocent man. It was all
about perception, the suits, theneatly combed hair, the calm,
calculated demeanor and. Ofcourse, innocent until proven
guilty, right? But looking back,I can see why da WAMP would have
brought it up. He wasn't thesame man standing trial for
(25:10):
innocence or guilt anymore. Thatdecision had already been made.
He was now a convicted murderer,and somehow letting him maintain
that polished, composedappearance felt like one last
manipulation. All right now backto our seats in the jury box and
back to the gravity of what wewere being asked to do. Only
(25:32):
this time we weren't decidingwhether Jason was guilty. We had
already done that. Now we arebeing asked to decide how long
he should stay behind bars. Thestate was asking for the
harshest sentence allowed underTennessee law, life in prison
without the possibility ofparole.
(26:02):
You know, during sequestration,I had a lot of time to think,
and honestly, I kept wishing Ihad a speaker so that I could
just listen to a great book.That's why I love audiobooks,
whether I driving, walking thedogs or traveling, I can just
press play and get lost in anamazing story anytime and
anywhere. One of my all timefavorites is New York by Edward
(26:25):
Rutherford. This epic historicalnovel spans over 400 years,
following generations offamilies through the city's most
pivotal moments from its Dutchsettlement days and all the way
to 911 it was one of the firstaudio books I had ever listened
to. It felt like the narratorwas reading the story. Just for
(26:46):
me, I was completely hooked.Here's some good news. You can
listen to New York or any otherbook for free. Audible is giving
sequestered listeners a freeaudiobook with a 30 day trial.
Just go to audible trial.com.Forward slash sequestered.
That's one free book yours tokeep forever. So find something
(27:09):
you love and get listening. Goto audible trial.com. Forward
slash sequestered. You
(27:29):
and then the room shifted againas Jason Chen's mother, Shu Feng
Chen was called to the stand.She spoke through a translator
painting a picture of her son asa good, quiet child, a student,
a boy who waited late at nightfor his parents to return from
(27:50):
their restaurant business. Shetalked about how hard he worked
in school and how he knew rightfrom wrong, and then she broke
down. She began to sob. Hervoice cracked. She looked each
of us in the eyes and begged forthe jury to give her son a
chance to do what's right, tocome home to start over. And in
(28:15):
that moment, for the first timeduring the entire trial, we saw
Jason Chen cry his own mother'spain finally moved something in
him.
Was he a violent child?
(28:43):
He never fights the school.Never fight with anyone. Enough
write some law and I told himthat mom doesn't know English
and cannot know him in manythings. He said that I will
study hard, and I know she No,
(29:06):
over and over again, she pleadedfor mercy, asking for parole,
asking for a future. She evenasked Jasmine's family to
somehow allow for that future.But the weight of what had
happened couldn't be softenedwith apologies. It was hard to
digest. You really have to turnyour emotions off and just allow
(29:30):
for input. Here's a clip oflatricia Thomas from News
Channel Nine,
the defense attorney JoshuaWeiss was asking, Ms Chen, do
you have anything to say to thefamily of Jasmine pace, and
instead of addressing them, shekept addressing the jury, asking
(29:52):
them to give Jason Chen thepossibility of parole. They
switched translators. Theyactually called an aunt on the
phone. And MS Chen gavebasically the same answer when
asked what she wanted to say tothe pace family. She did very
shortly, say, I hope that thepace family gives him another
(30:12):
chance. But of course, in thissituation, it's up to the jury
to decide the sentence. So whatsentences could they decide here
we know that Jason Chen wasconvicted yesterday of
premeditated first re murder andabuse of a corpse. So the state
is seeking life in prisonwithout parole. But according to
(30:35):
the judges instructions to thejury, before these witness
impact statements began. He saidthat their choices here are life
in prison with parole or life inprison without parole. And he
went through some of the thingsthat they had to decide about if
they were true or not, to givehim life in prison without
(30:56):
parole, one of them being thatthe act was particularly
heinous, they can also take intoconsideration any past criminal
history he may have. So at somepoint today, the jury will go
and deliberate on a sentence,and those are the two choices
there now, oh, and one thingalso to mention during his
(31:18):
mother's testimony, this was thefirst visible emotion that we've
seen from Jason Chen during thistrial. Now it is difficult to
see exactly what his face isshowing, but this is our first
observable sign that he'sshowing emotion in the courtroom
as he started crying and wipinghis eyes as his mother was
testifying, saying he is a goodkid who made a mistake. He
(31:42):
studies hard. They said thattheir life is difficult in the
United States because they don'tspeak English, and they run a
restaurant, and Jason was athome a lot on his own while they
were running that restaurant. Iguess she asked the jury
repeatedly to give him thepossibility of parole after 51
years so he could have a secondchance. So again, the first
(32:06):
visible emotion we've seen onour live streaming from our
crews in the courtroom duringthis trial.
If I'm honest, this was one ofthe most difficult moments of
the trial, watching Jason's mombeg for her son's life. There
(32:28):
was something so raw about it,so human, and there was this
added layer of complexity thatmade it feel even heavier.
Jason's parents are both Chineseimmigrants and don't speak
English. This was the first timea translator had been provided
for them, the first moment XuFeng Chen could fully
(32:49):
communicate her pain anddesperation. I'd seen her
throughout the trial sittingfaithfully in the second row
behind her son. I even rememberseeing her on the first day of
jury selection, sitting in theback row, just behind me. I've
seen her lovely and devastatedface for weeks now, and I often
(33:11):
wondered what this whole ordealmust have been like for her to
sit through an entire trialspoken in a language she didn't
understand, watching as theevidence against her son was
projected onto screens and laidout on the courtroom floor,
evidence she couldn't fullygrasp, though I'm sure she
figured out what it was. Iwondered how much of the awful
(33:34):
details she learned only aftersitting through it all and now
looking into the faces of thestrangers who deliberated on the
fate of her son without evertruly knowing what was being
said. I couldn't help but feelsad for her, for the way she
must have felt so isolated. Butno matter how much I wanted to
(33:56):
make room for her pain, itcouldn't change what had been
done to Jasmine, and thatconflict was hard to reconcile.
Then it was Jasmine's family'sturn to speak after the deeply
(34:19):
emotional translated statementsfrom Jason's mother came the
victim impact statements.Jasmine's older sister
Gabrielle, took the stand first.Everyone calls her Gabby, and
she carried the voice of someonewho knew Jasmine inside and out,
not just as a sister, but assomeone who had survived
(34:40):
unimaginable loss rightalongside of her, Gabby reminded
us that Jasmine had endured moreheartache in her short life than
most people do in a lifetime.She spoke of loss after loss,
grief that it stacked uponitself like weights Jasmine was
somehow forced to carry. Theirbrother lost in a tragic ATV
(35:03):
accident, a cousin taken byCOVID. Their other cousin
claimed by another accident, andjust hours before her own
murder, her beloved grandmother,a woman who had helped raise
her, her best friend, her safeplace passed away suddenly after
a long battle with cancer, thegrief was relentless, and yet
(35:29):
Jasmine somehow kept going.Still. Through all of it,
Jasmine remained full of life.Not only that, she remained full
of love. Gabby said,
through all of the trauma thatjazzy had endured, she still had
the most beautiful aura inSeoul. She never gave up on
(35:51):
people, and she never gave up onherself, no matter how haughty
or how busy she always spends onher family and friends, because
it was the most important thingto her. She had every reason to
be bitter and hold hard, andchose to perform.
Jasmine loved hard. She dreamedof being a mom one day, it was
(36:16):
one of her deepest desires, andin the meantime, she was already
a proud and devoted mom to herfour cats, Gabby said they were
her world, and She doted on themlike children, spoiling them
with affection, treats andattention. But Jasmine's love
extended far beyond her pets.Gabby painted a vivid picture of
(36:38):
who her sister truly was,someone with a joyful,
mischievous spirit and anunbreakable bond with her
family. She was a jokester, abest friend, the one who could
make you laugh until your sideshurt. She was the kind of person
who got a panda tattoo justbecause it made her smile, not
(36:59):
because it was trendy ormeaningful in some profound way,
but simply because it broughther joy. Jasmine kept two entire
dresser drawers filled withcandy, not just because she
loved sweets, though shedefinitely did, but because she
loved to spoil her nieces andnephews. It was her way of
(37:20):
bringing them happiness, ofshowing her love. And then Gabby
brought us to the casket, to themoment she had to say goodbye to
her sister in a way no oneshould ever have to her voice
cracked as she described it, theanguish of looking down at
Jasmine knowing she'll neverhear her laugh again, never see
(37:42):
her smile again. And all I couldthink was how wrong it all felt,
how all of that love Jasmine hadfor her family, for her pets,
for her life, had all beensnatched away in the most brutal
and senseless way
I'll never forget standing at mysister's casket and seeing how
(38:05):
much wax they had to put up onher face and how much mascara
was much tall underneath hereyes, and how her hair was stiff
wax. I held my sister's hand onelast time, not even knowing that
it was the hand that fixed herhair and her necklace again, not
(38:28):
knowing that she had woundsthere. I'll never forget the
overbearing heart that God feltand I found out what he had done
to my sister, the overwhelminganger in disgust I felt that
someone could do this and nothave any remorse for what they
had done.
