BONUS Q&A EPISODE: Your Questions, Answered

Summary

SEQUESTERED Podcast: BONUS Q&A EPISODE – Your Questions, Answered

Release Date: May 12, 2025

In this special bonus episode of SEQUESTERED, host Sara (Juror #11) and co-host Andrea engage directly with their audience by addressing a myriad of listener questions. This episode offers deeper insights into the State of Tennessee v. Jason Chen trial, shedding light on critical aspects of the case and the jurors' experiences. Here's a comprehensive summary of the discussions:

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1. Clarifying Evidence: Handcuffs and Shackles

Discussion Time: 00:20 – 04:32

One of the most frequently asked questions pertains to the handcuffs and shackles used in the trial. Listeners were curious about when and why Jason Chen possessed these restraints and whether their presence indicated premeditation.

• Sarah explains, “There’s no evidence of when or where he purchased the handcuffs or shackles” (00:32). Dr. Cogswell’s testimony describes them as “cheap, aluminum cuffs and shackles” likely obtainable from novelty stores or online platforms like Amazon.

• Upon reviewing courtroom images, Andrea notes the nature of these restraints, observing, “they could still prevent someone from escaping” (01:18).

• Dr. Cogswell’s detailed explanation clarifies the difference between handcuffs and shackles, emphasizing their lightweight and non-standard nature (02:05).

• Sarah adds, “The keys were actually attached to them when she was found, which is crazy” (02:14), highlighting the precariousness of the restraints used on Jasmine Pace.

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2. Jason Chen’s Motive and Character Insights

Discussion Time: 09:40 – 14:17

Listeners expressed intrigue over Jason Chen's sudden act of violence, especially given reports of a previously normal relationship with Jasmine Pace.

• Sarah acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding Chen’s motives: “Only he knows the motive and the reason and the details of that night” (10:15).

• Andrea introduces testimonies from Jason’s former roommate, Ryan Baird, who recounts a deteriorating relationship marked by manipulation and identity theft (10:30). A poignant moment includes Ryan stating, “He was just kind of a quiet, pretty funny guy... but then he started hacking into my Facebook account” (12:01).

• Sarah summarizes these character issues, noting multiple accounts of Chen’s manipulative behavior but also recognizing that such actions don’t typically escalate to murder (14:04).

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3. Police Department’s Response to Jasmine's Disappearance

Discussion Time: 20:29 – 23:18

Concerns were raised regarding the Chattanooga Police Department’s handling of Jasmine Pace’s disappearance.

• Sarah reflects on the prosecution's arguments, agreeing that the initial police response was lacking: “That it was not acted quick enough” (20:54).

• Andrea echoes this sentiment, questioning how significant evidence like a large blood stain was initially missed, to which Sarah responds with uncertainty about the thoroughness of the investigation (20:54).

• The discovery by the apartment management played a pivotal role in advancing the case, further substantiating Jasmine’s presence (22:10).

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4. Insights on Jasmine’s Family and Their Testimonies

Discussion Time: 23:18 – 25:47

Listeners were curious about the family's involvement and their perspectives on the trial and podcast.

• Sarah shares her limited interactions with Jasmine's family, mentioning initial outreach attempts and subsequent correspondence with a family member close to the case (25:11).

• Andrea emphasizes the emotional difficulty jurors faced, particularly observing Jasmine’s father’s attempts to transparently manage the crime scene (23:33).

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5. The Juror Experience: Sequestration and Daily Life

Discussion Time: 27:16 – 31:48

The process and challenges of jury sequestration were a significant area of interest.

• Sarah details the stringent rules jurors adhered to, including nightly five-minute phone calls under strict supervision: “You have to keep it on speakerphone the whole time” (27:16).

• Conversations during these calls were limited to personal topics, explicitly excluding any discussion about the case (29:19).

• Andrea inquires about the ethical considerations of a juror sharing their courtroom experience, to which Sarah responds thoughtfully, emphasizing the intent to honor Jasmine’s story and process her experience (31:48).

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6. Addressing Ethical Concerns and Listener Feedback

Discussion Time: 31:48 – 35:01

Addressing criticisms, Sara and Andrea discuss the ethical implications of sharing their jury experience and handling negative feedback.

• Sarah acknowledges the concerns, stating, “Anyone can tell this story” and emphasizing the uniqueness of her juror perspective (32:06).

• They discuss dealing with unsolicited critiques regarding Sara’s narration, reinforcing their commitment to authentic storytelling despite negative comments (33:06).

