In this pivotal episode, Juror #11 takes us inside Day 7 of the murder trial for Jasmine Pace—the day both the defense and prosecution delivered their final arguments before deliberations began. After a much-needed day off filled with quiet moments at Ruby Falls and the Tennessee Aquarium, the jurors returned to the courtroom to face the weight of their duty. With no rebuttal from the state, the defense formally rested its case, and the court turned to a final legal debate—should the jury be allowed to consider voluntary manslaughter as a possible charge? As the courtroom settled, Assistant DA Paul Moyle delivered a powerful closing statement, outlining Jason Chen’s calculated actions—from Jasmine’s final moments to his chilling digital trail. His yellow-light analogy on premeditation struck a nerve, changing how at least one juror understood the law. Then came the defense’s final word. Amanda Morrison didn’t deny Jason killed Jasmine but argued it was a crime of passion, not premeditation. Her gaze locked on Juror #11 as she challenged the prosecution’s timeline and pointed to the absence of physical restraint evidence. But the moment truly shifted when District Attorney General Coty Wamp stood to deliver her rebuttal. In a fiery and focused final plea, she read directly from the defense’s opening statement transcript—highlighting contradictions, disproven claims, and what she called attempts to "muddy the waters." With composure and intensity, Wamp reminded the jury: This trial is not about Jason Chen. It’s about Jasmine Pace. As the court prepared for deliberations, four jurors were randomly selected as alternates—an emotional and abrupt departure for those removed from the process they’d fully committed to. The episode closes with a powerful journal entry from one of those alternates, Juror #5, whose insight and emotion reflect the deeper human experience of service and exclusion. Next time, we enter the jury room—and hear the verdict. Here's 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 Website: sequesteredpod.com Instagram: @sequesteredpod TikTok: @sequesteredpod Thank you for listening. SEQUESTERED is a BP Production.
What happened during the jurors' day off?
Before we begin, please be advised that this episode contains graphic descriptions of violence as presented during the trial. Please take care while listening. It's Monday, January 20th, 2025, day seven of the trial. But before we get there, let's just rewind real quick back to Sunday, our one and only day off during sequestration. We got to sleep in. Only a little, though.
Instead of the usual 6 a.m. knock on the door, we all enjoyed an extra 30 minutes of rest. Small victories. Breakfast today was from 7 to 7.30, and by 8.30, we were loaded into our two vans, ready to embark on our first excursion. Ruby Falls. As a sequestered juror, I didn't have much to say in my itinerary, but when our handlers whisked us away to Ruby Falls, I wasn't mad about it either.
After days of sitting in a courtroom, the idea of a subterranean adventure felt oddly fitting. Deep beneath Lookout Mountain lies Ruby Falls, one of the most extraordinary underground waterfalls in the world. Hidden 1,120 feet below the surface, this 145-foot cascade tumbles through a limestone cavern, glowing under an otherworldly display of colorful lights.
It's as dramatic as it sounds, and after nearly a week of legal proceedings, a little theatrical lighting felt right on brand. Discovered in 1928 by Leo Lambert, Ruby Falls was named after his wife, Ruby, which is adorable. Getting there is an adventure in its own.
Patrons descend 260 feet underground in a glass front elevator, which feels both exciting and slightly alarming when you remember how deep you're actually going. From there, you wind through narrow, twisting passageways lined with stalactites and stalagmites, and ancient flowstone formations. The deeper you go, the cooler the air gets.
And for the record, there are no bathrooms down there, so take it from me when I say, plan ahead. Just when you start wondering if this was a terrible idea, the tunnel gives way to a towering chamber, and there it is. Ruby Falls, cascading from above, its mist swirling in the glowing artificial light.
It's breathtaking, almost surreal, like stumbling into a hidden world that's been waiting in silence for centuries. Juror's Verdict. Ruby Falls is guilty of being one of the coolest, weirdest, and most unexpectedly cinematic places I've ever been during sequestration. Highly recommended, but also hit the restroom first.
After a leisurely lunch at Mayan Kitchen, which has great tapas, by the way, our next destination took us from the depths of the earth to the depths of the ocean, the Tennessee Aquarium. This place has a reputation for being one of the best aquariums in the country. And after stepping inside, I can see why.
The aquarium is split between two massive side-by-side buildings, one for freshwater and one for saltwater. Each experience starts at the top floor and winds downward floor by floor, drawing you deeper in to each ecosystem. Without question, the standout exhibit was the secret reef.
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