Episode 7 – The State Rests

Day 6 of the trial: Tennessee v. Jason Chen

The murder trial for Jasmine Pace.

Listen here:

"The State Rests."

With those three words, the prosecution concluded its case in the murder trial of Jason Chen, accused of killing 22-year-old Jasmine Pace. For us jurors, it marked a turning point—an abrupt silence after days of intense evidence, heartbreaking testimony, and expert analysis. By this sixth day of trial, the weight of jury sequestration had fully settled in, and we were no longer observers—we were part of the process.

This episode of Sequestered captures the emotional and legal gravity of the trial's pivot point, where the courtroom moved from prosecution to defense, and we, the jury, felt the endgame approaching.

The Motions Before the Defense

Before we even had a chance to absorb that the state had rested, we were ushered out of the courtroom.

What followed was a series of strategic legal maneuvers by the defense:

A Motion for Judgment of Acquittal — standard but significant. The defense argued the state hadn’t provided enough evidence to support a conviction. Though rarely granted, it preserves their right to appeal.
A request to consider lesser included offenses — including second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. The defense hoped to widen the options for us as jurors, introducing the possibility that the killing wasn’t premeditated.
A renewed attempt to introduce testimony from forensic psychologist Dr. Douglas Lewis. The defense argued Dr. Lewis could speak to Jason Chen’s mental capacity to form intent. The judge denied it, citing both procedural timing and the speculative nature of the testimony.

All signs pointed to a defense team trying to build in reasonable doubt—not with a sweeping alternative narrative, but with nuance, hesitations, and options.

A Neighbor’s Night of Terror: Courtney Brewer

The defense’s first witness, Courtney Brewer, lived directly below Jason Chen’s apartment. On the night Jasmine disappeared, Courtney was jolted awake at 2:11 a.m. by a woman’s scream—panicked, emotional, and unforgettable.

She described:

Screaming, followed by footsteps running toward the front door.
A voice sobbing, trying to speak through tears—emphatic and distressed.
The sounds of a TV turning on, followed by the washing machine and garbage disposal being used.

Courtney didn’t call 911. At the time, it sounded like a typical apartment argument. But days later, after seeing Jasmine’s missing persons flyer on Facebook and recognizing her as the upstairs neighbor, Courtney contacted Crime Stoppers with what she had heard.

Her testimony painted a chilling picture: someone was covering up a crime scene, not simply staying up late. It also begged haunting questions: What was being washed? Why the disposal? Could these sounds have been evidence being destroyed?

A Father’s Desperate Search: Travis Pace

The next witness was Travis Pace, Jasmine’s biological father. He recounted the frantic hours of November 26, when Jasmine’s family tried to track her down. After learning Jasmine was last seen there, Travis and others entered Chen’s apartment.

Inside, they found:

Her ID and credit cards were carefully stacked in a drawer.
Female belongings in the bathroom.
An unmade bed, scattered clothing, and a desk drawer holding tangible proof she had been there.

Travis called 911 and pleaded with officers to involve homicide detectives immediately. His account made it clear: this was a father, not a forensic technician. He wasn't thinking about crime scene integrity but about his daughter.

And then came the Facebook photo. Posted while Jasmine was already missing, it showed her in lingerie with the caption: “Enjoying Thanksgiving with my baby.” Her family instantly knew it was wrong. It wasn’t recent—her tattoos were missing—and Jasmine would never post something like that. The image felt staged, fake, and manipulative. Jason Chen had her phone. He was controlling the narrative.

An Expert’s Uncertainty: Johnny Lawrence

The defense’s final witness was Johnny Lawrence, a private investigator and crime scene reconstruction expert. Unlike the state’s experts, Lawrence wasn’t involved initially—he was hired weeks later.

His testimony aimed to cast doubt on the integrity of the investigation:

He claimed the crime scene was contaminated, pointing to inconsistencies in body cam footage versus later crime scene photos.
He suggested items had been moved, raising the possibility that key evidence may have been altered or mishandled.
He analyzed blood transfer stains, including one on a maroon sheet that he believed could have come from Jasmine’s hand.

But Lawrence also admitted he couldn’t draw any definitive conclusions. Under cross-examination, his theories often drifted into speculation. Even Judge Patterson had to intervene to clarify what could be accepted as expert testimony.

While Lawrence raised important questions, his testimony ultimately boiled down to uncertainty—not an alibi, not an alternative theory, just possibilities.

You can watch his testimony here:

The Jury’s Questions

As the day wrapped, we, the jury, were invited to submit written questions for Travis Pace. It was one of the most humanizing moments in the trial—our chance to ask what mattered most to us, not just the attorneys.

We asked:

How well did Travis know Jason?
How exactly did they break into the apartment?
Did they search the dumpster? (They did—and found clothing and a sanitary pad.)
Did anyone remove items from the apartment?
What was the bedroom scene like?

These weren’t legal questions. They were personal, visceral attempts to understand what had happened—and to honor the humanity of the people at the center of this tragedy.

Closing Thoughts

Day six was the defense’s entire case. Three witnesses. No revelations. No airtight narrative.

Courtney Brewer heard Jasmine’s last moments. Travis Pace found her things. Johnny Lawrence questioned the process—but not the conclusion.

Next Time on Sequestered

The trial nears its conclusion as both sides deliver their closing arguments. Was this a premeditated murder, as the state insists? Or a crime of passion, as the defense hopes you’ll believe?

🎧 Listen to Episode 7: "The State Rests" Now streaming on SequesteredPod.com and all major podcast platforms.

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