• Andrea quotes Brené Brown, reinforcing resilience against criticism: “If you’re not in the arena, getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback” (34:20).

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7. Future Plans for SEQUESTERED Podcast

Discussion Time: 35:17 – 37:24

Looking ahead, Sara and Andrea outline their vision for the podcast’s continuation and evolution.

• Sarah expresses a desire to continue victim-centric storytelling, stating, “We want to share more about that” and hinting at plans for Season Two (35:17).

• The hosts reiterate their commitment to honoring victims’ lives beyond their tragic ends, aiming to provide comprehensive narratives that avoid reducing victims to mere case studies (36:17).

• They encourage listeners to engage further through their website, SequesteredPod.com, which offers exclusive content and deeper dives into each episode (36:30).

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8. Final Thoughts and Community Engagement

Discussion Time: 37:24 – End

As the episode concludes, Sara and Andrea express gratitude towards their audience for their support and participation.

• Andrea urges listeners to continue supporting the podcast by leaving positive reviews and engaging with their content across platforms (36:57).

• They reassure the community of forthcoming content and maintain an open channel for ongoing dialogue and questions (37:24).

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Notable Quotes:

• Sarah on the nature of the handcuffs:
  “The keys were actually attached to them when she was found, which is crazy.” (02:14)

• Ryan Baird on his deteriorating friendship with Jason Chen:
  “You’d never expect the person you’ve been living with for a year and a half and you’re splitting rent to actually do all those things to you, to try to hurt you like that.” (13:10)

• Sarah on processing the trial experience:
  “It was my way of processing it. I’ve never done anything like this before.” (33:06)

• Andrea quoting Brené Brown:
  “If you’re not in the arena, getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.” (34:20)

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Conclusion

This BONUS Q&A episode of SEQUESTERED serves as a vital extension of the original series, offering juror Sara and co-host Andrea a platform to delve deeper into listener inquiries. From clarifying intricate details of the evidence to sharing personal reflections on the juror experience, the hosts provide a transparent and heartfelt exploration of the trial's complexities. This episode not only enriches the listener's understanding of the case but also underscores the profound emotional and ethical dimensions inherent in seeking justice.

For more detailed discussions, exclusive content, and updates on future episodes, visit SequesteredPod.com.

Transcript

[Sarah]

Hey, everyone, it's Sarah and Andrea here. And welcome to this special bonus episode of Sequestered. So here we are.

[Andrea]

Here we are.

[Sarah]

Let's dive on into this.

[Andrea]

All right, so we've had a lot of listeners send in questions. We have read your reviews. We have a lot to talk about.

[Sarah]

Yes, that we do.

[Andrea]

So probably the most asked question has been about the handcuffs and the shackles, right?

[Sarah]

Yeah. I mean, I think we've probably replied to over 30 emails about.

[Andrea]

So the two questions are when and why did he have these shackles? And then the next question is generally, wasn't that tied to premeditation?

[Sarah]

Right. Well, first off, I will say this was covered in the. In the trial. What we know for sure is that there's no evidence of when or where he purchased the handcuffs or shackles. So they don't have a receipt or a timeline or anything like that. Only what Dr. Cogswell's description was, which is that they were cheap, like, kind of aluminum cuffs and shackles. Something he said, something that you would find at, like, a Spencer's or some sort of, like, novelty store. So he could have bought these at any point. You could probably get them on Amazon.

[Andrea]

Well, I was shocked because I said to you, I remember Spencer's kind of being a little edgy when I was growing up, but I've not been to a Spencer's in years, and I was nervous to do it, but I went on and looked, and you actually can buy handcuffs. But I understand after watching the video of Dr. Cogswell, when he pulls them out of the evidence bags, you could tell they're lighter weight and they actually have a little button that you can undo. But they're serious enough that if someone was handcuffed and didn't know what was happening, they would still be handcuffed and maybe couldn't get out.

[Sarah]

Right. And side note, the keys were actually attached to them when she was found, which is crazy. So, anyway, I think we have a clip here that we could play where Cogswell explains that more.

[Dr. Cogswell]

Again, these are not the typical law enforcement handcuffs. They're simply cheap steel, chrome plated.

[Sarah]

Thank you.

