Altered Population

Altered Population is an investigation into filicide in South Carolina hosted by Jennifer Wells. On this first episode of Altered Population, you will be re-introduced to two major cases of parents that killed their own children. Jennifer takes us back to the details from the Susan Smith case of 1994, and to the Timothy Ray Jones, Jr. case in 2014. About 500 children are killed by their parents in the United States…every year. With the trial of one of the largest mass murders in the history of Columbia, South Carolina taking place in October of 2018- Jennifer decided to take a closer look at some of South Carolina’s most infamous cases. She also wanted to go inside the courtroom of the Jones case in real time. Her goal is to expose the magnitude of this problem. You shouldn’t have to be a detective to know about these cases…but Jennifer was. Join her as she tries to make the world different in a small yet significant way.South Carolina has seen its fair share of tragedies, accounting for about 11 of these 500 cases annually. These cases rarely make the news anymore. And to know details, you almost always have to be a detective. Due to gag orders not affecting the jurors’ opinions, these cases are not widely known. But just because we don’t talk about it, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. The #MeToo Movement is a great example of how attention doesn’t have to create a circus. It can create awareness.Jennifer shares gut-wrenching details from these filicide cases. Susan Smith led authorities to her children’s tombs 20 years before Timothy Ray Jones, Jr. did the same. At the time of this episode’s recording, Susan Smith is eligible for parole in 2024. Susan Smith drowned her two children in Union, South Carolina. She was found guilty of the murder of her two children within two and a half hours. The jury spared her life and she was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.You will hear details from the Timothy Ray Jones, Jr. trial. The last time that his children were seen alive was when their father picked them up from day care. People started to inquire about the children after they had missed two days of school. Jones and their five children were reported missing in 2014 by the children’s mother. The bodies of the children were found in Camden, Alabama.Next, Jennifer tells a little bit about her story and her experience as a detective. As a detective, she spent a lot of time in the Special Victims’ Unit working on some of the worst cases in the city. When her two oldest daughters went to college, she and her family moved from Alabama to South Carolina. After the move to South Carolina, Jennifer had decided to go back to being a stay at home mom. She wanted to spend more time with her family while continuing to investigate. Could creating a podcast be a way to combine these two things? She started doing her research on Susan Smith and Timothy Ray Jones, Jr. While researching, she discovered how many other cases involved parents killing their children. She struggled to find updates on these cases. After reaching out to different solicitor’s offices, she finally heard back from one.At the close of this first episode, Jennifer walks us through the path of her becoming a detective and where she is now. The hard work that it took is one of the many reasons it is hard for her to give it up. Jennifer shares how she is empowered by her past. She realized that all of the training she went through has not gone to waste, neither did her passion to help victims of violent crimes.Continue to listen to these life changing events and Jennifer’s journey toward uncovering the truth, in Altered Population. LINKS/RESOURCESCheck out S-TownCheck out Up and VanishedHotel DomestiqueRate, review, subscribe, and tell a friend about this podcast.@alteredpopulationTweet us @altpopulation and we will follow you back.Visit us on our website at Alteredpopulation.com.New episodes will be posted every Monday. KEY TAKEAWAYS WITH TIMESTAMPS0:25 Introduction of the Timothy Ray Jones, Jr. Trial2:15 Filicide defined3:10 Jennifer introduces Altered Population.3:30 Susan Smith’s case6:30 Susan Smith found guilty of two counts of murder within 2.5 hours6:49 A in-depth look into the Susan Smith case12:00 It is impossible to measure the pain that Susan Smith caused to so many.12:11 Testimony of the police diver in Susan Smith’s case12:38 The drowning of observers who went to see the memorial in the Susan Smith case13:40 How accurate are the numbers?13:55 News reports from other cases compiled17:05 Most of the cases barely make the news anymore.17:18 Gag order explained17:55 The #MeToo Movement18:34 The goal of Altered Population- exposing the magnitude of this problem19:23 Jennifer and her family move to South Carolina.20:51 Is a podcast how Jennifer could combine being a stay at home mom while continuing to do investigations?21:00 Jennifer turns a spare bedroom into a studio and orders recording equipment.                                    21:41 Jennifer finds out that Timothy Ray Jones Jr.’s trial hadn’t even been set when she first looked into it.22:10 There are a lot of other stories about parents killing their kids.22:30 Jennifer decides to go looking for more information.23:05 Jennifer reaches out to the solicitor’s office.25:27 Jennifer gets invited to meet with the solicitor of the 13th circuit in Greenville, South Carolina.26:25 Jennifer finds Hotel Domestique.29:33 The path to become a detective32:12 Jennifer shares about her previous divorce.33:36 “Don’t raise jerks.”36:34 Jennifer reaches Hotel Domestique.38:26 There are no coincidences.40:00 A moment she will never forget41:17 Jennifer researches cold cases from the Greenville are and finds it… Julie Valentine “Baby Girl”

