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Deborah Roberts
911, where is the emergency? It's the middle of the night in a small town on the Jersey shore. Someone reports an abandoned car on a bridge. A search gets underway for the missing driver, 19 year old Sarah Stern.
Paula Levine
Is it a missing person? Is it a suicide? At this point, nobody knows.
Deborah Roberts
Old friendships, buried cash, and a sinister plot that was once pitched as a movie plays out in real life. I'm juju chang from 2020 abc audio. Listen to bridge of lies coming March 10th wherever you listen to podcasts. Hi everybody and welcome to 2020 the After Show. I'm Deborah Roberts and I'm so glad you're with us today. We are taking, as we always do, a closer look at One of our 2020 episodes, the most recent one. And if you saw it, you remember it, and if you didn't, we're going to give you all the detail now. It's called Murder at the U. And it's the heartbreaking story of a young man who really was the epitome of the American dream. Brian Pata was the son of a single mom from Haiti. He had eight siblings. I know what that's like to be from a large family. In fact, it's kind of interesting. This one grabbed my eye because I'm from a family of nine kids. Brian was the kind of kid that many had described as kind and humble, a young man, a strong young man with a really soft heart. He was also a shining star, a football player at the University of Miami. And he appeared to be on his way to a pro career, a top tier prospect for the 2007 NFL Draft. And just months before that could happen, his life was tragically cut short. On November 7, 2006, Brian was found shot to death next to his parked car. And of course, the big question is who would want to take the life of this young, promising 22 year old guy? Well, that was the question that lingered for quite a while in the weeks and days and months afterwards. No arrest in this case. And this went on for more than a decade. The case was essentially growing cold. And then finally a former teammate of his was arrested and charged in the murder. Finally, in February, the case went to court. And just last week, a bombshell in the courtroom. We're going to take you through all of these twists and turns. But first of all, this is a case that may have never even made it to court if it had not been for an intrepid investigative team at espn. So joining us now is one of those reporters, Paula Levine, who is host of the 30 for 30 podcast Murder at the U. And here with me in the studio is 2020 producer Mike Schultz, who helped bring this story to 2020. So welcome to you both. Mike, thank you. Good to have you. And Paula, good to have you here.
Paula Levine
Thank you.
Deborah Roberts
Mike, let me just ask you, first of all, you brought this story to 2020. You had heard about it, and you saw what I think must have been something that grabbed your attention, which was this photo of the football players right after Brian Pata's death. All of them gathered around an image of his praying before a game. What was it about this story that caught your eye right away?
Mike Schultz
So there's an image at the first home game following Brian Pata's death where. Where the players on the team are gathered at midfield after the game, praying over a vigil of Brian. And in the photo is kneeling is the man who was ultimately arrested and charged with his murder. And I found that one of his teammates, one of his teammates, Rashawn Jones. And I found that to be such a striking image. And as I started digging into the case a bit more and learning more about the investigation and about the ESPN legwork that was done after the fact that I thought it would make a really, really compelling show to kind of dig into all these ins and outs of the case.
Deborah Roberts
Interestingly, ESPN had already been digging into this story. Paula, the case landed in your lap in about 2018. Talk about how it landed in your lap and what you thought of it in the very beginning.
Paula Levine
Sure. Well, actually, even the year before, in 2017, something happened that has never happened to us before, which is the Miami Dade Police Department reached out to ESPN to ask us if maybe we would do something on Brian Pata and maybe like a college game day special or something. And at that time, they communicated that maybe some national media attention would bring someone forward with some information. And as it wasn't really a fit for that sort of thing. But as producers looked at it and then other journalists, including I, got brought into it, we were like, this is actually something we wanted to dig into. And one of the things that really turned us onto this was a press conference in 2017 where the PATA family came to sort of make this plea for people to come forward. And Brian Pata's mom, Jeanette, just started, just kind of went off script and was. And was very angry at the police department saying that they weren't working the case. And we really keyed into that frustration and wanted to take a look at, well, why haven't they made progress on this case, what have they been doing? And that led us on a. On a search for records and interviews. And it took us in a direction that we never, never anticipated you would be doing.