[Dr. Cogswell]

And those are the same cuffs that we saw on the screen? Yes, sir, that's correct. There's another item up there. 206, sir, if you wouldn't mind going through the same process with it. We have, again, a clear plastic bag with the medical examiner's office label marked as shackles. Jasmine Ace. And these would be those that were. Or the shackles that were removed from her body. At the time of autopsy. What's the difference between handcuffs and shackles? Sir, handcuffs would have a short chain on them and shackles would have a longer chain. Basically, the intent is to allow you to walk with shackles. So you can obviously can't handcuff someone's ankles together. They can't walk. But by the same token, if you shackle someone's wrist together, that gives them a fair amount of space. So the chain length would be basically the big distinction. There's obviously many different models, types of shackles, but these, like the handcuffs, are not the typical heavy duty law enforcement type. They're again, the sort of novelty type of cheap chrome plated steel. And you can see that it's basically also a lamp chain as opposed to a heavy wing chain. And these would fit together like that. So the, the chain length isn't very long. And these, both of these have still some blood and rust on them.

[Sarah]

The other thing I was going to say is he talked a lot about how where, specifically where the shackle was connected to just below her elbow, that there was like, rust stains. And we saw, we, the jury and just people in the room actually saw photo evidence of this where the shack around her forearm had rusted, you know, and she had rust marks on her skin. And so, I mean, that's just another sign of them being just such cheap, you know, material.

[Andrea]

And we've tried to clean up this courtroom audio. We've had a lot of comments that it's sometimes hard to hear, and that is us doing our best to make it sound good. But I also wanted to touch, While we're on Dr. Cogswell on the fetal position piece, because we also had questions about that. Many people wanted to know, was she already handcuffed and shackled before she was attacked? And we have some audio here. It sounds like the prosecution is trying to suggest that through Dr. Cogswell's testimony.

[Dr. Cogswell]

This is actually showing, as you can see, this is the left side of Jasmine Pace's body. The stab wounds are virtually all on the other side of her body. And when we look at the other side of her body in this position, basically we just roll her over. All of those stab wounds and size wounds are clustered in the area of her head, neck, shoulder, and upper torso. They're just all on the other side of the body. So this side of the body, as you can see, basically has no injuries. In a fetal position. By tucking our legs up and getting ourselves into as small a ball as possible, some areas of our body are protected relatively Speaking, others are exposed. And if you have your knees drawn up, obviously she's not pulling as tightly backward as she was inside that suitcase. If you have your knees drawn up, you're basically protecting your abdomen and the lower part of your chest. If you have your arms crossed, again, you're protecting your chest, but what you're doing is exposing your shoulders and your back. So the stab wounds clustered on the other side of her body are all in that area that is exposed if she's in that position. And they're all pretty much about. From the area of the. Where your rib cage comes together and your solar plexus. In fact, there's very little that's. That's even below the level of, say, the armpit. So this is all from head, neck, shoulder, upper chest. Well, upper back, really. And virtually nothing below that, except for that free left arm, because that free left arm, if we roll her over, that free left arm is up here. The right arm is way down here, as you can see, tucked in between the legs. And there's no injury down there on the legs, so that's protected. It's out of the way. The left arm, however, is not. It's free, and it's folded up across the chest.

[Sarah]

One more note back on this. Her being in the fetal position as it relates to where her wounds were all related on one portion of her body, it proves that she was already in the fetal position during her attack, which then shows that she was very likely already shackled and cuffed. Right, because the defense's argument is that those cuffs and shackles were placed after the fact in order to fit her into the bags and therefore the suitcase.

[Andrea]

I just have a hard time. If the shackle is broken and she has one arm free that she's clearly using as a defensive. You said you thought it was a defensive wound.

[Sarah]

Oh, yeah. And, you know, you didn't see the images, the photos, only the people in the courtroom did. And I keep rubbing my. My wrist while I'm. While I'm talking, because the defensive wounds on. On her left, the inside of her left wrist and all the way up into her hand, through her left hand. It was so bad. It was. I mean, they were just so clearly defense. She was trying to shield her face with her one free arm.

[Andrea]

Okay, let's go through a few other questions that people had for you, Sarah.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Andrea]

Do you know, was Jason offered a plea deal?

[Sarah]

I. I am not positive. I remember seeing this question and kind of doing a little research. I don't think he was.

[Andrea]

Well, I don't think he was, because at the point when the trial started, the prosecution did not know that in the opening statement, his defense attorney was going to say Jason killed Jasmine. In fact, the family didn't know that either, right?

[Sarah]

Yeah, nobody did.

[Andrea]

So I think the answer to that is no.