Altered Population is an investigation into filicide in South Carolina hosted by Jennifer Wells. On today’s episode of Altered Population, you will hear more about Jennifer’s story. She also takes you deeper inside the case of Julie Valentine and why it specifically caught her attention. Why did this case feel a little bit off to Jennifer. Someone had left their baby in a field of debris in a dumping point near the woods. How is this even possible? Through this look inside the Julie Valentine case, Jennifer learns even more about herself. She walks you through the feelings of isolation on the Island and to the other side of self-discovery. What ultimately brings her the most joy? - learning to trust her own voice. Jumping into details of such a traumatic case is not easy. Jennifer Wells starts off the episode giving insight into the case of Julie Valentine and what is already known. Her cause of death on February 13, 1990, was undetermined. The dumpsite her body was located looked like any other dumpsite. The bed sheet around the box that held Julie, captured Jennifer’s attention because something about it seemed happy, a stark contrast to the crime. Towels, placenta and the umbilical cord were also found in the box. There were no weapons found within the box. The investigators weren’t able to identify the body but arranged for a funeral and gravesite. The unknown baby was given a name, Julie Valentine. Julie- named after the wife of one of the investigators and Valentine for the time of year she was found. Oftentimes, Jennifer admits she can go off on tangents but it all circles back to explain the full story. Mulling over baby Julie’s date of death, Jennifer walks down memory lane, recalling what she could have been doing in 1990, around the same time of Julie’s birth, brief life, and death. Due to a series of difficult events over the years – 1990 is not a part of a period of years that she often daydreams about. Jennifer shares about how she was raised and her childhood. Back in 1990, Jennifer just wanted to be a kid. She was 14 years old. Instead, she was parenting herself. Jennifer reflects on her childhood and compares it to Julie Valentine’s mom. How were they in similar situations? How were they different? She considers how she could honor her parents even if she talks about the truth. She remembers the phrase “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Jennifer describes how she wakes up the next day for the interview with Solicitor Wilkins. Although she didn’t take a recorder or even a notebook- she made it through the interview. Jennifer and her daughter, Helen, were ready to go home especially to see Jimmy Donn, their dog. Jennifer shares how her dog, Jimmy Donn, would stay up with her whenever she had trouble sleeping. By day Jennifer was a mom, and by night she was a podcaster. She shares what life is like now on the Island where she lives. With such a lifestyle, came a few unexpected repercussions. She found that the more isolated she was, the more overwhelmed she felt when she went into town. Jennifer explains how she was having a hard time adjusting. So many exciting life changes were happening to her family but she was a shell of her former self. She was going through the motions through the entire spring and summer. Yet, Jimmy Donn was always there for her and would even put his paw on her to comfort her when she would cry. The family is able to bond when Jennifer and Helen return from Greenville. Jennifer explains how she learned more about a child advocacy center named The Julie Valentine Center. Their mission is to end sexual assault and child abuse. They have stories attached to a ribbon on a pair of shoes. Jennifer finds the silver lining when she finds Hotel Trundle for the next step in this journey. This time she would be completely alone following a trial. She was very scared but she did have the Holy Spirit. Jennifer has found centeredness by surrounding herself with her family. Small reminders like seeing Helen was in a neighborhood newsletter and seeing how happy she looked, shows Jennifer what truly matters. She realizes that she is able to receive joy when she doesn’t turn her back on her own self. She has learned how to be proud of herself and she is ready to listen to her own advice.  KEY TAKEAWAYS WITH TIMESTAMPS0:00 Jennifer starts researching Julie Valentine1:28 The photo of the garbage dump2:35 Summary of the known-facts4:00 Jennifer has a lot of questions about the case.4:30 The photo of the rugged man- Investigators Hold Out Hope…6:13 Who was the mom?6:38 The rugged man was one of the original investigators named Terry Christy.6:54 What we know from the police and coroner’s report8:15 The origin of the name Julie Valentine8:50 Woodlawn Memorial Park9:39 Jennifer thinks back to February 199010:22 Jennifer’s parents10:27 Abuse and addiction12:36 Bed and bath time would be different for her own kids.13:06 Daniel’s Law14:33 The interview15:12 Jimmy Donn18:27 Tangents18:58 The 90’s and binders20:15 Jennifer has a hard time adjusting.22:05 Nightmares24:10 The story of The Julie Valentine Center27:17 Game with Fred and Helen29:07 The Silver/Sparkly Lining31:17 Neighborhood Newsletter LINKS/RESOURCESRate, review, subscribe, and tell a friend about this podcast. New episodes will be posted every Monday. Tweet us @altpopulation and we will follow you back.Visit us on our website at Alteredpopulation.com.Learn more about Hotel TrundleLearn more about The Julie Valentine CenterIf you have any information on this case is encouraged to contact the police at Greenville Police Cold Case Investigators 864-467-5330, Crime Stoppers 864-23CRIME Email the Cold Case Unit at coldcase@greenvillesc.gov