Gabby said their family hasrelived those final moments of
(38:51):
Jasmine's life for two years,over and over, the horror
replaying like a broken recordin their minds every time they
picture her terrified alone,they imagine her fighting for
her life, struggling against theunthinkable. They imagine her
calling out for help that wouldnever come. And the worst part
(39:16):
these moments aren't justmemories. They're nightmares her
family wakes up to every singleday, the unanswered questions,
the haunting images that refuseto fade for them, Jasmine's
death isn't just a tragedy, it'sa wound that keeps reopening, a
wound that may never fully heal.
(39:40):
The thought of was theresomething more I could have done
constantly, I love my sisterdearly, and I demand she gets
stresses that she is deserved.
Next, Jasmine's cousinJacqueline took the stand, and
from the moment she walked up,I. Everyone in the courtroom
(40:01):
could see she was carryingsomething in her hands. She held
an empty vase. She gripped ittightly as if the weight of what
it symbolized was almost toomuch to bear. Jacqueline set the
clear vase on the corner of thewitness stand closest to the
jury box and pulled out a bag ofblue and clear glass stones, one
(40:24):
at a time, she began dropping aglass stone into the vase until
the bag was emptied. When shespoke, her voice was steady but
strained. Each stone, sheexplained, represented a single
stab wound, 60 wounds. The jarwasn't just a prop. It was a
(40:44):
testament, a visualrepresentation of brutality. It
forced us to confront thereality of what had been done to
Jasmine, not just through wordsor photographs, but through
something tangible, somethingheavy, something real, as
Jacqueline spoke, the stonesinside the jar shifted with the
(41:06):
slightest movement, the soft,unsettling sound of them bumping
against each other in the glassjar seemed to echo through the
silence in the room. It wasimpossible to look away,
impossible to forget
all right, Miss. Why are youready? Yes, please state your
name for the record. Die home.One can you describe for the
(41:28):
jury? Your relationship withJasmine pace, she was my own
customer. Okay. Are you ready toread your statement? I will
share. All right. Thank you.
Stacey stones, Harlem shark, oneto represent every sad woman
found on my beautiful, innocent,22 year old for two years and
two months, I have thought ofthis very moment, the moment I
(41:51):
would have the chance toconfront the sub human villain
sitting among us. His merepresence to Falls is very poor,
and I am so sorry for everyonehere that has had the
unfortunate fate of heaven andcross paths with him. Thank you
to everyone that dedicated ourstime away from their families,
blood, sweat, tears and traumato ensure that whatever justice
(42:15):
could be given to my familywould be had
Jacqueline's voice didn't waver.She looked at each of us in the
eye and asked us to remember theautopsy photos. But more than
that, she asked us to go beyondthe sterile, clinical images
we'd been shown. She wanted usto imagine something more
personal, something morepainful. She asked us to replace
(42:40):
Jasmine's face with someone weloved, a daughter, a sister, a
best friend, then to picturethem enduring the same violence
and the same terror that Jasminedid, to imagine the agony of
losing them in such a brutal andsenseless way, because only then
(43:01):
she said, Could we begin tograsp the scope of their loss?
But Jacqueline didn't stopthere. She didn't just tell us
about Jasmine's death. Shewanted us to understand
Jasmine's life, who she was,what she loved, the kindness she
poured into the people aroundher. She described Jasmine as a
(43:22):
warm, generous soul, a girl whohugged with intention, not
because it was polite, butbecause she meant it, because
connection mattered to her. Shewas playful and kind, the kind
of person who tattooed a sleepypanda on her wrist, as Gabby
said, quote, simply because itmade her smile, because she
(43:47):
found joy in the little things.She was thoughtful too, the type
of person who would go out ofher way to bring happiness to
someone she cared about.Jacqueline told us about a
Starbucks cup that Jasmineordered for her online as soon
as it was mentioned in aconversation, a simple,
thoughtful gift, the kind ofgesture that seemed small but
(44:09):
spoke volumes about Jasmine'sheart. That Starbucks cup, it
arrived the same day they weresaying goodbye to their
grandmother at the hospital. AsJacqueline shared that detail.
Her voice cracked. It wasanother piece of Jasmine's
kindness delivered far too late,a reminder of how much had been
(44:31):
lost.
I can still picture how shegreeted you. She would smile.
Simpleton text outstretched herarms to love you, and not
because of etiquette or decorum.It wasn't the fake one arm, so
I'm gonna pat you on the backbecause I'm supposed to. It was
(44:52):
genuine. She meant it. Thecliche she lit up her room is
fitting for her. I often thinkof the last time that I hugged
her, she was crying, she washurting, and she still thought
of everyone around her and theirwell being. What a lot of you
don't know is, hours beforeJasmine was murdered, we were
(45:14):
all together saying goodbye toour beloved friend. It was not
expected. She woke up notfeeling well, that day, she went
to the emergency room and wasdead by that evening. We used to
have a joke about who Granny'sfavorite was. Jazzy always had
the trump card. It was granny inher restaurant after her to say
(45:35):
we were all close is anunderstatement. She was the glue
that held us all together. Itwas a devastating loss.
Jacqueline described that day atthe hospital, their last day
with Jasmine's beloved Granny,how Jasmine, even in her own
grief, was still caring forothers, still making sure
(45:57):
everyone else was okay. She wasthe kind of person who, even on
one of the hardest days of herlife, was still trying to keep
family traditions alive, stillthinking of Thanksgiving, still
planning, still hoping, even asher heart was breaking, she was
reaching out, offering comfortwhen she was The one who
(46:19):
probably needed it the most, butthen came the silence, the
unanswered texts, the calls thatwent straight to voicemail, and
then she spoke of an hour and 12minutes where no one knows what
Jason Chen was doing, thatspace, an agonizing gap in time,
(46:39):
has haunted Jacqueline eversince, the questions echo in her
mind, what was happening toJasmine during those 72 minutes?
What thoughts went through herhead? Was she afraid? Was she
fighting? Was she already gone?It's that silence, that
horrible, unrelenting silence,that keeps Jacqueline awake at
(47:03):
night, because unansweredquestions don't just fade away.
They grow louder, they fester.And in that courtroom, as
Jacqueline described thosemissing minutes, you could feel
her desperation, her need foranswers, answers that would
never come.
(47:26):
I texted her at 849, the morningafter we lost rain, I asked her
if she was okay. He responded, Ijust need some time alone. After
everything that happened, I haveso many questions that tortured
my mind. One of them is, whatwere you doing for the hour and
12 minutes before you pretendedto be the girl you murdered and
(47:49):
responded to her family concernfor her,
and still somehow, Jacquelinefound empathy for Chen's mother,
she said she prays for heracknowledged that his actions
didn't just destroy Jasmine'sfamily, they destroyed his own.
(48:11):
Jacqueline looked around at herfamily and said she hardly
recognizes them. Grief haschanged their DNA. It's woven
itself into every future holidaycelebration and milestone,
they've been given a lifesentence. She said, and Jason
Chen should have the same
(48:33):
we have a life sentence of paindue to Jason Chen's actions. We
will never wake up and have achance to put this behind us. It
will be with us every single dayuntil we leave this earth. It is
embedded in our DNA. He shouldhave the same applied sentence
(48:53):
we bear. He should never beallowed to leave prison and
start his life over or put thisbehind him
next in a moment that broughtthe courtroom to complete
stillness, Jacqueline read fromJasmine's journal. She read
Jasmine's words to herstepfather her grief over the
loss of her brother, Austin, andthen an entry she wrote to her
(49:17):
grandmother, the one who wasbattling cancer. The words were
raw, personal.
Finally, Jasmine's father,Travis pace stepped forward. He
spoke of her childhoodmilestones, her gift for
(49:38):
language, and her dreams ofattending business school in
Chicago, but his voice brokewhen he mentioned something all
of the family members had sharedJasmine losing her 14 year old
brother when she was just 16, atragic ATV accident that
shattered their world. Here'swhat Travis shared in.
(50:01):
She had a 14 year old brother,younger brother, and the type of
person that Jasmine was, sheheard about the wreck, or for
whatever brother was hurt, shewas the first on the scene. She
laid in a grass field, holdingher 14 year old brother, and
(50:28):
stayed with him through all thesurgeries. She didn't make it,
but she was the one in the roomholding the hand the amount of
garbage that it takes to lay thefilbert of brothers remarkable.
(50:52):
Then Travis pace spoke about theimpact of Jasmine's murder, how
it rippled far beyond a singlegeneration. He described a wound
that stretched across theirentire family, one that would
scar not only those who knewJasmine, but those who would
only ever hear stories of her.The loss was permanent and the
(51:14):
damage was generational.
It smelled like Jasmine was theonly person we lost. We lost our
children. We
lost our grandchildren.
The entire family tree has beencut bail.
(51:44):
It will not just affect us
for 50 years, for the next 1000sof generations, we will no
longer have that peace
with our family.
The courtroom went quiet as wetook a short recess when the
(52:05):
jury returned, Jason Chen'sfather, Min Yang Chen spoke
briefly. His words were quieter,simpler through a translator, he
spoke to the pace family, weunderstand your hurt, and we are
so sorry for your loss. It was agesture of remorse, and I
(52:27):
understood why the defense madethe call to do so, but it felt
small against the weight ofeverything that had been said.
Judge Patterson then gave us ournew jury instructions for
sentencing. The lawyersapproached the bench and general
Cody WAMP stepped to the podiumfor the last time before she
(52:48):
began. Judge Patterson providedtwo final pieces of information
for the sentencing phase. Thefirst, Jason Chen is a US
citizen, and the second, he hasno significant criminal history.
I'm going to play this next clipin its entirety so you can
experience it like we did in thecourtroom that morning.