[Sarah]

Yeah. We don't have confirmation about whether a plea deal was formally offered, but based on what was said in court and reported publicly, it seems the case went straight to trial without one. So Chen didn't enter a guilty plea or accept responsibility in any way before the trial. So the prosecution moved forward with a first degree murder charge, seeking life without parole.

[Andrea]

Okay, cool. All right. So we had a lot of questions also about Jason's motive, which are all theories at this point, from what we understand. A couple of comments here said, if by all accounts, they had a normal relationship, how and why did he suddenly commit such a heinous murder? And I think that is, you know, second to the handcuffs. Probably the biggest question is what. What was going on in his life? Was there a mental break? Did he have financial problems? There's a lot of questions like that.

[Sarah]

Right. I mean, from the start, all I can say is, you know, only he knows the motive and the reason and the details of that night, and we may never know that unless he decides to speak about it one day.

[Andrea]

You know, I will say this from a character standpoint. We do have a clip here that. It's from local 3 news in Chattanooga who interviewed his former roommate. And, Sarah, you can talk a little bit about this. You didn't know about it until after the trial.

[Sarah]

Yeah, and we heard about this from DA's Wampa and Moyle, but just kind of learning more about his character because they didn't really share. There weren't character witnesses. There wasn't much at all about his character throughout the trial. So much of this I've learned after the fact, whether by people writing in or people we've come come in contact with just after the fact. And, you know, one of them was this. This former roommate of his, a recent former roommate of his, that they. They lived with each other during college, and, you know, they were seemingly friends, but then it just became this very manipulative relationship somehow where Jason started hacking into this roommate's Facebook account and. And posting just really incriminating stuff, you know, kind of on his behalf, and, you know, got him fired. And it was basically identity theft.

[Andrea]

Yeah.

[Ryan Baird]

Barrett says initially, their freshman year, everything was cool, which is why they moved to this apartment. You see behind me Here on MLK Boulevard, he says everything initially was fine, and then that's when things start to turn sour. When they moved into this apartment and he felt like he had to sleep with one eye open, it just kind.

[Barrett]

Of became a situation that anytime I wasn't there, he was going to my room, going through my things. So a lot of arguments started delving from that.

[Ryan Baird]

Ryan Baird, a graduate of utc, says Jason Chen was someone he considered a friend. He says since freshman year, they would hang out just like brothers.

[Barrett]

He was just kind of a quiet, you know, pretty funny guy. Never really thought anything out of the too ordinary.

[Ryan Baird]

He says they even got jobs together at Buff City Soap in Hixon. And for the first couple of months, everything was okay. But after Barrett was promoted to manager, he says Chin's behavior changed.

[Barrett]

Just kind of hiding in his room more, avoiding all of our friends.

[Ryan Baird]

But the tipping point of their friendship came when Barrett says Ken stole his phone and began posting from his social media accounts.

[Barrett]

Going through all my accounts, kind of slandering my name on social media, through different work ventures, etc, along those lines, messaging people from my hometown, just hateful messages.

[Ryan Baird]

This is one of those posts. Barrett says instead of the Black Lives Matter motto in his bio, it was changed to a racial slurp, which ultimately got him fired from his job.

[Barrett]

But you'd never expect the person you've been living with for a year and a half and you're splitting rent to actually do all that things to you, to try to hurt you like that.

[Ryan Baird]

And Barrett says Chin would avoid his questions when pressed on his actions.

[Barrett]

We never got a true answer. We always asked him. He just kept saying, you guys are just fake.

[Ryan Baird]

He says living with Chin has greatly impacted him.

[Barrett]

I mean, it still takes me a lot to even trust people these days, because now I'm like, what are you doing behind my back?

[Ryan Baird]

Barrett says even given his experience, he says it's still shocking to see Chin in the courtroom, where he's accused of murder.

[Barrett]

At the end, they did all those hurtful things to me, but I would never expect him to take the life of somebody's daughter.

[Andrea]

So, again, doesn't mean you're a murderer, but there were a few signs of maybe some character issues going on there.

[Sarah]

Right. Just and honestly, like, we've heard so many stories about Jason's past, including stories of manipulation like this one, identity theft, and toxic behavior from former co workers, friends. Yeah, it's just.

[Andrea]

Yep.

[Sarah]

If you've been following the podcast, we've got something new for you. Now you can dive Even deeper into each episode on our website, SequesteredPod.com we've added exclusive blogs for every episode, packed with extra details, behind the scenes insights, and key moments from the trial. Plus, we've organized all the trial and news coverage by each day of the trial, so you can follow along just like we did in the jury room. Head over to SequesteredPod.com now to explore. Explore the case in a whole new way.

