The animated film What Jennifer Did has successfully reignited interest globally, stemming from the “murder mystery” that occurred in November 2010 when a girl named Jennifer Pan hired three individuals to murder her parents, along with her boyfriend, in a plot that resulted in a horrific crime. The documentary film is currently topping the charts worldwide due to the horrific nature of the crimes Jennifer committed, but it left the audience even more confused with the “twist ending” of the film.
After all, Jennifer Pan and her co-conspirators remain unrepentant and have not expressed remorse in the 25 years since the crime. However, one line in the documentary has perplexed viewers, noting that all four accomplices have repeatedly resisted entering the retrial process. The Netflix film only focuses on the present, but the true story is much more complicated.
According to Vox, the fact that all accomplices in the case have resisted entering the retrial process indicates significant flaws in the original trial, as well as shortcomings by the judge during the decision-making process. At the time of the trial, Judge R. Cary Boswell had given guidance that was not suitable for the jury. This meant that Boswell only provided the jury with two options during the decision-making process to consider and reach a verdict. One of the scenarios that the defendants had planned involved the murder of Jennifer’s mother, while the other two scenarios revolved around the “home invasion and robbery” and the murder of individuals that occurred during this process.
The actions of Judge Boswell raised concerns regarding the case of Jennifer Pan and her co-conspirators having only two verdict options. However, according to Vox, this process has severely limited the conclusions that the jury could reach regarding potential scenarios that could have played out based on the evidence. Notably, there remains one scenario that Jennifer Pan has proclaimed, stating that she hired individuals to kill her parents but not to be murdered. Although it could be deemed unreasonable, this was a scenario that Judge Boswell should have addressed rather than bypassing it.
Moreover, with this information, Jennifer Pan and her co-conspirators may be able to appeal for a “second-degree murder” decision, essentially indicating a murder without a plan, and their actions may not necessarily have to be incriminating.
Thus, Jennifer Pan and her co-conspirators have resisted, hoping to be retried. However, whether they will be retried or not still depends on the decision of the Supreme Court. Jennifer’s legal team is currently awaiting a decision that is expected to be announced around the end of this year or early next year. In the meantime, Jennifer Pan will still appear in a hearing on June 14.