(53:14):
John's decision, what do youthink should he have the ability
to get out of prison, is thequestion that you now have to
ask yourself. We're not going togo back through the proof.
You've heard it. You know itvery, very well, but I do want
(53:34):
to talk to you for a secondabout life without possibility
of parole in the legal system werefer to as L law, the state of
Tennessee is not always entitledto seek lies without the
possibility of parole. You'veheard now that there have to be
aggravating circumstancespresent for the state to even
ask a jury to find life withoutthe possibility of parole. In
(53:57):
this case, it's very simple.Tennessee State law allows life
without the possibility ofparole if the murder was
especially heinous or atrociousor cruel in that it involved
torture or serious physicalabuse beyond that necessary to
produce death. And then it goeson to define those terms. I hate
that I even have to say this,but if he was going to kill her
(54:21):
like he did. He could have donein other ways. He could have
killed her in other ways, wherewe would not be here for this
sentencing hearing. If he wouldhave shot her and left her in
his apartment, we wouldn't behere for life without the
possibility of parole. Itdoesn't qualify under this
aggravating circumstance if hewould have stabbed her once or
twice and left her in hisapartment. We wouldn't be here.
(54:45):
It doesn't qualify under thisaggravating circumstance. He
chose not to do that. He choserepeatedly, the amount of stones
that were in that glass base tostab and slice her and. Then he
chose more physical abuse. Ithink we can all agree that
(55:05):
stuffing her in garbage bags ina suitcase, is additional
physical abuse on top of whatwas necessary to kill her. The
medical examiner said that shecould have lived for minutes,
that even the wound to the neckwould not have instantly killed
her. That is heinous andatrocious and beyond what was
(55:26):
necessary to kill her. That iscool, that is vital, the entire
case is vital. I feel terriblefor Jason's family. It is very
sad to see his mom up there onthat way to stand Shame on him.
(55:48):
He didn't just do this to jazzand its family. It is horrible
to watch that he did it to hisown family. I can't even fathom
what they must feel like. But Iwant you to ask yourself
something, did you see or feellegitimate, genuine remorse for
the pace family? Did you does itmake it better that he was
(56:15):
privileged, that he had parentsand a brother that cared about
him, that he's been a quote,good kid. He's a he was a good
child. No mental healthconditions. We've heard about,
no issues. He was a student.Does that make it better, or
does that make it worse? I thinkthat makes it a lot worse,
(56:35):
because there are kids in ourcommunities that have hard
lives, that struggle with drugs,with mental health issues, that
grew up in bad homes, that hadhard, hard life that's not him.
He took everything his familyhad given him, and he squandered
it and he ruined the faces lifethat doesn't make it better,
(57:00):
makes it worse. All we areasking is that he never gets out
of prison. Jasmine pace nevergot out of that suitcase until
she was in a coffin in which herfamily members had to testify
today that there had to be somuch wax on her body she's
(57:21):
unrecognized that is heinous andatrocious and cool period, just
like yesterday, we ask that yougo back there, talk about it,
make the right decision, andmake sure he Never gets out of
prison. Thank you.
District Attorney, Cody WAMPreminded us of something
(57:44):
chilling. Jasmine never got outof the suitcase until she was in
a coffin. What Jason did, shesaid, wasn't just murder, it was
heinous, atrocious and cruel.The defense, meanwhile, has
asked for mercy. They painted apicture of Jason as an old man,
(58:06):
73 years old, harmless,regretful, deserving of
redemption. There are twoversions of Jason Chen here, two
competing realities, and we wereleft to decide which one would
shape his future.
Sat through a long trial. And Iknow there's things I think the
(58:28):
state tried you saw, things thatyou won't forget. I won't
forget. I want to tell each andevery one of you thank you for
your time, your patience, yourconsideration. But you're tasked
with a profound and somberresponsibility in this part of
(58:48):
the trial, you get to decidewhether Jason gets life with
parole or never be released.Both options are severe and a
significant punishment. I thinkit's reflects the seriousness of
a case, but it's critical thatyou remember that every tragic
(59:10):
crime has equal magnitude underthe law. Your duty today is not
to ensure punishment, it's tomake sure it's also portion.
I've spoken with many victimsfamilies. They don't care if
you're shocked or stabbed orstrangled or drowned or any of
(59:33):
one of those things, everysingle murder is especially
heinous, atrocious and cruel.General Moyle talked to you
about that yesterday. Everymurder is emotional, everything.
There's always a family thatloses someone. General WAMP is
right the pace, and the beanfamily lost a very important
(59:56):
person. It's tragic, sad. Iagree, the Chen Family have lost
a child too. There's twofamilies hurting. It's important
to know that the lawdistinguishes crimes that are
inherently tragic with thosethat rise to the most egregious
(01:00:17):
levels of brutality deservingpermanent condemnation. Question
you must ask yourself whenyou're back in that jury room is
whether or not this case reachesthat threshold. Does it rise to
the level that Jason Chen, a 73year old man, be forever denied
an opportunity to demonstrateremorse, rehabilitation and
(01:00:40):
redemption
with that court was recessedonce again for deliberations,
but first we ventured out as agroup for lunch one final time,
we enjoyed the walk, the warmthof the sun on our faces, And the
moment of normalcy after days ofheaviness, we'd been to this
(01:01:03):
place before. Earlier in theweek, anchors on Broad Street,
they already had our tablesreserved for us. Everyone
ordered and shared one last mealtogether. It was simple, sweet,
a small gesture of closure for agroup of strangers brought
together by tragedy, jurors,deputies, a brief, fragile
(01:01:28):
community bound by somethingnone of us would ever forget.
With full bellies and a finaltask at hand, we made our way
back to the courthouse, backinto the jury room for one last
deliberation, we took ourcustomary bathroom break, and
once everyone was seated, theforeman put it to a vote, just
(01:01:51):
like the day before, a couple ofjurors hesitated on the charge
of life without the possibilityof parole, and just like the day
before, I couldn't confidentlyraise my hand, not yet. I needed
to be sure. I needed to speak,to discuss, to make sense of the
(01:02:12):
weight of what we were about todecide. The air in the room felt
different, this time heavier,oddly, as if we all understood
that this was the true end, thatwhat we decided in these moments
would reverberate for decades.If Jason were given life with
(01:02:33):
the possibility of parole, hewould be 73 years old when his
first opportunity for releasewould come that would be 51
years from now. The idea of itstuck in my mind, circling over
and over. I remember speakingout loud, as much to the others
as to myself, 51 years, that'smore than an entire lifetime for
(01:02:59):
Jasmine, it's more than twice aslong as she ever had on this
earth. The room was quiet,listening, weighing, processing,
if we decide on parole, then 51years from now, Jason Chen could
walk free. He could breathefresh air, rebuild his life and
(01:03:21):
make new memories, but Jasminewill still be gone 51 years from
now, her family will still begrieving her loss. Decades
later, they don't get a secondchance. I could feel the weight
of those words settling over theroom, and in that moment,
(01:03:44):
something clicked for me. Thiswasn't about revenge, it was
about justice, a justice thatmatched the gravity of what had
been taken away. And with thatclarity, I felt that I could
confidently raise my hand whenit came time to vote again. It
didn't take long, and thedecision was made. We spent a
(01:04:06):
few more minutes in silenceletting it settle, making sure
we were sure it wasn't rushed.It wasn't hasty, but it was
unanimous. At 2:29pm Jason Chenwas brought back into the
courtroom, and three minuteslater, our verdict was read
(01:04:30):
with respect to the sentence ofthe defendant Jason Chen on
count one of presentment,315228, We the jury do
unanimously find the followingstatutory aggravating
circumstances beyond areasonable doubt in that the
murder was especially heinous,atrocious or cruel, and that
involved torture or seriousphysical abuse beyond that
(01:04:51):
necessary to produce death anddo unanimously agree that the
defendant's sentence shall belife imprisonment, without the
possibility of. I'm
curious if this is yourindividual verdict by raising
your right hand, but we canindicate that all white hands
are raised jurors. Thisconcludes your service. It may
(01:05:14):
seem like two years ago that wefirst met, only two weeks ago,
as you can tell, this veryimportant case for both sides of
this community. On behalf ofeveryone here in Hamilton
County, please accept my sinceregratitude for the sacrifices you
have made away from your life aspart of this
(01:05:36):
there you have it. Jason Chenwould spend the rest of his life
in prison without thepossibility of parole. It didn't
feel victorious. It didn't feellike a win, but it felt
necessary. We had done our part,we listened, we questioned, we
(01:05:57):
deliberated, and now we haddelivered our verdicts. It felt
like the right decision, but itdidn't feel like relief, not
really, as I walked out of thecourthouse for the final time,
the sun was still shining.People were still walking their
dogs, grabbing coffee and goingabout their lives, but for
(01:06:22):
Jasmine's family, for all of uswho sat through those nine days,
life was not returning tonormal. Justice had been served
in the eyes of the law, but thestory and the pain that the pace
and bean families went throughwasn't over. You. The next time
(01:06:45):
on sequestered, we'll look atwhat happened after the verdict.
I was interviewed by latriciaThomas of News Channel Nine
about the deliberations.
For the first time, we'rehearing what went into their
decision to convict him ofpremeditated first degree murder
and sentenced him to life inprison without the possibility
(01:07:06):
of parole,
and we catch up with generalCody WAMP and general palm oil
now, two months after the trial,stick with us. I've got a lot
more to share on This. Youmusic.