Deborah Roberts
You would be going down. And I think it's interesting that they didn't necessarily ask you to help them solve the case. They just wanted you to help shine a light on the case, thinking that would help. Well, before we get to all of those little details of what you noticed and how they wound up toward a suspect, Mike, you sat down with Brian's siblings, and at least a few of them, and they obviously were so shattered by the loss of him. But they talked about growing up in this particular area. They were Haitian, grew up in Little Haiti. And, you know, for them, I mean, sports was kind of a salvation. They shared with you that that was a big deal in their lives, kind of an opportunity if they were to go to college. Talk a little bit about, if you would, that community and what that was like where they grew up.
Mike Schultz
Sure. So the family actually moved around quite a bit. The mother, Jeanette, was. Would move her family on a whim, depending on how safe or unsafe she thought the neighborhoods were where they were living. So they were rather transient. So sports were a way for the kids to fit in in new neighborhoods that they were living, and also for a way for them to go to college, because they otherwise would have never been able to afford it. Sports got them off the street. They would have otherwise been prone to the unsafe areas in which they were living and the unsavory characters surrounding them if they hadn't been able to do that.
Deborah Roberts
We've heard that story so much in pro sports, too, where the mom drove the kids to do this just to kind of keep them busy and keep them off the streets. And in this case, she's a single mom. You know, when we heard them talking about the dreams, the big dreams that he had, that they had for him and his family, he had hoped to buy his mom a house. Instead, though, they wound up burying him in the suit that he had hoped to be drafted in. I mean, it had to be, you know, just a real emotional time for you, talking to them.
Mike Schultz
Heartbreaking. This is probably the hardest part of the job that we do, is talking to people whose loved ones have been killed.
Deborah Roberts
Yeah, Paula, you had a chance to know about this family, too, but also the idea that for Brian, you know, the University of Miami, I mean, this was a storied football team. I mean, we all had heard about it over the years, and they were Known to be tough. In fact, that culture was pretty tough, right? I mean, somebody said they were kind of called the bad boys of football. So what was that culture like that he was stepping into?
Paula Levine
Oh, absolutely. I mean, at the time, you know, in those early 2000s, coming off multiple national championships, the, the Miami Hurricanes were at the top of the world. I mean, they, and they, and they had this swagger, too. That's what they were known for. They were just known for their swagger, for their sort of trash talking. I mean, and they could prove it. I mean, they, you know, they, they had. During that time, I mean, they sent so many players to the NFL. And Brian was looking at that, at those teams and saying, you know, I, I want to be a part of that. And he had offers other places, but it was. There was the perfect opportunity for him. I mean, he could go to this team that was, you know, on the top of the world and, and he could stay home and be close to his mom and, you know, and he really fit into that, that attitude too. I mean, he was really into going to the nightclubs. He was, you know, like to work on cars. I mean, he had all these outside interests and really fit into that culture of, of those players and sort of the wild times, all the, the money floating around them. There were high times there in Miami. It was the place to be. I mean, it was quite an experience for a football player, for a young man coming into college.
Deborah Roberts
But then you talked about how his family, actually, in the Times, in the weeks leading up to his murder, they noticed a little distance. They noticed that he was a little bit different. What was going on for him.
Paula Levine
Yeah, absolutely. He made some comments about being a little frightened, a little paranoid. He was telling people he was, you know, getting threats. One of the most notable things was, I mean, he had guns and he slept in his closet with, with his. He had an AK47. I mean, he didn't like that was. That was some of the extreme behavior that they were noticing he covered up. He had a personalized license plate said Pata. And he put, you know, covered it up with like, black tape or cover. Just things like that. Leading in the, in the weeks leading up to his death, people really noticed he was. He was doing some things that really indicated that he had some suspicion or some fear that. And even nightmares. You know, he was telling his brother about that someone was after him.