Altered Population is an investigation into filicide in South Carolina hosted by Jennifer Wells. In today’s episode of Altered Population, Jennifer travels to Lexington County for the Jones’ trial only to find out that it has been delayed. She corresponds with Harrison Cahill throughout the week to eventually paint him into a corner so that she can get the public documents she requested. Jennifer uses the quiet time in Lexington to dig back into the Smith case, where Harrison Cahill makes another appearance, and she discusses the importance of searching for nuance and letting people’s true stories be known. Jennifer analyzes Susan’s handwriting as one of those nuances to describe her mental state. Before heading out to Lexington County, Jennifer describes how she learned about the Public Index that would have allowed her to search the court records of pending and closed cases. Instead she used the standard form on the county website, which wasn’t very detailed and resulted in her not receiving any of the official documents she requested. She confirmed the court date on the phone with Harrison Cahill and set out to Lexington County, which was a four-hour drive from home. Upon arrival, Jennifer realized she’d been played and that the court date she was given was incorrect. On top of that she had been denied the press credentials she had requested. Instead of marching into Cahill’s office, furious that he’d lied to her, she sat through four hours of jury selection to calm her nerves. Jennifer explains how she finds the whole process fascinating, and how she witnessed it by being mistaken for a law student. The process started with roll call, each person giving his or her juror number, name, occupation, and marital status. Afterwards Jennifer talked to the bailiff and explained how she was actually waiting for the Jones trial, and he told her he wasn’t surprised it was delayed again. So Jennifer emailed Cahill back, who informed her that there was no steadfast date set for the trial. She proceeded to email him about the gag order and to find out who asked for it, so that she wouldn’t violate it. After backing Cahill into a corner, Jennifer got the public records she asked for less than 24 hours later from Frick. It didn’t make up for the incorrect court date, but she made the best of the down time and dug into her other cases. She started with Susan Smith’s old mug shot, which wasn’t what she imagined. She had dark sleek hair, looking quite normal. Jennifer found a letter from Smith to Cahill. Cahill had spoken about Susan Smith’s case and how he wrote her a letter to ask why she did it in order to understand her better, in the hopes of preventing these things in the future. Susan wrote back to Cahill to tell him that she didn’t receive his request for information. She explained that she was not the monster society that society believes her to be. She said she was a good mother and something just went horribly wrong on that night. Susan also expressed that she’d be interested in speaking to Cahill at a later date. Jennifer explains how she analyzes handwriting, in reference to Susan’s letter to Cahill, and how the way a person dots their i’s says a lot about them. If the dots are right above, the person might be very organized and detail-oriented. If the dots are to the left, then they’re likely a procrastinator. If the i’s are dotted with oversized circles the person could be childlike. Susan had dotless i’s, which could be a sign of confusion or lack of attention. It’s the details and nuances, like her handwriting, that will help fill in the gaps about Susan Smith. KEY TAKEAWAYS WITH TIMESTAMPS01:16 How to fill out a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request04:30 The thing Jennifer was most embarrassed about08:00 The moment that Jennifer realized she was lied to11:23 How Jennifer blended into the court house during jury selection13:30 The selection jury process17:32 How Jennifer deciphered emails to track down public information19:16 Research into gag orders, FOIA orders, and South Carolina social services20:19 Jennifer’s emails to and from Cahill to ask about the gag order23:05 Is it a secret trial?25:36 How Jennifer reframed the incorrect court date and time in Lexington County27:15 Smith’s note to Harrison Cahill28:41 Harrison Cahill’s LinkedIn profile30:20 Cahill’s description of Susan Smith33:17 Susan’s letter back to Cahill34:25 There’s more to Susan’s story35:26 Why Jennifer believes it’s good Susan didn’t get the interview with Cahill36:33 The nuances needed to understand Susan37:26 Handwriting analysis40:15 Confusion in all the details41:16 Jennifer’s email reaching out in Greenville LINKS/RESOURCESRate, review, subscribe, and tell a friend about this podcast. New episodes will be posted every Monday. Follow us on Twitter: @altpopulationVisit our website at www.alteredpopulation.com If you have any information on this case, you are encouraged to contact the Greenville Police Cold Case Investigators at 864-467-5330 or Crime Stoppers at 864-23CRIME. Email the Cold Case Unit at coldcase@greenvillesc.gov