(01:07:41):
Thank you for listening tosequester a juror's perspective
on the murder trial for Jasmine.Pace. Each episode brings us
closer to understanding thetrial, the people involved, and
the weight of seeking justice.If this story speaks to you,
please follow, share andcontinue the conversation with
us. Jasmine's story deserves tobe remembered. This is a BP
(01:08:06):
production. The show is written,edited and produced by me Sarah
Reed, with CO production byAndrea Kleid. News clips
featured in this episode weresourced from wtbc News Channel
Nine, local three news,Chattanooga and the law and
crime network, music and sounddesign are curated to reflect
(01:08:26):
the gravity and sensitivity ofthis story, and with the intent
to honor Jasmine, her family andthe community affected by her
death. For more information orto connect with us, visit
sequestered pod.com or follow uson Instagram at sequestered pot.
Thank you for listening untilnext Time, stay curious and stay
(01:08:47):
safe. You
Steve, before we begin, pleasebe advised that this episode
contains graphic descriptions ofviolence as presented during the
trial. Please take care whilelistening. It's still Monday,
January, 20, 2025, day eight ofthe trial. But now things feel
different. The alternate jurorshad already been selected and
(00:25):
asked to leave the courtroom,exiled to their own alternate
jury room until further notice,four people who had been part of
our group, people we had eatenwith, shared rides with, walked
the depths of the earth withpeople who had laughed with us
side with us and silently heldthe weight of this case with us
(00:47):
for eight days. Suddenly theywere gone, dismissed, and it all
happened so fast. The rest ofus, those whose numbers weren't
called, just sat there watchingthem leave, it was a gut punch,
like a family suddenly beingsplit apart. I remember feeling
(01:08):
an ache in my stomach becausethose alternates weren't just
observers. They were just asinvested as the rest of us. They
had listened to the sametestimony, seen the same
evidence, and develop their ownopinions, but now the 16 of us
were down to 1212, people whowould carry the full weight of
(01:30):
this next decision. JudgePatterson didn't leave us much
time to process. He continuedright away, reading through our
final instructions, explainingthe legal framework we'd have to
follow the rules we'd need toabide by as we deliberate it, it
felt surreal. Everything we'dheard, everything we'd seen, was
(01:53):
now left for us to make senseof, and for the first time since
this trial began, we were goingto be allowed to speak freely.
We were allowed to form opinionsout loud, allowed to share our
thoughts, our doubts and ourconvictions. It was a big
moment, and I kept thinkingabout Jasmine, her texts, her
(02:16):
voice, her fear, and I wonderedif the rest of the jurors were
thinking about her too. Then thecourtroom stood and one by one,
each of us walked across thehall into the jury room. It was
time to deliberate on a verdict,but it felt like so much more
(02:37):
than that now. It felt likestepping into a place where all
the noise and chaos of the trialfaded away, where everything
came down to 12 people sittingaround a table confronting the
truth and trying to decidewhether justice could be found
in the wreckage of something soprofoundly wrong we were about
(02:59):
to find out if Any of us weretruly ready for what came next.
This is sequestered a juror'sperspective on the murder trial
for Jasmine pace. I'm Sarah,juror number 11 each episode,
(03:19):
I'll take you inside thecourtroom, behind the scenes and
into the weighty moments of thistrial as we honor Jasmine's life
and navigate the complexities ofseeking justice, let's Begin.
This is episode nine, theverdict and sentencing. You
(03:40):
Singh,
it was 4:12pm, when the juryroom door closed behind us. Just
before the bailiff Shut it, wewere instructed not to begin our
discussions until all 12 memberswere seated and present. Once we
(04:03):
were together, we were to selecta foreperson and begin our
deliberations. Upon arriving ata unanimous decision, each juror
would sign the official verdictstatement, and the foreperson
was instructed to flip on alight switch on the wall, which
would illuminate a light in thehallway, alerting the bailiff
that the jury had reached theirverdict. Court was adjourned.
(04:27):
While the jury was out, everyoneshuffled out for the evening, I
would imagine, likelyanticipating the long haul
inside the jury room. We weretruly on our own for the first
time, the room felt emptier thanbefore. With four fewer people
to fill the space, it wasstartling how much of a
(04:48):
difference that made withoutthem, the room seemed bigger,
quieter. We shuffled around likestrangers, waiting for a bus,
each of us taking turns using.The restroom, which oddly, was
the only truly private space anyof us had the entire week, a
chance to relieve ourselves,yes, but it was also a chance to
(05:11):
turn off the noise and take afew honest breaths, if only for
a couple of minutes. I lingereda bit longer than necessary this
time, my hands pressed againstthe counter top, breathing slow,
trying to quiet my nerves. Therestroom breaks stretched on
eight, maybe 10 minutes.Meanwhile, the four empty
(05:34):
alternate chairs were rolledaway from the large conference
table and into the hallway, asif we needed more room to
breathe. When we were allfinally seated, there was a
heaviness to it. The first thingwe had to do was choose a
foreperson, someone to speak onbehalf of the group. When the
verdict was ready, it quicklycame down to me and one other
(05:58):
juror. We both hesitated,dancing around the weight of the
responsibility no one wanted tobe the voice that would echo
into the courtroom deliveringwords that would shatter lives.
Eventually, juror number 15conceded, and the printed copy
of the official charges thatJudge Patterson had read from
(06:18):
was slid across the table tohim, I was okay with this move,
relieved honestly, it meant Ididn't have to risk fumbling
such weighty and important wordsin front of the court and the
two families who were anxiouslyawaiting very different results.
But it didn't take away from theweight I felt sitting at that
(06:39):
table all of these details, allof the evidence, all of the
testimony, every tax dollarspent bringing a sequestered
jury to Chattanooga, the localexpenses, the entire effort, it
all came down to one question,not if Jason Chen killed Jasmine
(07:00):
pace. We already knew he did.His own attorney admitted to
that on day one of the trial. Wedidn't even have to deliberate
on whether he abused a corpsethat was also admitted to. So
this whole thing practicallycame down to one word,
premeditation. Remember, therewere six possible verdicts
(07:23):
related to Jasmine's death,ranging from first degree
premeditated murder tocriminally negligent homicide,
and there was a second, separatecharge of abuse of a corpse. For
each charge, we had to reach aunanimous decision, starting
with the first charge of firstdegree premeditated murder. If
(07:45):
we couldn't unanimously agree onpremeditated murder, then we
were to move on to the nextcharge down and so on until a
consensus was found. The foremanstarted with a show of hands.
Who thinks Jason Chen is guiltyof first degree premeditated
murder. One by one, we wentaround the table, all but two
(08:08):
hands went up. Those whohesitated were given a chance to
speak, and the deliberationsbegan. The obvious topic was
premeditation, and we needed tobe certain we understood what it
meant. So what is premeditation?It's a word most people hear and
immediately think of extensive,methodical planning like
(08:30):
something out of a movie wherethe killer plots every detail
out well in advance. But what Icame to learn during this trial
is that at least in Tennessee,premeditation doesn't have to
include an extensive, drawn outplan. Legally, it means an act
done after the exercise ofreflection and judgment, and
(08:52):
that can happen in an instant.All it requires is for someone
to make a conscious decision tokill and have a moment, no
matter how brief, to reflect onthat decision before acting on
it. Jason Chen didn't have toplan Jasmine's murder for days,
hours or even minutes. He justhad to make the decision,
(09:15):
however quickly, and then act onit. Remember the prosecution's
explanation of this with theyellow stoplight analogy in his
closing statement. During hisstatement, da Moyle pulled up a
clip from the Arctic footage ofJason in his 2018 gray Toyota
Corolla. Jason is seen waitingto turn right at the corner of
(09:38):
Tremont and Frazier. Thetimestamp was 6:13pm, and the
suitcase containing JasminePace's body was already in the
trunk of his car. Jason is inthe turning lane as the traffic
light above him flips from greento yellow, traffic slows and a
final car slips through at thelast moment, just before the.
(10:00):
Light turns red. Moyle pausesthe video and explains the split
second decision that driver justmade. We've all been there.
We've all calculated the cost oftapping the brake or hitting the
gas in that moment, a completelyrational decision that really
doesn't take long at all. It wasa huge revelation, one that
(10:22):
reframed how I understood theword premeditation back in the
jury room, I recalled thisanalogy, if even in an effort to
help explain it to myself, therewas a brief discussion before
the group agreed to put it toanother vote, and mere minutes
after our deliberations hadbegun. The 12 of us had already
(10:43):
unanimously agreed on theultimate charge. The next vote
for the charge of abuse of acorpse operated similarly and
resulted in another unanimousvote. We were done. Now. What it
felt quick. I remember sayingsomething to the group like
they're gonna say The jurydeliberated for X amount of
(11:06):
minutes. We've got to be sure.Is there anything else we should
discuss? But what else was therewith this likely being my only
opportunity to peruse? I pulledthe box of evidence towards me
and immediately picked up thelarge stack of 250 pages of
printed paper containing thetext messages between Jasmine
(11:28):
and Jason. I wasn't looking forsomething new. I just needed to
be sure to see her voice againand to see for myself that this
relationship wasn't lopsided. Itwas like searching for something
solid to hold onto some finalpiece of certainty in this
cavernous void of finality, thebailiff had only brought in this
(11:52):
one box of evidence. Itcontained printed photos,
digital reports, all of theflash drives and a laptop in
case we needed to review anyfootage or photo evidence. We
could also request to see any ofthe physical evidence that was
still piled high in front of thejudge's bench, if we needed to,
(12:13):
but we didn't need to see any ofthat. Again, the state had done
a meticulous job of providingthe evidence and proving their
case, we were certain. Theforeman flipped on the light
switch, and a few moments later,the bailiff knocked on the door.