Deborah Roberts
The big question is why? And we're going to take a look into that. But first we have to take a break. And when we come back. We're going to talk about the explosive twists and turns in this case, so don't go anywhere. This show is sponsored by Bombas. If people are asking you if you're still working on your New Year's resolutions, well, here's a new one to add to your list. Get more comfortable. And you can do that with Bombas. Bombas makes everyday Go to items that bring serious comfort, like luxurious Sunday slippers that feel like you're walking on clouds, sweat wicking sports socks tailored to any sport or activity you can come up with, and premium everyday T shirts that are flexible, breathable and buttery soft. And your feet will love wearing the sports socks to the gym or lounging in your Sunday slippers at home on a rainy day. And there's an added bonus for every item you purchase, an essential clothing item is donated to someone facing housing insecurity. That's one purchased one donated with over 150 million donations and counting. Head over to bombas.com 20 and use code 20TWENTY for 20% off your first purchase. That's B O M B A S.com 20 and the code TWENT Y at
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Deborah Roberts
I'm sitting here with ESPN's investigative reporter Paula Levine alongside 2020 producer Mike Schultz, peeling back the layers of our latest episode, Murder at the U. Which centered around the just unbelievable killing of a 22 year old college football star by the name of Brian Pata. And Paula, I want to go back to that night that Brian was murdered because it was really telling in a way that the way he was found, he was getting out of his car outside his apartment complex. This is November 7, 2006. And he was found face down in a pool of blood. And right away that was sort of telling the way he was discovered, wasn't it?
Paula Levine
Well, I think when investigators took a look at it, they, they felt like the, the way that, that he was found was that it looked like he had been ambushed and, and all. There were some other things they noticed there too, that there was a, you know, his wallet was still there. He had, you know, 900 dol. His wallet, you know, his vehicle was still there.
Deborah Roberts
Like, so it wasn't a robbery.
Paula Levine
Yeah, the thought that maybe this was a robbery was like, okay, that's, that's not what happened. And it seemed they, they deduced pretty early on that that whoever killed him wanted him specifically Brian Pata, dead.
Deborah Roberts
Yeah, they, they immediately thought that this was sort of execution style, that this was sort of a planned attack. So the investigation goes on, no arrest in this case. And then eventually years and it goes cold. And you know, ESPN get, as you had said earlier, they thought you might shine a light on this case. And there had been a press conference with his mother, Jeanette, as you alluded to, pleading with the public for some help here. And I guess the big question people would ask is why was it taking so long?
Paula Levine
I think that that's still a big question. I mean, they pursued some leads, but then it just sort of stopped. And that was the big question in the family. Like, you know, what are you doing on this case? What's happening? You know, and there's, it just went for a year. I think the last entry in the police report until things, you know, until we got involved was like from 2009, 2010, they just, they really stopped entering anything into evidence. I mean, it just sort of disappeared.
Deborah Roberts
And then police finally, as Mike said, arrest Rashawn Jones, Brian's former teammate. But then they said that he had been a suspect or they had suspicions about him all along. And if that's the case, then why weren't they making a case all along? Why wasn't he arrested sooner?
Paula Levine
That is a question that we would love to have.
Deborah Roberts
The million dollar question.
Paula Levine
Yeah, yeah, the million dollar question. Because there really wasn't anything that changed from the evidence that they had back in, you know, 2007, 2008, to when they arrested him in 2021. And the detectives said, oh, it was, you know, coming back and taking a closer look at the evidence and putting things together in a better way, doing some interviews. But, you know, they still could see there was no, there was no smoking gun found in that time. The only thing that was different, substantially different, was that ESPN got involved and drew a lot of attention to this case and put it back into the headlines. And that did force them to take a closer look at it. And then they decide that, you know, now this evidence looks better and they've got a, they have a different state attorney and they decide to make the arrest.
Deborah Roberts
Was there any other, you said no smoking gun, but any other compelling evidence that made him a suspect?