Altered Population is an investigation into filicide in South Carolina hosted by Jennifer Wells. In today’s episode, Jennifer receives the public documents she had requested at the courthouse and visits the Julie Valentine Center for a tour. She also discusses her own struggle with putting herself out into the public eye as a part of this podcast, and how her embarrassment led to her procrastinating on its release. After returning home, old troubles begin to surface and Jennifer’s friends tell her she has PTSD.Jennifer continues her week in Lexington by first going to get the money order for the courthouse in order to pay for the copies of the public documents she requested. The most important things in the paperwork were that there would be a motion filed when it came time to set the court date and there were no restrictions placed on the media.Jennifer also shares her personal internal struggle with recording and releasing this podcast. She was scared to tell her side of the story, and to let the listeners in on who she is, because she doesn’t have any formal degree or certification. Jennifer is proud of her work in the world and would gladly go up against any seasoned investigator, but for some reason putting herself out there on the podcast was a challenge and she was procrastinating.With the podcast, she would be inviting people to take a closer look at her, and she harbored a little embarrassment about some of the things that shaped her as a person. First, the house that Jennifer grew up in was a source of shame for her, as her mom had to work more than one job to support her children. Second, Jennifer feels the same about when she was going through a divorce with young children. After hearing Cahill’s words about telling someone else’s story in the last episode, Jennifer decided that she wouldn’t leave herself out of this podcast. Jennifer realized that her thoughts, opinions and ideas on the subject mattered, with or without a degree.Jennifer sets up a meeting with Shawna Galloway Williams, Executive Director of the Julie Valentine Center. After being on call at court, Shawna assures Jennifer that Casey, the Executive Operations Coordinator, would take care of her instead. After a tour of the facility, Jennifer felt truly at home. But upon returning to her real home the following week, previous issues began to bubble to the surface around leaving Child Protect so soon after joining. To come up for air and relieve a little pressure, Jennifer shelved the Jones case for the time being and shifted gears. She emailed one of the original investigators, Mr. Bush Banton, who immediately agreed to speak with her about the case.Jennifer relives an experience on Halloween in 2018, where she thought she lost Helen, but the bus just hadn’t yet arrived from school. After the event, Jennifer speaks with her friends who confirm that she has PTSD, or survivor’s guilt.Rate, review, subscribe, and tell a friend about this podcast. New episodes will be posted every Monday. Key Takeaways in Today’s Episode:1:47 Feeling unusually nervous in the court house3:50 Jennifer feels like she was pranked5:39 Reviewing the paperwork6:47 Jennifer’s fear about sharing who she was on this podcast8:21 The value of a CV9:37 Misconceptions about Jennifer10:13 Why Jennifer was procrastinating11:08 The two main blocks of time that shaped Jennifer12:20 How Jennifer found strength on her own to move forward14:57 The words of Cahill that Jennifer connected with16:07 News reports on the DSS that caught Jennifer’s attention19:12 The visit to the Julie Valentine Center21:15 Casey reminds Jennifer about her daughter’s preschool teacher24:20 Jennifer’s troubles bubbled to the surface at home26:00 The video on Child Protect’s website27:30 Jennifer comes up for air28:20 Getting ready for the trip to Greenville, Jennifer looks back30:40 Where was Helen?35:00 PTSD Resources:Tweet us @altpopulation and we will follow you backVisit us on our website at www.alteredpopulation.comVisit Child Protect at www.childprotect.orgTo learn more about PDSD and how you can get help, visit www.ptsd.va.gov or call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 if you are a veteranLearn more about the Julie Valentine CentreLaw Enforcement PTSD Awareness | Hold the Light: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_okMgPyhLzE&feature=youtu.beIf you have any information on this case, you are encouraged to contact the Greenville Police Cold Case Investigators at 864-467-5330 or Crime Stoppers at 864-23CRIME.Email the Cold Case Unit at coldcase@greenvillesc.gov