It couldn't have been more than30 minutes that had gone by. He
(12:35):
poked his head in, a littleconfused, and asked if we meant
to turn on the light switch. Wedid, had we already come to a
decision we had good
morning. I'm Megan. P of the W karound.com alerts with breaking
news, a guilty verdict reachedan adjacent Chen murder trial.
(12:56):
This news coming in overnightfrom Chattanooga, according to
WT BC, Chen is convicted offirst degree premeditated murder
and abuse of a corpse in thedeath of his girlfriend, 22 year
old Jasmine pace was on trialfor killing her and stuffing her
body in a suitcase back inNovember of 2022 a jury took
just 45 minutes of deliberationto reach that verdict. Those in
(13:16):
the courtroom say there wereaudible sighs of relief from
Pace's family once it was read,the judge says Chen will be
sentenced this morning at 10o'clock,
at 4:56pm less than one hourafter we were excused to
deliberate, we were alreadymaking our way back into the
(13:38):
courtroom. 44 minutes. That'sall it took. From start to
finish, it took us 44 minutes todeliberate and decide on the
charges we believed weresuitable for Jason Chen's
actions.
With respect to count one ofpresent, 1315228, We the jury
(14:00):
find the defendant Jason Chenguilty of first degree
premeditated murders. Anemotional verdict. Everyone
needs to maintain theCoronavirus. This is your
individual verdict. Please, soindicate by raising your eye
third count two, with respect tocount 2% 315228, We the jury
find the defendant Jason Chen,guilty of abuse of the courts.
(14:23):
This is your individual verdict,please, so indicate by raising
your right hand. Maybe Stevensir, sitting in this case, I do
agree with jurors, guilty,guilty. First murder, jazz face.
This brings us to the sentencingphase of this particular matter.
(14:44):
The group will be asked toconfirm whether or not that the
president of an aggravatingfactor. This will require proof.
We're going to do that tomorrow,so at this point, I've let the
defense mistake gathering proofif they want, but so on, then
that'll be happening to. Harmring again. Can't talk about
anyone you're still part of thiscase, so you must frame being
(15:06):
exposed to any media, and alsomust not talk about any
sentencing matters or anythingabout this case with each other
until back
We the jury had found Jason Chenguilty of first degree
premeditated murder and abuse ofa corpse. When the verdict was
read, you could hear Jasmine'sfamily exhale. There were
(15:30):
audible gasps, maybe even a fewwhispered thank yous and the
kind of tears that come fromholding your breath far too
long, Judge Patterson gentlyhushed the room. It felt like a
final moment, a heavy one, andeven the word guilty echoed
through that room. I knew thiswould never really be over for
(15:53):
them. Nothing we decided, couldbring Jasmine back, nothing
could undo what had been doneonce the verdict was read, Judge
Patterson responded with words Ididn't fully understand at the
time. He said, As the 13thjuror, I agree with this
verdict. I remember feelingreassured, like he was in
(16:16):
agreement with our unanimousdecision. It felt like
validation. It wasn't untillater that I understood what he
meant. The judge, acting as a13th juror, is responsible for
determining whether the evidencesupports the jury's verdict.
It's a safeguard, a final layerof confirmation, if you will.
(16:39):
And in that moment, it was as ifhe was telling us, you did your
job. You got it right, but ourrole as jurors wasn't done yet.
Because of the charge we haddecided on, we still had one
more decision to make. How longJason Chen would remain behind
bars. Judge Patterson announcedto the courtroom that sentencing
(17:02):
would take place the followingday at 10am and court was
dismissed for the evening. Wewalked out of that courthouse
carrying the weight of what wehad just done. It was quiet
between us. No one said much. Westill weren't really allowed to
say much, but we knew we'd beback in less than 24 hours, the
(17:22):
judge had made that much clear.After such a heavy day, we made
the much less weighty decisionof opting to eat dinner at the
hotel's restaurant rather thangoing out. None of us had the
energy to be anywhere but closeto our rooms, but when our van
pulled into the hotel parkinglot, we were stalled by the side
(17:44):
of our four alternates. Theywere packing their luggage and
climbing into the other van andheading home to their families,
their own beds, their normallives. We would have just one
more night in our hotel rooms,because our role carried just
one more responsibility todecide If Jason Chen would ever
(18:07):
be eligible for parole.Attorney.
Now it's Tuesday, January 212025 day eight of the trial. We
(18:34):
return to the courtroom one lasttime. Our suitcases already
packed and ready for departure,but before we could head home,
we had just one more heavydecision to make. It was a
strange, almost crueljuxtaposition to be preparing to
go home thinking of familiarcomforts, our own beds, our
(18:55):
families, only after decidinghow long Jason Chen would spend
in his new home. For us, the endwas in sight, but for him, today
was the day he would learn hisown fate. There was something
chilling about the finality ofit all, knowing that the same
(19:18):
doors we would walk through toreclaim our freedom would close
behind him, sealing him awayfrom everything he once knew.
This wasn't just the final dayof his trial. It was the day his
future would be decided. Todaywas sentencing day. At 10am
(19:40):
Judge Patterson began with avideo connection to a translator
making sure everything was inplace before we began by 1026,
we learned that Jason Chen hadchosen not to testify before his
sentencing. We weren't in thecourtroom during this exchange,
but it felt significant up untilthat moment. Jason Chen had
(20:01):
remained completely silent. Infact, the only two words the
jury ever heard him say were notguilty twice, two words spoken
on the very first day of histrial, and then nothing. We were
now eight days into this trial,and this was his moment, his
final chance to speak on his ownbehalf, to offer explanations,
(20:25):
apologies, justifications,anything, and he chose silence.
Here's the moment he was posedwith his choice.
Hey, there. I'm delamie Young.I'm an actor and a producer.
I've been working with theglobal humanitarian organization
(20:47):
care, and I am so excited toinvite you along from a new
podcast she leads with care.Each week, you'll meet some
incredible women who havechanged their lives and their
communities. We
raise our voices for people whodon't raise their voices to
defend themselves.
Listen to she leads with care.Now on your favorite podcast
(21:08):
platform, new episodes everyTuesday.
Do you swear a farm to thetruth, the whole truth, nothing
but truth. Happy. God, I do.
All right, Jason, you have thechoice today of whether to
testify or not testify. Is aftertalking with your attorney and
(21:34):
you're going through your ownthoughts, what is your decision
of whether or not you want totestify,
not to testify? Yes, sir. Mswhite, want to talk a little
about how you talk about it.
Yes. So Jason, we've met anumber of times. We've talked
about what your testimony wouldbe, and you understand that even
(21:56):
though you might have anopportunity this safer piece
that you would be subject tocross examination, and I've
explained to you that the crossexamination would probably be
very intense and relentless, andby subjecting yourself to that,
you can change the status ofyour case.
(22:17):
Before Jason Chen's decision wasfinalized, there was an
important legal step that had tohappen in front of the judge.
Defense Attorney Joshua Weissstood beside Jason and walked
him through a formalconfirmation process. I've
learned that this is standard incriminal trials before a
defendant waives their right totestify, the court needs to be
(22:39):
absolutely certain that thedecision is being made
knowingly, voluntarily andwithout pressure from anyone
else. Weis asked Jason a seriesof direct questions. Had he
discussed this decisionthoroughly? Did he understand
the consequences? Was thisentirely his choice only after
(23:01):
Jason clearly stated that he wasmaking this choice of his own
volition did the court moveforward. Mr. Weiss confirmed
Jason's decision not to testify.
Whatever it is that yourdecision is, it is a personal
decision that only you can make.Have you had enough time to
(23:22):
consult with me talk aboutwhether or not go over the
benefits and detriment totestify?
Yes.
Are you deciding not to testifyon your own volition? Yes, and
that's what your personaldecision is. Yes.
(23:42):
That exchange might have soundedroutine, but in reality, it
carried tremendous weight witheach yes Jason Chen was sealing
his fate, choosing silence overexplanation, and placing his
future entirely in the hands ofhis attorneys and the evidence
already presented from thatmoment forward, the jury would
(24:04):
never hear from him directly, nojustifications, no explanations,
only the defense that had beenbuilt on his behalf. Another
thing I found interesting,something I learned after the
fact, was that technically,Jason Chen should have been
seated in court that morningwearing his prison issued
(24:26):
attire. He was, after all, aguilty man. Now, the jury was
out of the courtroom during thisexchange, but da WAMP made a
point of bringing it up to thejudge that morning. I hadn't
considered it at the time,especially since we weren't even
supposed to know he was incustody during the trial. That's
why he wore professional attirethroughout the trial, though, to
(24:49):
present the appearance of afree, innocent man. It was all
about perception, the suits, theneatly combed hair, the calm,
calculated demeanor and. Ofcourse, innocent until proven
guilty, right? But looking back,I can see why da WAMP would have
brought it up. He wasn't thesame man standing trial for
(25:10):
innocence or guilt anymore. Thatdecision had already been made.
He was now a convicted murderer,and somehow letting him maintain
that polished, composedappearance felt like one last
manipulation. All right now backto our seats in the jury box and
back to the gravity of what wewere being asked to do. Only
(25:32):
this time we weren't decidingwhether Jason was guilty. We had
already done that. Now we arebeing asked to decide how long
he should stay behind bars. Thestate was asking for the
harshest sentence allowed underTennessee law, life in prison
without the possibility ofparole.
