Jason Chen is brought into court
A motion for the man charged in the grisly murder of Jasmine Pace has been denied.
Attorney Joshua Weiss had asked that the Grand Jury indictment be set aside and that Jason Chen get a new preliminary hearing.
Criminal Court Judge Boyd Patterson denied the motion after a hearing on Monday morning. He said there was adequate proof to have had the case bound to the Grand Jury, including the fact that the victim's blood type was found in Chen's apartment and that cell phone records showed he had been near where the body was found off Suck Creek Road.
Attorney Weiss said the state did not turn over body cam video prior to the hearing, and said the defense should have been able to question the mother of the victim on whether she had removed any evidence from the murder scene prior to police arrival.
He claimed that Judge Larry Ables did not allow Chen "a full and fair hearing."
District Attorney Coty Wamp said there were extensive proceedings for Chen in General Sessions Court, including a long bond hearing, two matters dealing with subpoenas, and then a preliminary hearing lasting several hours.
The next court hearing is set for Oct. 4.
At an earlier bond hearing, it was testified that Ms. Pace had 60 stab wounds. Her body was stuffed in a suitcase that was found tossed on the side of Suck Creek Road last November.
Chen is charged with first-degree premeditated murder and abuse of a corpse.
He remains under a $5 million bond, which attorney Weiss said was one of the highest bonds ever set in Hamilton County.
Jasmine Pace