Paula Levine
There was some. There was substantial circumstantial evidence. So there was, there were allegations that Brian Pata and Rashawn Jones had a beef with each other over Brian Pata's girlfriend, with whom Rashawn Jones had previously been involved. There was a dorm room fight in 2004 where Brian, you know, really kind of beat up quite a bit on, on, on Rashawn. And, and then on the, on the day of the killing, you know, Rashawn finds out that he's, you know, failed a drug test and he's facing a two game suspension. And, and then he is, after, after Brian's killed, there's a mandatory team meeting back at the athletic facilities and Rashawn is the only player known to not come to that meeting. So that's, that's part of it. But the other big piece of evidence, and I think what this state might call their strongest piece of evidence, is there's a former university, well, at the time, University of Miami writing instructor, who is coming to the apartment complex right around the time Brian is killed. And he sees someone and he doesn't think anything of it until the next day when he hears about what happened and he goes to police and he tells them that he had this encounter with this individual who was leaving and, you know, gives them a description, they generate a sketch. It isn't until about seven months later when some of this other circumstantial evidence pointing to Rashawn, you know, sort of gets solidified for the Police that they come to this gentleman, his name's Paul Connor, and they present him with a photo lineup, and there are 12 photos total. And he picks out the photo of Rashawn Jones and says, that's the guy I saw leaving the apartment complex on the night of Brian's shooting.
Deborah Roberts
Yeah. And that's a big moment. Mike, I see you nodding along here. Talk to us a little bit about what you learned about Rashawn and Brian's relationship by the time this arrest happened. You know, Rashawn now is married and has children, and he's got a typical family life. But prior to this, as Paula said, they had had a little beef in their relationship. There had been some real tensions there.
Mike Schultz
There had been some tension, however,
Deborah Roberts
in
Mike Schultz
learning about the dynamic of the team. Fights between teammates in the locker room seem to be commonplace. They didn't seem to be an outlying event, and there's a lot of testosterone. There's a lot of fighting over girls. And this seemed to be par for the course for the most part. What I also found interesting was the beef that existed between Brian and Rashaun was almost two years before the murder. So the fight that they had, if you had bad blood afterwards, you know, simmering for a long time. If you're planning to kill somebody, yeah,
Deborah Roberts
you can make an argument that that
Mike Schultz
was old news versus reacting in the moment. People had described Rashawn as a hothead in other arguments with people and was very reactive to that. But this didn't feel reactive. It felt calculating. I think later on during trial, the prosecution tried to paint a picture of jealousy with Rashaun over Brian, that Brian was gonna. Was going places, and Rashawn was kind of stuck in a rut, especially given his drug suspension. But as Rashaun's lawyers point out, they didn't even play the same position, that Rashaun was a defensive back, whereas Brian was a defensive lineman. So they weren't even operating in the same orbit.
Deborah Roberts
Yeah, they weren't in direct competition.
Mike Schultz
Not at all. And frankly, a lot of the teammates weren't interacting regularly with players of different positions. So they weren't fighting for playing time. There was really no reason to be jealous in that same way.
Deborah Roberts
So then Jones is charged finally, all those years later with this murder, and family and friends just don't believe it. They don't think he's a killer.
Mike Schultz
Rashawn's family and friends don't believe it. Brian's family and friends, or his family specifically, feels like he was the guy all along. They had been Getting tips from people inside the police department and from other players saying that it was Rashawn. They, they from a very early point thought it was him. And for this, this was validating. And they've, you know, steadfastly believed it was Rashawn all the way. Rashaun's wife Ishenda, when he's arrested, she visits him when he's being interrogated and reaffirms her belief that he didn't do it, that the police have the wrong guy. For the Potters, though, this was confirmation for them that police had finally made an arrest, albeit 15 years too late.
Deborah Roberts
Albeit 15 years. Well, I have to sneak in a quick break. Jones is held in jail for four and a half years before he finally gets a trial in February of 2026. And that goes on for a couple of weeks. And then, as we said, a bombshell that nobody saw coming. We're gonna take you inside the courtroom in just a bit, so stay with us.