(26:02):
You know, during sequestration,I had a lot of time to think,
and honestly, I kept wishing Ihad a speaker so that I could
just listen to a great book.That's why I love audiobooks,
whether I driving, walking thedogs or traveling, I can just
press play and get lost in anamazing story anytime and
anywhere. One of my all timefavorites is New York by Edward
(26:25):
Rutherford. This epic historicalnovel spans over 400 years,
following generations offamilies through the city's most
pivotal moments from its Dutchsettlement days and all the way
to 911 it was one of the firstaudio books I had ever listened
to. It felt like the narratorwas reading the story. Just for
(26:46):
me, I was completely hooked.Here's some good news. You can
listen to New York or any otherbook for free. Audible is giving
sequestered listeners a freeaudiobook with a 30 day trial.
Just go to audible trial.com.Forward slash sequestered.
That's one free book yours tokeep forever. So find something
(27:09):
you love and get listening. Goto audible trial.com. Forward
slash sequestered. You
(27:29):
and then the room shifted againas Jason Chen's mother, Shu Feng
Chen was called to the stand.She spoke through a translator
painting a picture of her son asa good, quiet child, a student,
a boy who waited late at nightfor his parents to return from
(27:50):
their restaurant business. Shetalked about how hard he worked
in school and how he knew rightfrom wrong, and then she broke
down. She began to sob. Hervoice cracked. She looked each
of us in the eyes and begged forthe jury to give her son a
chance to do what's right, tocome home to start over. And in
(28:15):
that moment, for the first timeduring the entire trial, we saw
Jason Chen cry his own mother'spain finally moved something in
him.
Was he a violent child?
(28:43):
He never fights the school.Never fight with anyone. Enough
write some law and I told himthat mom doesn't know English
and cannot know him in manythings. He said that I will
study hard, and I know she No,
(29:06):
over and over again, she pleadedfor mercy, asking for parole,
asking for a future. She evenasked Jasmine's family to
somehow allow for that future.But the weight of what had
happened couldn't be softenedwith apologies. It was hard to
digest. You really have to turnyour emotions off and just allow
(29:30):
for input. Here's a clip oflatricia Thomas from News
Channel Nine,
the defense attorney JoshuaWeiss was asking, Ms Chen, do
you have anything to say to thefamily of Jasmine pace, and
instead of addressing them, shekept addressing the jury, asking
(29:52):
them to give Jason Chen thepossibility of parole. They
switched translators. Theyactually called an aunt on the
phone. And MS Chen gavebasically the same answer when
asked what she wanted to say tothe pace family. She did very
shortly, say, I hope that thepace family gives him another
(30:12):
chance. But of course, in thissituation, it's up to the jury
to decide the sentence. So whatsentences could they decide here
we know that Jason Chen wasconvicted yesterday of
premeditated first re murder andabuse of a corpse. So the state
is seeking life in prisonwithout parole. But according to
(30:35):
the judges instructions to thejury, before these witness
impact statements began. He saidthat their choices here are life
in prison with parole or life inprison without parole. And he
went through some of the thingsthat they had to decide about if
they were true or not, to givehim life in prison without
(30:56):
parole, one of them being thatthe act was particularly
heinous, they can also take intoconsideration any past criminal
history he may have. So at somepoint today, the jury will go
and deliberate on a sentence,and those are the two choices
there now, oh, and one thingalso to mention during his
(31:18):
mother's testimony, this was thefirst visible emotion that we've
seen from Jason Chen during thistrial. Now it is difficult to
see exactly what his face isshowing, but this is our first
observable sign that he'sshowing emotion in the courtroom
as he started crying and wipinghis eyes as his mother was
testifying, saying he is a goodkid who made a mistake. He
(31:42):
studies hard. They said thattheir life is difficult in the
United States because they don'tspeak English, and they run a
restaurant, and Jason was athome a lot on his own while they
were running that restaurant. Iguess she asked the jury
repeatedly to give him thepossibility of parole after 51
years so he could have a secondchance. So again, the first
(32:06):
visible emotion we've seen onour live streaming from our
crews in the courtroom duringthis trial.
If I'm honest, this was one ofthe most difficult moments of
the trial, watching Jason's mombeg for her son's life. There
(32:28):
was something so raw about it,so human, and there was this
added layer of complexity thatmade it feel even heavier.
Jason's parents are both Chineseimmigrants and don't speak
English. This was the first timea translator had been provided
for them, the first moment XuFeng Chen could fully
(32:49):
communicate her pain anddesperation. I'd seen her
throughout the trial sittingfaithfully in the second row
behind her son. I even rememberseeing her on the first day of
jury selection, sitting in theback row, just behind me. I've
seen her lovely and devastatedface for weeks now, and I often
(33:11):
wondered what this whole ordealmust have been like for her to
sit through an entire trialspoken in a language she didn't
understand, watching as theevidence against her son was
projected onto screens and laidout on the courtroom floor,
evidence she couldn't fullygrasp, though I'm sure she
figured out what it was. Iwondered how much of the awful
(33:34):
details she learned only aftersitting through it all and now
looking into the faces of thestrangers who deliberated on the
fate of her son without evertruly knowing what was being
said. I couldn't help but feelsad for her, for the way she
must have felt so isolated. Butno matter how much I wanted to
(33:56):
make room for her pain, itcouldn't change what had been
done to Jasmine, and thatconflict was hard to reconcile.
Then it was Jasmine's family'sturn to speak after the deeply
(34:19):
emotional translated statementsfrom Jason's mother came the
victim impact statements.Jasmine's older sister
Gabrielle, took the stand first.Everyone calls her Gabby, and
she carried the voice of someonewho knew Jasmine inside and out,
not just as a sister, but assomeone who had survived
(34:40):
unimaginable loss rightalongside of her, Gabby reminded
us that Jasmine had endured moreheartache in her short life than
most people do in a lifetime.She spoke of loss after loss,
grief that it stacked uponitself like weights Jasmine was
somehow forced to carry. Theirbrother lost in a tragic ATV
(35:03):
accident, a cousin taken byCOVID. Their other cousin
claimed by another accident, andjust hours before her own
murder, her beloved grandmother,a woman who had helped raise
her, her best friend, her safeplace passed away suddenly after
a long battle with cancer, thegrief was relentless, and yet
(35:29):
Jasmine somehow kept going.Still. Through all of it,
Jasmine remained full of life.Not only that, she remained full
of love. Gabby said,
through all of the trauma thatjazzy had endured, she still had
the most beautiful aura inSeoul. She never gave up on
(35:51):
people, and she never gave up onherself, no matter how haughty
or how busy she always spends onher family and friends, because
it was the most important thingto her. She had every reason to
be bitter and hold hard, andchose to perform.
Jasmine loved hard. She dreamedof being a mom one day, it was
(36:16):
one of her deepest desires, andin the meantime, she was already
a proud and devoted mom to herfour cats, Gabby said they were
her world, and She doted on themlike children, spoiling them
with affection, treats andattention. But Jasmine's love
extended far beyond her pets.Gabby painted a vivid picture of
(36:38):
who her sister truly was,someone with a joyful,
mischievous spirit and anunbreakable bond with her
family. She was a jokester, abest friend, the one who could
make you laugh until your sideshurt. She was the kind of person
who got a panda tattoo justbecause it made her smile, not
(36:59):
because it was trendy ormeaningful in some profound way,
but simply because it broughther joy. Jasmine kept two entire
dresser drawers filled withcandy, not just because she
loved sweets, though shedefinitely did, but because she
loved to spoil her nieces andnephews. It was her way of
(37:20):
bringing them happiness, ofshowing her love. And then Gabby
brought us to the casket, to themoment she had to say goodbye to
her sister in a way no oneshould ever have to her voice
cracked as she described it, theanguish of looking down at
Jasmine knowing she'll neverhear her laugh again, never see
(37:42):
her smile again. And all I couldthink was how wrong it all felt,
how all of that love Jasmine hadfor her family, for her pets,
for her life, had all beensnatched away in the most brutal
and senseless way
I'll never forget standing at mysister's casket and seeing how
(38:05):
much wax they had to put up onher face and how much mascara
was much tall underneath hereyes, and how her hair was stiff
wax. I held my sister's hand onelast time, not even knowing that
it was the hand that fixed herhair and her necklace again, not
(38:28):
knowing that she had woundsthere. I'll never forget the
overbearing heart that God feltand I found out what he had done
to my sister, the overwhelminganger in disgust I felt that
someone could do this and nothave any remorse for what they
had done.
Gabby said their family hasrelived those final moments of
(38:51):
Jasmine's life for two years,over and over, the horror
replaying like a broken recordin their minds every time they
picture her terrified alone,they imagine her fighting for
her life, struggling against theunthinkable. They imagine her
calling out for help that wouldnever come. And the worst part
(39:16):
these moments aren't justmemories. They're nightmares her
family wakes up to every singleday, the unanswered questions,
the haunting images that refuseto fade for them, Jasmine's
death isn't just a tragedy, it'sa wound that keeps reopening, a
wound that may never fully heal.
(39:40):
The thought of was theresomething more I could have done
constantly, I love my sisterdearly, and I demand she gets
stresses that she is deserved.