Altered Population is an investigation into filicide in South Carolina hosted by Jennifer Wells. In the beginning of today’s episode, Jennifer shares about her experience and learning about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Jennifer visits Greenville with Fred and Helen to find Baby Valentine at the Woodlawn Cemetery. She discusses her daughter’s traumatic experience around fear of being found out, and how it helped her to uncover her own fears. Jennifer begins therapy and discovers that writing about her past experiences was a powerful way to shift her mission with this podcast. Jennifer’s goals for her trip to Greenville were to do some sightseeing with Helen and get some interviews recorded. Jennifer was mesmerized by the sight of a beautiful big beech tree with exposed roots during their sightseeing at Liberty Bridge, which helped her see that she too had deep roots and was wonderfully made. Fred, Helen and Jennifer also visited Woodlawn Cemetery to try to find baby Julie. After two hours of searching, Fred asked Jennifer: “What would Tim Miller do?” Tim Miller dedicated his life to his search and rescue organization, Texas EquuSearch, founded in August of 2000 after the murder and abduction of his daughter Laura in 1984.After returning to the hotel to get warm, Helen began to have a temper tantrum of sorts, and explained it as having a popcorn kernel in the pit of her stomach, sizzling, but not knowing when it was going to pop. It all started at the book club party she had on September 8th. Helen wanted to look pretty for the party, so she grabbed a pair of scissors and tried to give herself a haircut, but two cuts in stopped. She hid all the hair she cut off in a plastic bag under the washroom sink and kept her hair in a ponytail so that no one would find out. Jennifer thought she was being Miss Independent by wanting to do her own hair and not wanting snuggle time, but she was just scared of someone finding out. Jennifer reflects on Helen’s wisdom about being found out before being ready. She wondered if Julie Valentine’s mom felt the same way–that it was only a matter of time. Jennifer felt terrible about letting her stress trickle down to Helen and considered her own intentions and fears. Jennifer worried that Helen would find out on her own that she was born before she got married to Fred. That was her kernel for nine years.The family returned to Woodlawn Memorial Park to continue to search for Baby Doe in baby land, where Jennifer finally found the headstone. They spruced up the gravesite and left flowers for Baby Valentine. Five days later, Jennifer began treatment, which was a combination of prayer, cognitive and EMDR therapy, meditation, reading, studying, working out and trusting food again. She learned to be honest about what she was struggling with and to accept praise for her successes (big or small). She also built in routines and daily structure to better support herself and to find creative outlets. One of those outlets was writing down her experiences in a journal, without editing or fear of judgement. That led to accepting the shift in her mission from ending filicide to changing the way society views childhood trauma. Jennifer finds an old voicemail from Janine Driver. A course at her Body Language Institute taught Jennifer an important lesson about observation. Two people can see exactly the same thing and report different observations. Children’s lives depend on people seeing the bigger picture and visionaries changing the way we look at adverse childhood experiences. Key Takeaways in Today’s Episode:0:42 PTSD didn’t seem to fit3:06 Nightmare subjects5:43 Goals for Greenville8:41 What the beech tree meant to Jennifer12:00 Trying to find baby Julie13:12 What would Tim Miller do?14:48 Helen’s temper tantrum16:55 The traumatic event for Helen18:40 Detangling20:17 Afraid of being found out before being ready23:42 Conversations with Marty at the cemetery26:15 Back to the drawing board28:30 Treatment30:50 Learning to accept praise32:02 Building in daily structure as support32:59 Writing practice34:06 A shift in purpose36:47 Lessons in observation42:22 Changing procedures44:59 Sunlight is the best disinfectant46:33 What is PTSD? Links/Resources:Follow us on Twitter: @altpopulationVisit us on our website at www.alteredpopulation.comLearn more about Texas EquasearchLearn more about Janine Driver and the Body Language InstituteTo learn more about PTSD and how you can get help, visit www.ptsd.va.gov or call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 if you are a veteranLearn more about the Julie Valentine CentreIf you have any information on this case, you are encouraged to contact the Greenville Police Cold Case Investigators at 864-467-5330 or Crime Stoppers at 864-23CRIME. Email the Cold Case Unit at coldcase@greenvillesc.gov

The Altered Population podcast, hosted by Jennifer Wells, chronicles her investigation into filicide cases in South Carolina, such as those perpetrated by Susan Smith in 1994 and Timothy Ray Jones, Jr. in 2014. Given her background on the police force, Jennifer is particularly apt in navigating criminal investigations and proceedings. But she also knows the pitfalls of immersing in such work, and she experienced some significant setbacks in her work in recent months. Now, after a season of soul-searching and reevaluating, Jennifer has reached a point of decision. She will continue her work, make changes to her approach, and ultimately try to use her platform to raise awareness about adverse childhood experiences.Jennifer starts this brief episode of her podcast by opening up to listeners about her recent journey. After hitting a low point and reaching a place of uncertainty about where to go with her work, she now feels better and feels ready to work. With her newfound confidence she now has made the decision to press on in her efforts so that she can raise awareness about the kinds of childhood trauma she sees in her investigations.      