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Deborah Roberts
Welcome back to 2020 the After show and we are getting the details from ESPN investigative reporter Paula Levine and 2020 producer Mike Schultz who's here with me about our most recent episode which centers on the murder of Brian Pata, an all star football at the University of Miami with the hurricanes who was shot outside his apartment complex back in 2006. Well, it turns out his former teammate Rashawn Jones was later charged with second degree murder. And then just last week, a big shocker. After two weeks of testimony, several days of deliberation, a six person jury remained deadlocked and the judge declared a mistrial. This was something nobody, Paula. I mean, I would imagine. Well, I don't know. I mean, you were in the courtroom. Did you see it coming?
Paula Levine
I think we got, we got the first indication when they came back on Monday morning. They had, they had ended deliberations on Thursday. They didn't have court on Friday, they came back Monday and we all went in there thinking, okay, today's gonna be the day they've got a full day of deliberations. It's gonna happen. And, like, shortly, like, within an hour, not even an hour, there was a note that was coming out of the jury room, and it was that they were. They were deadlocked, and no one was willing to move. And the judge decided to send them back and ask them, you know, okay, go through everything again. Just see if you can give it a go. Right. It was like, you know, again, like, maybe an hour or so. They came back and they're like, we are. We are hopeful, hopelessly deadlocked, and it's not gonna happen. And so you could tell there was. You could tell there was just sort of shock and befuddlement from everyone, even. Even the judge, because this is not what. What anyone really expected. And honestly, nobody left that courtroom, please, that day. I mean, the family, you could tell they walked out. They were incredibly despondent. You know, they're. They're at the elevators, and all the media are swarming them. And. And, you know, Jeanette Pata is just saying over and over 20 years. 20 years. I mean, just. You just could tell. Just anguish and. And, you know, inside the courtroom still, the, you know, the defense and Rashawn hung out, and at one point, they were all, you know, holding hands and sort of bowing their heads and just, you know, talking and trying. Just trying to figure out what happened next. And I think. Yeah, I think the media, there were also just. Everybody. Everybody was pretty shocked. This was not. This was not something. This is not an alternative that I
Deborah Roberts
think a lot of people considered that they had considered. And when you talk about Jeanette, Mike, in the piece, there was this really, really almost chilling video of Jeanette running towards the scene after she discovers and she's been told that her son has been murdered. And it just really is something that just grips you. And when you think about the family and after all of these years, what does this new development, in your view, mean for the family?
Mike Schultz
Well, I think that Paula is producing partner Dana Ruda, who's been one of our wonderful partners in this, put it succinctly when you juxtapose Brian's mother running to the scene the day of the murder. And then you see her in that wheelchair being wheeled out and how much this has taken a toll on her. And Paula pointed out as well, when we interviewed Paula, that she's almost been holding on for this, like she's infirm, she's had a lot of health issues, and that she's Almost willing herself to just stick around to get some closure for this. The family, more than anything, needs closure. They don't want closure. They need closure to be made whole again. And to know after the fact that that wouldn't happen, at least in the short term and maybe not ever, was really heartbreaking to watch.
Deborah Roberts
And maybe even if not closure, because most people would say there's never closure but justice, right?
Mike Schultz
Sure.
Deborah Roberts
A feeling of justice. Paula, what next then? What can we expect in the court for the family and also with Rashawn Jones? He's still in jail right now, correct?
Paula Levine
Yeah, he's still in jail. The prosecution indicated that it does intend to retry this case. They have set a new trial date for the middle of May, and, you know, under Florida law, they have to do it within 90 days. And so they're anticipating doing this all over again. And Rashaun, his defense attorney, asked for a lower bond so that, you know, it's something he might be able to afford. And. And it was at 100. It was at 850,000. The judge lowered it to 500,000. So he's going to, you know, stay in custody until. Until trial, and then we'll see what happens, and we'll go through this all over again. The one big change, I think, is after all this media coverage, I think it might be hard to. To find that many jurors who haven't heard anything about this case when they. When they come in for. For jury selection.
