During a court hearing on Thursday, several new details emerged about a high-profile murder case in Tennessee involving 24-year-old Jason Chen.
He is accused of first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend, 22-year-old Jasmine “Jazzy” Pace... Continue reading here ▶
Pace was last seen by her family on November 22, 2022. She disappeared, and by the end of that month, Chen was charged with her murder.
On December 1, 2022, her body was found wrapped in a garbage bag and stuffed into a suitcase near Suck Creek Road in a rural area of Chattanooga.
Authorities said Pace was handcuffed, with her ankles tied to her wrist, and had been stabbed around 60 times.
Key Argument Over Police Video
A major discussion in court revolved around a video showing Chen being arrested during a police search. Chen’s defense attorney argued that the video should not be shown to the jury.
He claimed it was unfair because it showed Chen in handcuffs, which could make him look guilty to jurors. The attorney also said the video included Chen speaking Mandarin to his parents, which could be misunderstood by someone on the jury.
The prosecutor, however, argued that the video was important because it identified Chen at the crime scene and showed his calm behavior six days after the murder.
The video also showed him wearing a red hat, which appeared in other surveillance footage connected to the case.
The judge decided that parts of the video could be shown but asked the prosecution to cut it down to a short clip highlighting relevant details, such as Chen’s demeanor and the red hat. The edited version will be reviewed before a final decision is made.
Other Rulings
The judge also made decisions on other motions:
- The defense asked that Pace not be called a “victim” during the trial, but the judge denied the request.
- The defense tried to block an illustration showing how Pace’s body was found in the suitcase, but this was also denied.
What’s Next?
Jury selection will begin next Wednesday, and the trial is set to officially start on January 13.