Next, Jasmine's cousinJacqueline took the stand, and
from the moment she walked up,I. Everyone in the courtroom
(40:01):
could see she was carryingsomething in her hands. She held
an empty vase. She gripped ittightly as if the weight of what
it symbolized was almost toomuch to bear. Jacqueline set the
clear vase on the corner of thewitness stand closest to the
jury box and pulled out a bag ofblue and clear glass stones, one
(40:24):
at a time, she began dropping aglass stone into the vase until
the bag was emptied. When shespoke, her voice was steady but
strained. Each stone, sheexplained, represented a single
stab wound, 60 wounds. The jarwasn't just a prop. It was a
(40:44):
testament, a visualrepresentation of brutality. It
forced us to confront thereality of what had been done to
Jasmine, not just through wordsor photographs, but through
something tangible, somethingheavy, something real, as
Jacqueline spoke, the stonesinside the jar shifted with the
(41:06):
slightest movement, the soft,unsettling sound of them bumping
against each other in the glassjar seemed to echo through the
silence in the room. It wasimpossible to look away,
impossible to forget
all right, Miss. Why are youready? Yes, please state your
name for the record. Die home.One can you describe for the
(41:28):
jury? Your relationship withJasmine pace, she was my own
customer. Okay. Are you ready toread your statement? I will
share. All right. Thank you.
Stacey stones, Harlem shark, oneto represent every sad woman
found on my beautiful, innocent,22 year old for two years and
two months, I have thought ofthis very moment, the moment I
(41:51):
would have the chance toconfront the sub human villain
sitting among us. His merepresence to Falls is very poor,
and I am so sorry for everyonehere that has had the
unfortunate fate of heaven andcross paths with him. Thank you
to everyone that dedicated ourstime away from their families,
blood, sweat, tears and traumato ensure that whatever justice
(42:15):
could be given to my familywould be had
Jacqueline's voice didn't waver.She looked at each of us in the
eye and asked us to remember theautopsy photos. But more than
that, she asked us to go beyondthe sterile, clinical images
we'd been shown. She wanted usto imagine something more
personal, something morepainful. She asked us to replace
(42:40):
Jasmine's face with someone weloved, a daughter, a sister, a
best friend, then to picturethem enduring the same violence
and the same terror that Jasminedid, to imagine the agony of
losing them in such a brutal andsenseless way, because only then
(43:01):
she said, Could we begin tograsp the scope of their loss?
But Jacqueline didn't stopthere. She didn't just tell us
about Jasmine's death. Shewanted us to understand
Jasmine's life, who she was,what she loved, the kindness she
poured into the people aroundher. She described Jasmine as a
(43:22):
warm, generous soul, a girl whohugged with intention, not
because it was polite, butbecause she meant it, because
connection mattered to her. Shewas playful and kind, the kind
of person who tattooed a sleepypanda on her wrist, as Gabby
said, quote, simply because itmade her smile, because she
(43:47):
found joy in the little things.She was thoughtful too, the type
of person who would go out ofher way to bring happiness to
someone she cared about.Jacqueline told us about a
Starbucks cup that Jasmineordered for her online as soon
as it was mentioned in aconversation, a simple,
thoughtful gift, the kind ofgesture that seemed small but
(44:09):
spoke volumes about Jasmine'sheart. That Starbucks cup, it
arrived the same day they weresaying goodbye to their
grandmother at the hospital. AsJacqueline shared that detail.
Her voice cracked. It wasanother piece of Jasmine's
kindness delivered far too late,a reminder of how much had been
(44:31):
lost.
I can still picture how shegreeted you. She would smile.
Simpleton text outstretched herarms to love you, and not
because of etiquette or decorum.It wasn't the fake one arm, so
I'm gonna pat you on the backbecause I'm supposed to. It was
(44:52):
genuine. She meant it. Thecliche she lit up her room is
fitting for her. I often thinkof the last time that I hugged
her, she was crying, she washurting, and she still thought
of everyone around her and theirwell being. What a lot of you
don't know is, hours beforeJasmine was murdered, we were
(45:14):
all together saying goodbye toour beloved friend. It was not
expected. She woke up notfeeling well, that day, she went
to the emergency room and wasdead by that evening. We used to
have a joke about who Granny'sfavorite was. Jazzy always had
the trump card. It was granny inher restaurant after her to say
(45:35):
we were all close is anunderstatement. She was the glue
that held us all together. Itwas a devastating loss.
Jacqueline described that day atthe hospital, their last day
with Jasmine's beloved Granny,how Jasmine, even in her own
grief, was still caring forothers, still making sure
(45:57):
everyone else was okay. She wasthe kind of person who, even on
one of the hardest days of herlife, was still trying to keep
family traditions alive, stillthinking of Thanksgiving, still
planning, still hoping, even asher heart was breaking, she was
reaching out, offering comfortwhen she was The one who
(46:19):
probably needed it the most, butthen came the silence, the
unanswered texts, the calls thatwent straight to voicemail, and
then she spoke of an hour and 12minutes where no one knows what
Jason Chen was doing, thatspace, an agonizing gap in time,
(46:39):
has haunted Jacqueline eversince, the questions echo in her
mind, what was happening toJasmine during those 72 minutes?
What thoughts went through herhead? Was she afraid? Was she
fighting? Was she already gone?It's that silence, that
horrible, unrelenting silence,that keeps Jacqueline awake at
(47:03):
night, because unansweredquestions don't just fade away.
They grow louder, they fester.And in that courtroom, as
Jacqueline described thosemissing minutes, you could feel
her desperation, her need foranswers, answers that would
never come.
(47:26):
I texted her at 849, the morningafter we lost rain, I asked her
if she was okay. He responded, Ijust need some time alone. After
everything that happened, I haveso many questions that tortured
my mind. One of them is, whatwere you doing for the hour and
12 minutes before you pretendedto be the girl you murdered and
(47:49):
responded to her family concernfor her,
and still somehow, Jacquelinefound empathy for Chen's mother,
she said she prays for heracknowledged that his actions
didn't just destroy Jasmine'sfamily, they destroyed his own.
(48:11):
Jacqueline looked around at herfamily and said she hardly
recognizes them. Grief haschanged their DNA. It's woven
itself into every future holidaycelebration and milestone,
they've been given a lifesentence. She said, and Jason
Chen should have the same
(48:33):
we have a life sentence of paindue to Jason Chen's actions. We
will never wake up and have achance to put this behind us. It
will be with us every single dayuntil we leave this earth. It is
embedded in our DNA. He shouldhave the same applied sentence
(48:53):
we bear. He should never beallowed to leave prison and
start his life over or put thisbehind him
next in a moment that broughtthe courtroom to complete
stillness, Jacqueline read fromJasmine's journal. She read
Jasmine's words to herstepfather her grief over the
loss of her brother, Austin, andthen an entry she wrote to her
(49:17):
grandmother, the one who wasbattling cancer. The words were
raw, personal.
Finally, Jasmine's father,Travis pace stepped forward. He
spoke of her childhoodmilestones, her gift for
(49:38):
language, and her dreams ofattending business school in
Chicago, but his voice brokewhen he mentioned something all
of the family members had sharedJasmine losing her 14 year old
brother when she was just 16, atragic ATV accident that
shattered their world. Here'swhat Travis shared in.
(50:01):
She had a 14 year old brother,younger brother, and the type of
person that Jasmine was, sheheard about the wreck, or for
whatever brother was hurt, shewas the first on the scene. She
laid in a grass field, holdingher 14 year old brother, and
(50:28):
stayed with him through all thesurgeries. She didn't make it,
but she was the one in the roomholding the hand the amount of
garbage that it takes to lay thefilbert of brothers remarkable.
(50:52):
Then Travis pace spoke about theimpact of Jasmine's murder, how
it rippled far beyond a singlegeneration. He described a wound
that stretched across theirentire family, one that would
scar not only those who knewJasmine, but those who would
only ever hear stories of her.The loss was permanent and the
(51:14):
damage was generational.
It smelled like Jasmine was theonly person we lost. We lost our
children. We
lost our grandchildren.
The entire family tree has beencut bail.
(51:44):
It will not just affect us
for 50 years, for the next 1000sof generations, we will no
longer have that peace
with our family.
The courtroom went quiet as wetook a short recess when the
(52:05):
jury returned, Jason Chen'sfather, Min Yang Chen spoke
briefly. His words were quieter,simpler through a translator, he
spoke to the pace family, weunderstand your hurt, and we are
so sorry for your loss. It was agesture of remorse, and I
(52:27):
understood why the defense madethe call to do so, but it felt
small against the weight ofeverything that had been said.
Judge Patterson then gave us ournew jury instructions for
sentencing. The lawyersapproached the bench and general
Cody WAMP stepped to the podiumfor the last time before she
(52:48):
began. Judge Patterson providedtwo final pieces of information
for the sentencing phase. Thefirst, Jason Chen is a US
citizen, and the second, he hasno significant criminal history.
I'm going to play this next clipin its entirety so you can
experience it like we did in thecourtroom that morning.
(53:14):
John's decision, what do youthink should he have the ability
to get out of prison, is thequestion that you now have to
ask yourself. We're not going togo back through the proof.
You've heard it. You know itvery, very well, but I do want
(53:34):
to talk to you for a secondabout life without possibility
of parole in the legal system werefer to as L law, the state of
Tennessee is not always entitledto seek lies without the
possibility of parole. You'veheard now that there have to be
aggravating circumstancespresent for the state to even
ask a jury to find life withoutthe possibility of parole. In
(53:57):
this case, it's very simple.Tennessee State law allows life
without the possibility ofparole if the murder was
especially heinous or atrociousor cruel in that it involved
torture or serious physicalabuse beyond that necessary to
produce death. And then it goeson to define those terms. I hate
that I even have to say this,but if he was going to kill her
(54:21):
like he did. He could have donein other ways. He could have
killed her in other ways, wherewe would not be here for this
sentencing hearing. If he wouldhave shot her and left her in
his apartment, we wouldn't behere for life without the
possibility of parole. Itdoesn't qualify under this
aggravating circumstance if hewould have stabbed her once or
twice and left her in hisapartment. We wouldn't be here.