[Andrea]

All right, so back to the courtroom. Do you feel like there's anything Jason's defense attorneys could have done that would have changed your verdict in the case?

[Sarah]

I guess what's so interesting about that is zooming out real quick. I'd never been on a jury before. I've never been a part of a courtroom proceeding. So not only was all of that new, just the process and the verbiage, and, you know, we were getting the hang of it over the course of the week. But by the time the state closed their case, you know, we were still waiting for, okay, now it's the defense's turn. You know, you've got to remain open the entire time going, okay, I'm collecting all of the facts that the state has the burden of proof, so we're going to collect all of their facts. And then now it's the defense's turn. And so I feel like I was waiting the whole week for, okay, now what do you guys have to say? And, you know, they had the three. The three witnesses, and in my opinion, all three of those witnesses only bolstered the state's case.

[Andrea]

Right.

[Sarah]

And I could see why they called each one of those witnesses, but it didn't help them, in my opinion. And so I think some character witnesses could have helped. I know one of the other jurors really wanted to hear from a psychologist, and we know that there was one that had been attempted to be called, but essentially he was called too late and wasn't allowed in, as we discussed. So it's just interesting. But now knowing that, I don't know what would have helped.

[Andrea]

Yeah, I do think it would have been interesting, like you said, to hear from someone who would say, you know, Jason was an incredible student, he took care of his family, and you didn't. I don't know if that wasn't allowed or what the case was, but I also found myself wanting to know, how does a normal person do this on Tuesday before Thanksgiving?

[Sarah]

Yeah, exactly.

[Andrea]

All right. In the same vein, could Jason's family have said anything different to change your sentencing recommendation?

[Sarah]

No, that was. I mean, I. I obviously went into detail about this on the podcast, but that was one of the harder moments for me is, you know, having as both of his parents, but especially his mom up there. I had seen her throughout the entire trial, like, from. From even day one of jury selection in the back of the room, in the. In the seat behind me. And I didn't know who she was. I kind of had an idea. But as the trial went on, she was a very familiar person in the room. I would see her crying often and just receiving this information. And it wasn't until she took the stand that I realized she. Not only was this the first time she was able to convey to everyone through a translator her thoughts and emotions, but, like, it also helped help me see, like, oh, my gosh, like, she's not been able to understand the majority of what's going on here. She's just here watching, you know, seeing images and watching body language, you know, and then being told by whomever, maybe. Maybe her other son or whoever can, you know, she's getting bits and pieces. And anyway, so it was just. It was heartbreaking seeing her up there. She's not responsible for her son's, you know, actions, and of course she wants him home. It's her kid. But also, there is not one thing she could have said that could have changed what her son did, and that was why we were there.

[Andrea]

I agree. I found it very difficult to not feel for her when she was on the stand pleading for, you know, a different sentence. Yeah, it's very difficult to see. There's been a lot of speculation and question of people saying, would Jason Chen have been a serial killer? I know there's no way for us to know. And was this his first time? And, you know, things like the shackles and the handcuffs point towards, like, what's going on here. Do you have any opinions on that, or do you think he just snapped?

[Sarah]

Yeah, I mean, obviously I couldn't know. We do know there's no document in history of abuse or, like, domestic violence or, you know, he didn't have any strong outbursts in court or, you know, there's not even, like, run ins with the law, you know, so we really don't know for sure what sparked this. I. Who knows what was going on internally in his mind. Obviously. We know from former co workers, friends, classmates, they've, you know, they've. They've said he's can be manipulative. There's that identity theft stuff, you know, but it's like, that doesn't equate to brutally murdering someone. So.

[Andrea]

Right.

[Sarah]

Who could know? But we have heard, you know, a number of people say, essentially, like, you caught someone that was like a serial killer in the making, like, this could have gone far. And they have even questioned, like, was this his first? You know, who knows? Who knows?

[Andrea]

Yeah, we won't know until we do.

[Sarah]

Yeah, that's right.

[Andrea]

We had a listener write in specifically about the Chattanooga Police Department's actions and said, I was absolutely incensed by the lackluster response by the CPD when Jasmine's family found her car and then when they found her belongings in Jason's apartment. Do you think they could have done more to help the family and take Jasmine's disappearance seriously sooner?

