Vincent Chin & a Johnson County Mystery
Episode 206, Mar 16, 2022, 11:30 AM
Kristin starts us off with the story of a hate crime that galvanized Asian Americans.
On the night of his bachelor party, Vincent Chin was brutally attacked by Michael Nitz and his stepdad, Ronald Ebens. Vincent died four days after the attack. He’d never regained consciousness. It was a horrific crime, but people in power didn’t see it that way. Michael and Ronald were sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a little more than $3,000 in fines. The judge explained his decision, saying, “these weren’t the kind of men you send to jail.”
Then Brandi tells us a story from her very own Johnson County bubble.
Right off the bat, William Jennings’ death looked suspicious. He was discovered in his home, beaten so badly that his veneers had come off. He’d been strangled with the bars of a decorative bird cage. A suicide note specifically mentioned that his longtime partner, David Stagg, was not to be blamed. Naturally, investigators wondered if he was.
On the night of his bachelor party, Vincent Chin was brutally attacked by Michael Nitz and his stepdad, Ronald Ebens. Vincent died four days after the attack. He’d never regained consciousness. It was a horrific crime, but people in power didn’t see it that way. Michael and Ronald were sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a little more than $3,000 in fines. The judge explained his decision, saying, “these weren’t the kind of men you send to jail.”
Then Brandi tells us a story from her very own Johnson County bubble.
Right off the bat, William Jennings’ death looked suspicious. He was discovered in his home, beaten so badly that his veneers had come off. He’d been strangled with the bars of a decorative bird cage. A suicide note specifically mentioned that his longtime partner, David Stagg, was not to be blamed. Naturally, investigators wondered if he was.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
The documentary, “Who Killed Vincent Chin?”
The book, “Asian American Studies Now,” by Helen Zia
The book, “Asian American Studies Now,” by Helen Zia
“Vincent Chin’s family never got the justice they wanted. But his case changed things for those who came after him,” by Harmeet Kaur for CNN
“The Killing of Vincent Chin” trial reenactment by UC Hastings Law, on YouTube
“The Killing of Vincent Chin” entry on Wikipedia
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Former Westmar Professor Charged In Slaying” Associated Press, Sioux City Journal
“Professor charged in killing reported a suicide” by Diane Carroll, The Kansas City Star
“Murder suspect wins legal round” by Diane Carroll, The Kansas City Star
“Defense asks judge to throw out murder charge against professor” Associated Press, Lawrence Journal-World
“Trial begins for Missouri professor of music charged with killing lover” Associated Press, Lawrence Journal-World
“Professor’s trial ends in hung jury” Associated Press, The Manhattan Mercury
“Mo. professor faces new murder trial” Associated Press, The Wichita Eagle
“Prof on trial again in death of partner” Associated Press, The Manhattan Mercury
“Source of DNA is disputed” by Diane Carroll, The Kansas City Star
“Jurors unable to reach verdict in trial” Associated Press, Colby Free Press
“Murder trial ends with 2nd hung jury” by Caroline Boyer, Shawnee Dispatch
“No 3rd trial in 2004 Shawnee murder, judge rules” by Caroline Boyer, Shawnee Dispatch
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