(54:45):
It doesn't qualify under thisaggravating circumstance. He
chose not to do that. He choserepeatedly, the amount of stones
that were in that glass base tostab and slice her and. Then he
chose more physical abuse. Ithink we can all agree that
(55:05):
stuffing her in garbage bags ina suitcase, is additional
physical abuse on top of whatwas necessary to kill her. The
medical examiner said that shecould have lived for minutes,
that even the wound to the neckwould not have instantly killed
her. That is heinous andatrocious and beyond what was
(55:26):
necessary to kill her. That iscool, that is vital, the entire
case is vital. I feel terriblefor Jason's family. It is very
sad to see his mom up there onthat way to stand Shame on him.
(55:48):
He didn't just do this to jazzand its family. It is horrible
to watch that he did it to hisown family. I can't even fathom
what they must feel like. But Iwant you to ask yourself
something, did you see or feellegitimate, genuine remorse for
the pace family? Did you does itmake it better that he was
(56:15):
privileged, that he had parentsand a brother that cared about
him, that he's been a quote,good kid. He's a he was a good
child. No mental healthconditions. We've heard about,
no issues. He was a student.Does that make it better, or
does that make it worse? I thinkthat makes it a lot worse,
(56:35):
because there are kids in ourcommunities that have hard
lives, that struggle with drugs,with mental health issues, that
grew up in bad homes, that hadhard, hard life that's not him.
He took everything his familyhad given him, and he squandered
it and he ruined the faces lifethat doesn't make it better,
(57:00):
makes it worse. All we areasking is that he never gets out
of prison. Jasmine pace nevergot out of that suitcase until
she was in a coffin in which herfamily members had to testify
today that there had to be somuch wax on her body she's
(57:21):
unrecognized that is heinous andatrocious and cool period, just
like yesterday, we ask that yougo back there, talk about it,
make the right decision, andmake sure he Never gets out of
prison. Thank you.
District Attorney, Cody WAMPreminded us of something
(57:44):
chilling. Jasmine never got outof the suitcase until she was in
a coffin. What Jason did, shesaid, wasn't just murder, it was
heinous, atrocious and cruel.The defense, meanwhile, has
asked for mercy. They painted apicture of Jason as an old man,
(58:06):
73 years old, harmless,regretful, deserving of
redemption. There are twoversions of Jason Chen here, two
competing realities, and we wereleft to decide which one would
shape his future.
Sat through a long trial. And Iknow there's things I think the
(58:28):
state tried you saw, things thatyou won't forget. I won't
forget. I want to tell each andevery one of you thank you for
your time, your patience, yourconsideration. But you're tasked
with a profound and somberresponsibility in this part of
(58:48):
the trial, you get to decidewhether Jason gets life with
parole or never be released.Both options are severe and a
significant punishment. I thinkit's reflects the seriousness of
a case, but it's critical thatyou remember that every tragic
(59:10):
crime has equal magnitude underthe law. Your duty today is not
to ensure punishment, it's tomake sure it's also portion.
I've spoken with many victimsfamilies. They don't care if
you're shocked or stabbed orstrangled or drowned or any of
(59:33):
one of those things, everysingle murder is especially
heinous, atrocious and cruel.General Moyle talked to you
about that yesterday. Everymurder is emotional, everything.
There's always a family thatloses someone. General WAMP is
right the pace, and the beanfamily lost a very important
(59:56):
person. It's tragic, sad. Iagree, the Chen Family have lost
a child too. There's twofamilies hurting. It's important
to know that the lawdistinguishes crimes that are
inherently tragic with thosethat rise to the most egregious
(01:00:17):
levels of brutality deservingpermanent condemnation. Question
you must ask yourself whenyou're back in that jury room is
whether or not this case reachesthat threshold. Does it rise to
the level that Jason Chen, a 73year old man, be forever denied
an opportunity to demonstrateremorse, rehabilitation and
(01:00:40):
redemption
with that court was recessedonce again for deliberations,
but first we ventured out as agroup for lunch one final time,
we enjoyed the walk, the warmthof the sun on our faces, And the
moment of normalcy after days ofheaviness, we'd been to this
(01:01:03):
place before. Earlier in theweek, anchors on Broad Street,
they already had our tablesreserved for us. Everyone
ordered and shared one last mealtogether. It was simple, sweet,
a small gesture of closure for agroup of strangers brought
together by tragedy, jurors,deputies, a brief, fragile
(01:01:28):
community bound by somethingnone of us would ever forget.
With full bellies and a finaltask at hand, we made our way
back to the courthouse, backinto the jury room for one last
deliberation, we took ourcustomary bathroom break, and
once everyone was seated, theforeman put it to a vote, just
(01:01:51):
like the day before, a couple ofjurors hesitated on the charge
of life without the possibilityof parole, and just like the day
before, I couldn't confidentlyraise my hand, not yet. I needed
to be sure. I needed to speak,to discuss, to make sense of the
(01:02:12):
weight of what we were about todecide. The air in the room felt
different, this time heavier,oddly, as if we all understood
that this was the true end, thatwhat we decided in these moments
would reverberate for decades.If Jason were given life with
(01:02:33):
the possibility of parole, hewould be 73 years old when his
first opportunity for releasewould come that would be 51
years from now. The idea of itstuck in my mind, circling over
and over. I remember speakingout loud, as much to the others
as to myself, 51 years, that'smore than an entire lifetime for
(01:02:59):
Jasmine, it's more than twice aslong as she ever had on this
earth. The room was quiet,listening, weighing, processing,
if we decide on parole, then 51years from now, Jason Chen could
walk free. He could breathefresh air, rebuild his life and
(01:03:21):
make new memories, but Jasminewill still be gone 51 years from
now, her family will still begrieving her loss. Decades
later, they don't get a secondchance. I could feel the weight
of those words settling over theroom, and in that moment,
(01:03:44):
something clicked for me. Thiswasn't about revenge, it was
about justice, a justice thatmatched the gravity of what had
been taken away. And with thatclarity, I felt that I could
confidently raise my hand whenit came time to vote again. It
didn't take long, and thedecision was made. We spent a
(01:04:06):
few more minutes in silenceletting it settle, making sure
we were sure it wasn't rushed.It wasn't hasty, but it was
unanimous. At 2:29pm Jason Chenwas brought back into the
courtroom, and three minuteslater, our verdict was read
(01:04:30):
with respect to the sentence ofthe defendant Jason Chen on
count one of presentment,315228, We the jury do
unanimously find the followingstatutory aggravating
circumstances beyond areasonable doubt in that the
murder was especially heinous,atrocious or cruel, and that
involved torture or seriousphysical abuse beyond that
(01:04:51):
necessary to produce death anddo unanimously agree that the
defendant's sentence shall belife imprisonment, without the
possibility of. I'm
curious if this is yourindividual verdict by raising
your right hand, but we canindicate that all white hands
are raised jurors. Thisconcludes your service. It may
(01:05:14):
seem like two years ago that wefirst met, only two weeks ago,
as you can tell, this veryimportant case for both sides of
this community. On behalf ofeveryone here in Hamilton
County, please accept my sinceregratitude for the sacrifices you
have made away from your life aspart of this
(01:05:36):
there you have it. Jason Chenwould spend the rest of his life
in prison without thepossibility of parole. It didn't
feel victorious. It didn't feellike a win, but it felt
necessary. We had done our part,we listened, we questioned, we
(01:05:57):
deliberated, and now we haddelivered our verdicts. It felt
like the right decision, but itdidn't feel like relief, not
really, as I walked out of thecourthouse for the final time,
the sun was still shining.People were still walking their
dogs, grabbing coffee and goingabout their lives, but for
(01:06:22):
Jasmine's family, for all of uswho sat through those nine days,
life was not returning tonormal. Justice had been served
in the eyes of the law, but thestory and the pain that the pace
and bean families went throughwasn't over. You. The next time
(01:06:45):
on sequestered, we'll look atwhat happened after the verdict.
I was interviewed by latriciaThomas of News Channel Nine
about the deliberations.
For the first time, we'rehearing what went into their
decision to convict him ofpremeditated first degree murder
and sentenced him to life inprison without the possibility
(01:07:06):
of parole,
and we catch up with generalCody WAMP and general palm oil
now, two months after the trial,stick with us. I've got a lot
more to share on This. Youmusic.
(01:07:41):
Thank you for listening tosequester a juror's perspective
on the murder trial for Jasmine.Pace. Each episode brings us
closer to understanding thetrial, the people involved, and
the weight of seeking justice.If this story speaks to you,
please follow, share andcontinue the conversation with
us. Jasmine's story deserves tobe remembered. This is a BP
(01:08:06):
production. The show is written,edited and produced by me Sarah
Reed, with CO production byAndrea Kleid. News clips
featured in this episode weresourced from wtbc News Channel
Nine, local three news,Chattanooga and the law and
crime network, music and sounddesign are curated to reflect
(01:08:26):
the gravity and sensitivity ofthis story, and with the intent
to honor Jasmine, her family andthe community affected by her
death. For more information orto connect with us, visit
sequestered pod.com or follow uson Instagram at sequestered pot.
Thank you for listening untilnext Time, stay curious and stay
(01:08:47):
safe. You
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