Jennifer is ready to get back to her research in Greenville of Julie Valentine’s case. She’s ready to send a letter to Susan and to seek Susan’s side of the story in her case. Moreover, Jennifer is eager to be present for the Jones trial. After last year’s brick wall, she is motivated to better know her rights – particularly her first amendment rights. “Stay tuned,” she instructs listeners, because she is just getting started.  Jennifer circles back to the question she introduced at the beginning of the episode, the question of what to do with her work. “What now?” she had asked herself. She concluded that she needed to release her podcast episodes and keep on in her work. And giving her listeners more detail about the way in which she arrived at her decision, Jennifer addresses the topic of faith. Faith, she says, is the solution to her question of “What next?” After advising her daughter Mallory to be brave and press on by faith through challenging circumstances, she saw that the same advice actually applied to her, as well. Jennifer’s faith is her solution, and she will not change her mind or chicken out when it comes to her work.What will it look like for Jennifer to step out on faith and press onward? She will not simply wait for the Jones trial to begin, but will proactively work on altering her approach to her work. She will apply the principle of “garbage in, garbage out,” by trying to clear her mind of unhelpful things and replace them with good things by starting small in her efforts, doing what she already knows how to do. She will seek to spread kindness and to cultivate and share the “warm fuzzies” that kindness produces. Kindness, she finds, correlates with her resilience. She must lean into both of these now.As a final thought, Jennifer talks about her experience in the police academy and trying out for the SWAT team. She learned many lessons in that season, including lessons about encouragement, paying things forward, and giving without expecting return. Most significantly to her current discussion, Jennifer learned to “keep pressing.” She knows that there will always be something bigger than her to face, and how she responds to it is up to her. So how will she now respond? As she awaits a date to be set for the Jones trial, she and her family will be begin spreading warm fuzzies. LINKS/RESOURCES  Rate, review, subscribe, and tell a friend about this podcast!Follow us on Twitter: @altpopulationVisit us on our website at www.alteredpopulation.comRead the Bible verse Jennifer quoted here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A8&version=NIVListen to “Oceans” (Hillsong UNITED) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfpEefKiG2I KEY TAKEAWAYS WITH TIMESTAMPS0:11 A decision to make0:33 Confidence defined1:06 Feeling better and feeling ready1:18 What now?1:21 Jennifer wants to use her platform to raise awareness about adverse childhood experiences.1:41 Jennifer’s desired now: go back to Greenville and research of Susan Smith, be present for the Jones trial2:18 Last year’s brick wall, and today’s motivation to know her rights2:33 Stay tuned. Jennifer is just getting started!2:59 The overall project of this podcast3:16 Jennifer needs to get out of her comfort zone and release her episodes.3:27 Faith is the solution to the question of what is next.3:32 Advice to herself and advice to Mallory6:07 “Oceans”6:28 With faith her solution, Jennifer is not changing her mind or chickening out.6:38 On a new approach7:02 Philippians 4:8 and replacing garbage in the mind with good things7:27 Preparation for the Jones trial – an overhaul8:05 Kindness and the “warm fuzzies”8:30 Warm fuzzies explained: hormones at play9:37 Kindness correlated to resilience9:54 Final thought – a police academy story11:02 Corporal Caffey12:42 “Keep pressing”13:04 The message – There will always be something bigger than her to face. How she responds is up to her.13:13 No trial date for Jones is set yet, so it’s time for spreading warm fuzzies

Season 2 Trailer 

Altered Population is an investigation into filicide in South Carolina hosted by Jennifer Wells. In today’s first episode of Season 2, Jennifer heads to Columbia to meet with attorney, Jay Bender, in the hopes of securing a press pass and learning when the trial date is. After meeting with Mr. Bender, Jennifer headed back to the Clerk’s office to request the case file, but was denied by Lisa Comer, who stated the gag order as the reason. Jennifer then retained an attorney, recommended by Mr. Bender, who helped set her plan in motion, with the help of her family, therapist and trainer. On April 18th, 2019 Jennifer wakes early to take the first ferry out 6:30am. With time to spare, she gets to the dock and gives Mallory a call in Singapore to check in. After that, she settled into a bench seat on the ferry, as all the seats with tables were taken, but she just couldn’t get comfortable. Crossing one leg over the other, Jennifer realized she had on one bootie and one full boot. She’d completely forgotten that she tried on different options early in the morning to see what would look best.Not sure what to do, Jennifer texts Mallory to share her embarrassing news. Mallory asks why Jennifer is on her way to Columbia in the first place, and she shares that it’s to meet with Jay Bender, an attorney with many First Amendment cases under his belt. Her intention is to get a press pass so she can ensure her presence at the trial. When Jennifer started planning her