[Sarah]

Man. I mean, again, hard to say. I know that was a big. I was a strong point and maybe a big pointed finger from the defense at the beginning of the trial and. And kind of thread throughout, maybe even more so, was that the family was in and out of his apartment. But there was a lot of direct points about the police not. Not acting quickly or quick enough at the beginning. And I would say even the prosecutors agreed.

[Andrea]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

That. That it was not acted quick enough or quicker. It could have been quicker, you know, and those are my words. But once they were engaged, it was. It was all hands on deck, you know?

[Andrea]

Yeah. I think for me, as someone who was watching the trial in real time from afar in Nashville, the part I was surprised at, I'm always surprised. And it's easy to look back and go, why didn't they act faster? But once they understood that her daughter sent her a pin that felt a little bit shocking that that wasn't taken more seriously. But the big piece for me is I didn't know how the police didn't see the blood stain. The five foot by three foot blood stain.

[Sarah]

Me too. I remember that actually, when it unfolded during the trial and being surprised, like, when. I guess it was Crawford who was talking about how they went back the second time when. When the apartment complex, like, management contacted him and was like, hey, we're doing these renovations. We found this giant stain. Like, how did they miss that? I remember being like, what in the world? But, I mean, I don't know. I guess if you are doing a thorough search, you are moving furniture. But maybe not like that.

[Andrea]

That that was. It is the bed was over. He had moved his bed over it.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Andrea]

But, you know, I think Crawford said at one point they used a flashlight and looked and there was really dim lighting. But I'm sure that was a Big.

[Sarah]

I'm sure for them, they were like, oh, shoot.

[Andrea]

Yeah, exactly. I mean, thank goodness that the apartment complex did call them and say, we have more evidence.

[Sarah]

Yeah. All that to say it further proved Jasmine had been there. That was her blood. And I think it further tells the story overall.

[Andrea]

One thing that I missed when I was watching the trial, but caught after watching it a few times, was that Jasmine's dad, Travis Pace, when they went into the apartment, he was actually the one that opened all of the cabinets.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Andrea]

And he did that so that anything that would be in there would be in plain sight, they wouldn't need a warrant for. Which makes sense. But when I initially saw the crime scene photos, I thought, why are all the cabinets open? Was he trying to make it look like there was some kind of burglary? But that wasn't the case.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Andrea]

And then the other thing I was going to ask is. So a couple times during the trial, they specifically talked about how the light in his apartment, it was almost like blue lights where the light bulbs were replaced. Did they ever say if that was before or after? Because it made me wonder, did he intentionally change all the light bulbs in the apartment so it would be a lot dimmer if anyone did come in?

[Sarah]

Yeah, no, I don't. I don't recall any of that. When they were talking about the. The hue of the lights, it made me think of, like, knowing that his apartment was kind of, like, would have been, like, in the center of the building, and the only outside light would have come from his sliding glass door in his bedroom at the back of his apartment. So my guess was he brought some, like, blue hue colored lights in to make it feel like daylight during the day.

[Andrea]

Okay, gotcha.

[Sarah]

That was what I thought. But they kept saying it was so dim, it was so dark. And that might just be because there's not enough light in the building to begin with. So I'm not sure.

[Andrea]

Right. Okay. A couple questions about Jasmine and her family. Some folks wanted to know if we contacted Jasmine's family after the trial and if they were aware of the podcast and if they had any feelings about it.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Before we even released the trailer, I did reach out to Katrina Bean on. Just on Facebook. I sent her a DM and just kind of let her know that I was planning to do this, who I was, and that, you know, I had no requests or requirement from her, but that if she had anything to share, she was more than welcome to. But, yeah, I just. I didn't have any expectations from her or the family. That being said, we did have a family member write in a couple times, so we've had some correspondence with someone close to the family and not been awesome.

[Andrea]

All right, another question or comment, actually, you guys are clearly big fans of General womp. Will you be keeping track of her career?

[Sarah]

Oh, yeah, we definitely are. She's just a great person too. She's been so kind to, to stay connected with us. And I mean, it's not every day a juror wants to continue learning and talking about the case that they were on, you know?

[Andrea]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

So I think that's, I would imagine that's probably unique for her. And I'm super inspired by her. I think she's got incredibly passionate outlook on life, and her values for justice are among the highest I've ever seen in someone. It's amazing. It's very inspiring.

[Andrea]

It is inspiring to be around. I mean, the couple hours we got to spend with her. And D.A. moyle, even he said he just kept pointing back to her like she is kind of the engine behind this thing. And I mean, she's in the perfect seat for what she's doing, that's for sure.

[Sarah]

Absolutely.