Deborah Roberts
And that's going to be what's so interesting, to see what they do differently. Did you kind of understand the jury's dilemma?
Paula Levine
One of the things that ESPN pointed out all along in our reporting in the podcast was that the investigation done by the Miami Dade Police Department fell short in a lot of areas. And I think that. I think. I mean, talking to some of the jurors that came out in trial, I mean, a lot of the things that we pointed out and some of the things that the defense was trying to get in, you know, the jury picked up on. And I think for them, even though they were a hung jury, the indication was that, you know, most of them were moving toward an acquittal. And the main part of that was they just felt like the state just didn't have enough evidence and they didn't present it very well.
Deborah Roberts
Yeah, Mike, did you see it that way, too? And also, the defense didn't put any witnesses up.
Mike Schultz
Defense put no witnesses up for the next go round. I've talked to Rashawn's lawyer who is glad that they didn't tip their hand to the prosecution in terms of what their game plan was. The prosecution did. They still have that in their back pocket. But I wanted to point out that the jury was deadlocked, but that doesn't mean that they were split. In this case, there was one holdout who. Who wanted to convict, and the others from our reporting, wanted to acquit, basically because they thought he wasn't guilty or because there wasn't enough evidence. But I think that it's. It's pretty hard to overcome that into the next go round in terms of presenting the same evidence and trying to sway these minds of people who feel like there isn't enough evidence. The one thing I want to point out is that Rashawn is indigent. He's been in jail for four and a half years. His lawyer, who's 30 years old, this woman named Sarah Alvarez, is doing this completely pro bono. It's her first murder case ever, and she's trying. I think it's an indictment of the criminal justice system that people who are. Are poor, people of color predominantly don't get a fair shake or they're in jail for years and years and years. Just a week.
Deborah Roberts
Well, he's just waiting trial.
Mike Schultz
Yeah, he's not been convicted of nothing. He's been in jail for longer than many people are in jail for. For serious crimes. So watching it from through that lens has been really difficult. Whether he's guilty or not. I think it's. It's really a challenge that this country faces on a regular basis that is really skewed towards people who have the wealth to afford to. To take these things on.
Deborah Roberts
So he's in jail for four and a half years. But also, too, he had a possibility of a plea deal which he chose not to take.
Paula Levine
On the day that they were trying to reschedule, the trial judge offers him yet again, the opportunity for a plea. Actually even says to him, you know, give us your best offer. And the message back is, I have no offer. I'm not interested.
Deborah Roberts
Wow. This is a guy who truly asserts his innocence. Well, more of this will probably be discussed in the coming months because the trial goes on. So to be continued, both of you, Mike Schultz and Paula Levine, thank you so much for taking the time. And Paula, what great work. Congrats to you and your team for shining the light on this story, which otherwise may have just remained a cold case. Thank you. Well, thank you so much, both of you guys for being here, and thank you to our listeners. For joining us again for this podcast episode. And of course you can always watch for our latest 2020 episodes on Friday nights on ABC. And you can stream episodes like this one anytime on Disney plus and Hulu. And to listen to Murder at the u find 30 for 30 podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to your podcast. Take care everybody. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart choice. Make another SM choice with Auto Quote Explorer to compare rates from multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try it@progressive.com Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy
Narrator/Promotional Voice
from 30 for 30 podcasts.
Deborah Roberts
Did you say someone got shot?
Mike Schultz
Brian Pattis, senior defensive lineman from Miami, gunned down the key to this case. It's Brian.
Narrator/Promotional Voice
An hour before he died, he was
Paula Levine
on the phone arguing with somebody.
Deborah Roberts
This might be a hit.
Narrator/Promotional Voice
You want the truth? They just want a conviction.
Paula Levine
Being placed under arrest.
Mike Schultz
We had a killer amongst us.
Deborah Roberts
Murder at the U.
Narrator/Promotional Voice
Listen now.