return to Lexington Country, she found Jay’s name, a known authority on the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. After a quick text from Helen solved the problem of the two different shoes, Jennifer was ready to get to Columbia for her appointment.Jay Bender wasn’t anything like Jennifer imagined–he reminded her of Santa Claus as he was welcoming and friendly. She came prepared to the meeting, with her notes and folders, knowing which judge would try the case and when the general session would occur. Mr. Bender talked quickly and with confidence and Jennifer scrambled to take as many notes as she could so that she could do her research after the meeting. After refusing to be paid for his time, the meeting ended and Jennifer spent the drive home imagining what it would be like for her family when it was time for trial. Jennifer realized that her road was leading straight back to Comer’s office. On Thursday of the same week she drove to Lexington County Courthouse and exchanged pleasantries with Ms. Linda in the records room. The pleasantries ended abruptly when Jennifer wrote down the indictment number of the case file she requested and handed it over to Ms. Linda. She reminded Jennifer of the gag order, and Jennifer agreed, but she said she already had the case file for up to October. All she needed was any new information from October up to today. Ms. Linda proceeded to explain what a gag order was to Jennifer, who also stood her ground and asked to speak to someone else who would release the file and simply redact the prejudicial information. Ms. Linda went to get Comer.Lisa Comer eventually came down the hall and informed Jennifer that she couldn’t give her any information today. Jennifer explains that she has the file from October of 2018 and simply wishes to view the changes on the file. Lisa says in no uncertain terms that she cannot inspect the file, even though there has been movement on it since last October. Jennifer went to her car and emailed Mr. Bender to catch him up and ask to retain him as her attorney. She explained that she’d researched the case law he cited, familiarized herself with Rule 605 of South Carolina Appellate Court and submitted Form 1 to Judge Griffith’s office. Mr. Bender was headed out of town but gave Jennifer the name and number of an equally qualified attorney for her to contact. Jennifer finally had someone on her side; her new lawyer was young, confident and intelligent, and together with her family, therapist and trainer they set a plan in motion.Key Takeaways in Today’s Episode:2:25 Jenny two shoes3:09 Today’s meeting in Columbia is with Jay Bender, an attorney who specializes in First Amendment cases3:26 Jay Bender is the authority on the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act4:54 Helen saves the day5:40 Two questions Jennifer asked herself6:05 Mr. Bender wasn’t anything like Jennifer imagined6:57 Jennifer had all her research ready to lawyer-up7:40 Jennifer furiously took notes as she listened to Mr. Bender8:29 We will be in good hands with Judge Griffith8:52 The 29th of the month was not far off9:47 A sudden change in mood with the exchange of the indictment number10:23 Jennifer stands her ground12:07 Lisa Comer is not violating the gag order for anyone12:42 Permission from a judge is required for Jennifer to view the file13:27 Jennifer seeks to retain Mr. Bender as her attorney14:21 Mr. Bender 2.015:00 Finally, someone is on Jennifer’s side15:18 The team of people that set Jennifer’s plan in motion15:41 The plan’s structure begins to formLinks/Resources:Tweet us @altpopulation and we will follow you backVisit us on our website at www.alteredpopulation.com

Altered Population is an investigation into filicide in South Carolina hosted by Jennifer Wells. In today’s episode, Jennifer explains in more detail what the first few days of the Timothy Jones Jr. trial were like. Jennifer and her daughter Mallory attended the trial together as members of the press, became familiar with the key figures of the case, and watched as the jury began to take shape. Jennifer connected with the other members of the press and learned how South Carolina was proposing a bill to allow for the death penalty to be executed by firing squad as an alternative to the lethal injection (a drug that is no longer produced). Jennifer also reflected upon Amber Jones and Tim Jones, Sr., how they might think of being parents, and what they remember of their children.Jennifer begins by filling in some holes left by the last episode with Mallory, who was her partner and moral support through the beginning of the trial. After being informed by Mr. Bender of a conversation with a colleague who was in proceedings to seal the trial, Jennifer found a small news article that stated 200 citizens would be called as potential jurors to the old Lexington County Courthouse. The article also stated that there would be public seating, but the courthouse would be packed, so Jennifer made sure her and Mallory were the first to arrive in the morning. Even though Jennifer wanted to blend into the crowd, she was greeted by Red, the Bailiff, and recognized Lisa Comer and her partner right away.As the players in the courthouse and the jurors began to trickle in and get set up, Jennifer became excited. Everyone knew what happened to those five children and who did it; she couldn’t believe that anyone would buy the insanity defense. Solicitor Rick