[Andrea]

All right, let's. Let's jump in a few more questions about jury duty and sequestration life. All right, can you talk through the process of making your 5 minute call every night? Our listeners want to know, did the cop dial the phone for you? Did they stand over you? And what were you allowed to talk about if not the case?

[Sarah]

Okay, great question. It's funny, cause that phone call is like the one touch point back to normal life that everyone had to look forward to each day. And yet it was usually the very last thing before you go to sleep. So you kind of just like, man, I just want to go to bed. But you can't wait for that five minute phone call. And it happened in random order every night. So again, there were 16 of us. We each got five minutes. But it wasn't like they just, you know, started with a. They might have started with the lowest room number or the highest room number, or they started with Z and worked backwards. And so every night was different. You never knew when your call was coming. Sometimes they did the people with kids first so that they could get that call in first so they could talk to their little ones. And then, you know, and so some people weren't getting their phone call till 10:30, almost 11 at night. And their person on the other end are waiting up too, hoping to hear. And so you get a knock on your door. We're not allowed to leave our hotel room at all. Like, if you do, there are cops on duty right there at the elevator. And so you get a knock on your door, and you. You exit, walk the hallway with them, and you stand outside of the officer's door whose room has all of the phones in it. And so you're kind of like, on deck. The other person that's in there finishing up their call, the door's kind of cracked. And as you walk in, and there's a desk in the room, and there's 16 phones on the desk all turned upside down with, like, a rubber band around it and a sticky note on top with each of our names on it so they know whose phone is what. And so my phone is there, says my name. It's turned. It's turned on, but upside down. Like, face. You know, face down. And because as soon as it turns on, all these notifications are popping up, and I'm not allowed to look at them. So they tell me every single time you have five minutes, you know, you can turn it over. Don't look at any of the notifications. Dial your phone number, keep it on speakerphone, and then turn it face down while you're talking so that I'm not looking at notifications as they're coming in. While I'm talking.

[Andrea]

Oh, wow.

[Sarah]

And you have to keep it on speakerphone the whole time so he'll start the clock. Five minutes. And we're not allowed to talk about the case. We're not allowed to ask any questions pertaining to the case or share anything about my day at all. The person that I'm talking to could say, you know, how are you? Are you feeling okay? Is there any. You know, but it's like, you have five minutes. How quickly can you get into something like that? Usually it's a. It was good, you know, we were in court most of the day. Here's where we ate for lunch. This is where we went for dinner.

[Andrea]

Yeah, that's it.

[Sarah]

That's it. How are the animals? What's going on at home? Anything crazy, you know, And. And remember, during this week, it's like the inauguration was happening. Trump was being inaugurated. TikTok went down like California was on fire. Like, there was so much happening in our external world that, like, we just were totally closed off to. The only thing we had access to was the Weather Channel in the morning during breakfast.

[Andrea]

Wow, that's crazy. So at what point during the trial when you were in the jury pool, like, when you were called to see if you were going to be on the jury. At what point did you find out it was a murder trial?

[Sarah]

On day one. And it would have been about halfway through day one because I. The jury pool was so big. 118 people, I believe they took the first half of the group up and kind of got the process going in the courtroom. And then just before lunchtime, they brought the rest of us in, and we all ended up sitting in the gallery. And so it was like, once our half of the group was brought into the courtroom, we were made aware very basic details of the case, not enough to know much of anything. We knew it was a murder trial. We had very vague details about what the defendant was accused of.

[Andrea]

Did you know the defendant's name?

[Sarah]

Yes, we knew his name, and we knew the victim's name. We knew that this happened in Chattanooga and that it would be a sequestered jury. And then it was just like, mom's the word. You're not allowed to look it up. You're not allowed to ask about it. Nothing. And then from there on, it was like, first off, has anyone heard of this? If any hands went up, those people were excused. And then from then on, every single day until the end of the trial, we were asked at least twice a day. Have we. Have we heard about it? Have we been exposed? You know, so it was very serious.

[Andrea]

So a few people have commented that they're surprised. Like, they feel like it's an ethical issue that you, as a juror, are telling the story. And I just am so curious what your response to that is.

[Sarah]

I can see how that would be a question. I can't. I try to put myself in their shoes and see from their perspective. Like, the whole reason I told this story was to share my perspective. And let me say this. Anyone can tell this story. The whole thing was put on Court tv. There are and will be plenty of people who will share this story. My goal was not to go share a murder story. I wanted to share the story of Jasmine Pace's life and death from a perspective of someone that heard it unravel in a courtroom each day of the trial. And I just thought that was a unique perspective. The other thing is, it was my way of processing it. You know, I've never done anything like this before. And so it was just a. It was a good process for me. It was something to put out there. And just like anyone else's, you know, Art, there's always going to be opinions and, you know, so this is probably.