20/20 After Show: Murder at the U
Original air date: March 9, 2026
Podcast: 20/20 After Show (ABC News)
Host: Deborah Roberts
Guests: Paula Levine (ESPN/30 for 30 Podcast), Mike Schultz (20/20 Producer)
This After Show episode revisits and dissects the “20/20” true crime episode, Murder at the U, centered on the 2006 murder of Brian Pata, a University of Miami football star. The After Show brings on investigative journalists Paula Levine and Mike Schultz—key figures in reviving interest in the cold case—who break down the investigation, the long pursuit of justice, the charges against former teammate Rashawn Jones, and the recent mistrial that has left the case open once again.
“[Brian] was the kind of kid that many had described as kind and humble... a strong young man with a really soft heart.”
— Deborah Roberts (00:41)
“He could go to this team that was, you know, on the top of the world and, and he could stay home and be close to his mom… there were high times there in Miami. It was the place to be.”
— Paula Levine (07:36)
“He had guns and he slept in his closet with… an AK47… He covered up… [his license plate]… people really noticed he was… doing some things that really indicated that he had some suspicion or some fear.”
— Paula Levine (08:58)
“It seemed… they deduced pretty early on that… whoever killed him wanted him—specifically Brian Pata—dead.”
— Paula Levine (13:24)
“There really wasn’t anything that changed from the evidence that they had back in… 2007, 2008, to when they arrested [Jones] in 2021… The only thing that was… substantially different was that ESPN got involved and drew a lot of attention…”
— Paula Levine (14:57)
“There was substantial circumstantial evidence…[an] alleged beef… a dorm room fight in 2004… failed a drug test... eyewitness who picked out [Jones] from a photo lineup…”
— Paula Levine (15:55)
“Fights between teammates… seem to be commonplace… and there’s a lot of testosterone, there’s a lot of fighting over girls… The beef… was almost two years before the murder.”
— Mike Schultz (18:10)
“Rashawn’s family and friends don’t believe it. Brian’s family… feels like he was the guy all along.”
— Mike Schultz (19:39)
“You could tell there was… just sort of shock and befuddlement from everyone, even… the judge, because this is not what… anyone really expected.”
— Paula Levine (22:04)
“You juxtapose Brian’s mother running to the scene the day of the murder… and then you see her in that wheelchair being wheeled out… how much this has taken a toll on her.”
— Mike Schultz (24:18)
“The prosecution indicated that it does intend to retry this case… after all this media coverage, I think it might be hard to… find that many jurors who haven’t heard anything about this case…”
— Paula Levine (25:18)
“Defense put no witnesses up for the next go round. I’ve talked to Rashawn’s lawyer who is glad that they didn’t tip their hand…”
— Mike Schultz (27:06)
“It’s an indictment of the criminal justice system that people who are… poor, people of color predominantly don’t get a fair shake… he’s been in jail for longer than many people are in jail for… serious crimes…”
— Mike Schultz (28:09)
“He had a possibility of a plea deal which he chose not to take... [The judge] actually even says to him, you know, give us your best offer. And the message back is, I have no offer. I’m not interested.”
— Paula Levine (28:38)
“They just want a conviction.”
— Narrator/Paula Levine (30:32), capturing family and defense perceptions.
“We had a killer amongst us.”
— Mike Schultz (30:36), reflecting team members’ shock.
“You could tell... just anguish and... inside the courtroom still, the, you know, the defense and Rashawn hung out, and at one point, they were all... holding hands... just trying to figure out what happened next.”
— Paula Levine (23:10), on the raw emotion after the mistrial.
The conversation is empathetic, detailed, and at times emotionally charged. The hosts and guests balance journalistic inquiry with respectful acknowledgement of the grief and frustration experienced by the Pata family and all those affected by the unsolved murder.
The After Show delivers a probing, behind-the-scenes discussion of Murder at the U—emphasizing not just the facts of the crime, but the complexities of the investigation, the impact of journalism in cold case justice, and the human toll on all involved. The upcoming retrial promises further developments, with the After Show committed to ongoing coverage.