Hubbard was the lead prosecutor for the state, with a striking resemblance to Hugh Laurie, and his deputy prosecutors were Suzanne Mays and Sean Graham. The defense was made up of four attorneys: Robert Madsen is the 11th circuit public defender, Boyd Young and Bill MacGuire are with the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense, and Casey Secor is with the Sue Serone Capital Defense. Jennifer spoke to reporters seated with her, discussing interests and sharing about podcasting, but she was happy that she still maintained a sense of anonymity. Judge Eugene Griffith, who reminded Jennifer very much of President Clinton, and his transcriptionist, Joy, then entered. He was smooth, protective of Joy, and had a real presence about him.The questioning began to qualify jurors and place them into panels of eight, to be scheduled throughout the coming days in the new courthouse. They planned for three panels a day to get through more intense questioning, but that timing didn’t happen. There were a total of 22 panels, and jurors would call in each day to see when their panel was scheduled to appear. After that jurors were dismissed. Jennifer and Mallory moved to the first pew to get closer to the key figures and listen in. Jennifer wondered what the defense, prosecution and judge thought of her and Mallory remaining at the courthouse, and so she buried her head in her notebook and furiously took notes. They talked about the three types of jurors, the most recent death penalty case, and the defense asked for a change of venue. After returning to the hotel room, Jennifer stayed up late to review her notes, do some research, and look further into the proposed bill that a firing squad be used in light of a lethal injection drug shortage. In South Carolina, prisoners can choose between lethal injection and the electric chair, but there has been a shortage of the lethal injection drug since 2013 when manufacturers stopped producing it.The next morning, Jennifer and Mallory drove to the new courthouse and were ushered into the middle row of the gallery, which was reserved for members of the press. At 9:42 AM, a very pale Tim Jones entered the courtroom right in front of where Jennifer was seated, and at 9:50 AM the judge entered and began with arguments on the motions from the day before. The defense spent most of the morning arguing about charts they wanted to use during questioning, and pictures of the children were ruled inadmissible. The judge also addressed all the members of the press at the front of the courtroom, including Jennifer and Mr. John Monk, who always looked busy and like he knew everyone and everything. The judge spoke about live tweets and end-of-day recaps, but Jennifer felt alone amongst the journalists, because her podcast hadn’t yet launched and she wasn’t on social media. The first juror wasn’t brought in until 2:40 that afternoon, and the judge explained certain aspects of a capital trial.On the third day, Mallory and Jennifer showed up and parked in the reserved spots for the press. The judge explained the three types of jurors: those that think the death penalty is appropriate, those that think a life sentence without parole is appropriate, and those that don’t have their mind made up. The third group would eventually be whittled down to form the jury of 12 with several alternates. That evening Jennifer reflected on the weight of the trial, how she was putting her work in front of her daughter, and who she was at her core: a mother. Jennifer prayed that Amber Jones would always remember the sound of her babies breathing and laughing as she watched her own daughter asleep in the hotel room. Jennifer also reflected on what Tim Jones, Sr. must be feeling about his own son having murdered his children. On the fourth day, a juror took the stand that really provoked Jennifer’s thoughts on the death penalty. After the juror clarified his position, MacGuire personally asked Jones if he thought the juror was qualified. The judge then asked Jones the same thing as well. Jennifer was taken aback by Jones’s true voice as he replied. Jennifer could barely make out his words. The judge explains how important the question is of whether the defendant approves of the juror. Jennifer recounts how only nine people were qualified as jurors by the end of the day and then by day five, only 16 people had qualified to move ahead.At the end of the episode, Jennifer explains how she took Helen on a trip that they had been planning for months, to NYC. This trip was about just the two of them and sharing new experiences together. Jennifer explains how it was a much needed experience, cherishing the one-on-one time with Helen.Key Takeaways in Today’s Episode:2:04 Getting to the old courthouse3:18 Wanting to blend in but recognizing the players5:12 We all knew what happened7:35 Reporters surrounded Jennifer8:35 The dynamic duo11:40 Staying up late to go down the rabbit hole16:10 Tim Jones entered the courtroom17:10 Called up to the bar as a member of the press20:05 Explaining a capital trial21:47 The three types of jurors24:28 Speaking the names out loud29:08 A startling sound31:10 Things started to get interesting when MacGuire questions the juror Links/Resources:Rate, review, subscribe, and tell a friend about this podcast. New episodes will be posted every Monday.Tweet us @altpopulation and we will follow you backVisit us on our website at www.alteredpopulation.com