[Andrea]

A good point to call out some of the haters and the trolls. Just kidding. But there have been some really. Like, the two main comments have been a comment about your voice and a comment about maybe a different narrator would do better. And clearly they don't understand the point of this podcast if they don't understand this is an autobiographical situation of you being on a jury.

[Sarah]

Yeah, it's my story, right? My story. Telling someone else's story. So it's a weird one. I know. I get it. Here's the other thing. I can work on my delivery, but Lord knows I cannot change how I sound. So. And here's the other thing. I have also said enough times of my own on podcasts and songs and whatever. Oh, I can't stand their voice. Or, oh, if you could just do that so you're not alone. I've said it, too. And, you know, if I'm not for you, that's cool.

[Andrea]

I also want to throw in, we both love Brene Brown. And to that point, she has a quote that is sort of her own version of Theodore Roosevelt's man in the arena speech. And she says, if you're not in the arena, getting your ass kicked, I'm not interested in your feedback.

[Sarah]

That's true. I mean, yeah, to that point, I've never made a podcast like this, and I don't know if those people have either. So if they want to go out.

[Andrea]

There and try it, give it a shot, man.

[Sarah]

Give it a shot. And I'd love to hear it. It'd be great.

[Andrea]

It took a lot of heart, a lot of your time, a lot of care. I know that you worked probably harder than I've ever seen you work on this podcast, and I think that's why we're both able to. We're able to ignore a lot of those negative comments because it's like, if that's the worst thing you have to say is you didn't like my timbre of my voice. Sorry, don't listen then.

[Sarah]

Yeah. And I mean, Ann, we tried to put it out quick so that it was fresh and processed, what I had just gone through. And I don't know, I had the tools to do it. And so I thought, what the heck? And you know what? Yeah, let's keep doing it. Let's keep telling more stories.

[Andrea]

Okay, so that's the next question. So many people are saying, what's next for you? Will you tell another juror story? And will there be a next season of Sequestered?

[Sarah]

Yeah. Great. We've obviously asked ourselves this. I probably will Never, ever be sequestered on a jury again in my life. But the words sequestered and the meaning of being sequestered can cover a lot of ground. And there are so many people out there whose stories need to continue to be told and retold victims names who need to be heard, people who are still missing and. Yeah. So we want to share more about that. We already have plans for season two. We. We want to continue advocating for these victims. And this victim centric storytelling is important. I really enjoy that angle.

[Andrea]

I think something really important to us is not allowing these victims to be defined by their murder.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Andrea]

We want them to be defined for their lives. And there are so many things we can learn throughout this process about how to do things better, what we missed. And we want to be a part of that storytelling.

[Sarah]

Yeah, absolutely. So, first off, thank you to everyone who's listened. It truly means so much. And thank you to everyone who sent in questions. Like, just going beyond listening. You've taken the. The other step to, like, look up an email and go write one. That really means a lot to us. And we've tried to respond to all of them. If we haven't yet, we're getting to it. Thank you for sharing the podcast with your friends and just honestly for holding space for Jasmine and her story.

[Andrea]

And again, if you want to take deeper dives for each episode, you can go to our website, sequesteredpod.com. we've got blogs, videos, clips. You can watch the entire trial if you want to. And in order to combat the trolls, leave us a great review on either Apple, Spotify, or wherever else you listen.

[Sarah]

Yep. And we'll be back soon. This season two. Until then, keep sending us your questions. And thank you so much for being a part of this with us.

[Andrea]

Bye, guys.

[Chris Gethard]

Bye.

[Andrea]

See you soon.

[Chris Gethard]

Hi, I'm Chris Gethard, and I'm very excited to tell you about Beautiful Anonymous, a podcast where I talk to random people on the phone. I tweet out a phone number. Thousands of people try to call, talk to one of them. They stay anonymous. I can't hang up. That's all the rules. I never know what's going to happen. We get serious ones. I've talked with meth dealers on their way to prison. I've talked to people who survived mass shootings, crazy funny ones. I talked to a guy with a goose slap, somebody who dresses up as a pirate on the weekends. I never know what's going to happen. It's a great show. Subscribe today. Beautiful Anonymous.