What Jennifer Did (2024): Sociopathy and Psychosis

My sister and I are seriously into documentaries, and particularly ones that do not follow the status quo of true crime. At this point, I tease her that we could easily solve crimes since data shows that most murders are conducted by someone close to the victim, but the journey to the means could always vary. "What Jennifer Did" genuinely shocked the both of us.

“What Jennifer Did,” a new Netflix documentary released on April 10th, 2024, captivated viewers, and secured a spot in the platform’s top 10 most-watched list.

It is an interesting case that, *spoiler alert*, comes to the conclusion that 24-year-old Jennifer Pan hired several hit men to murder both of her parents. Jennifer called the police on the night of the assassination, feigning that she was a victim of armed robbery. Her mother was dead on the scene, and her father suffered a gunshot wound to the eye that left him in a coma. Once her father woke from his induced state, he told investigators that they needed to find out exactly “What Jennifer Did”.

Turns out, Jennifer Pan was like any normal child; she took piano, made good grades, and wanted to study kinesiology. Unfortunately, she began dating a guy that her parents did not approve of, and she was encouraged to study pharmacy in college, against Jennifer's original plans. Jennifer, rebelling against the control of her parents, continued to date the guy anyway and constructed lies to convince them she was attending pharmacy school. When her parents found out the truth, her car was taken away and she constantly felt controlled by her parents as they drove her everywhere and monitored her phone calls.

Jennifer must have decided that she could no longer handle the pressure and constant micro-management of her parents, and together with her current ex-boyfriend’s help, and found three hit men to get rid of her "problem".

She was caught (thanks to her father surviving the attack) and the killers, Jennifer, and her ex were all sentenced to life in prison. Their sentencing was appealed and now they await retrial that should take place sometime next month. I have no idea how their lawyers believe they will get a reduced sentence with the surmounting evidence against them (including the testimony of Jennifer’s father), but I guess they want to try anyway. We will have to see.

My curiosity over the documentary was not fixated on the act itself (hiring gunmen to murder your parents) but more about the behavior of Jennifer as she attempted to claim innocence during the investigation. She was quite convincing in her feigned grief.

I asked my husband about the levels of psychosis and if there were any identifiable behaviors that could have warned Jennifer’s parents of her intent to harm them. Was it preventable? Or a horrific anomaly?

Here are the findings from that conversation:

(Disclaimer: my husband is NOT a licensed psychiatrist; these are merely theories of psychology that he enjoys investigating as a mental health crisis case manager, a nursing student and as someone with a bachelor of psychology)

Psychopathy is a complex psychological phenomenon that exists on a spectrum rather than as a binary diagnosis. While severe psychopathy affects approximately 1% of the population, research suggests that up to 30% of people may exhibit some level of psychopathic traits. Around 4-5% of individuals score relatively high on psychopathy rating scales while still functioning in society without ever engaging in violent or criminal behavior.

There are multiple psychopathy rating scales used by mental health professionals, including the PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist-Revised). This 20-item scale assesses traits like superficial charm, lack of empathy, impulsivity, and failure to accept responsibility. However, many of these traits can overlap with other mental health conditions, making precise diagnosis challenging.

This is the PCL-R, the psychopathy checklist, with a twenty-item rating scale of psychopathy:

1. Superficial charm

2. Egocentricity

3. Proneness to boredom

4. Pathological lying

5. Conning/manipulation

6. Lack of sincerity

7. Lack of remorse or guilt

8. Lack of affect

9. Callousness or lack of empathy

10. Parasitic lifestyle

11. Short tempered

12. History of promiscuous sexual relations

13. History of early behavioral problems

14. Lack of realistic long-term goals

15. Impulsivity

16. Irresponsible behavior

17. Frequent marital relationships

18. History of juvenile delinquency

19. Revocation of conditional release

20. Failure to accept responsibility for actions

    
    

Contrary to popular belief, not all psychopaths become violent criminals. Many high-functioning psychopaths have learned to incorporate social norms and others’ emotions into their decision-making, even if they don’t personally experience those emotions. This allows them to pursue their goals within the bounds of society. Some researchers have noted a higher concentration of psychopathic traits among successful business leaders and wealthy individuals, possibly due to their social intelligence, charm, and willingness to take risks.

The origins of psychopathy remain unclear. It may result from a combination of genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and possibly early trauma (however trauma can range for individuals, "the worst thing that has ever happened to you is the worst thing that has ever happened to you" logic). The condition appears to involve differences in brain function, particularly in areas related to emotion processing and decision-making. However, pinpointing exact neurological causes has proven difficult for researchers.

Identifying psychopathy, especially in its milder forms, can be difficult for the average person. Many high-functioning psychopaths can appear charming and normal in everyday interactions. Even for trained professionals, diagnosis requires careful assessment of behavior patterns over a period of time.

The shocking story of Jennifer Pan raises intriguing questions about the nature of empathy, decision-making, and moral responsibility. In Jennifer's case, she orchestrated her parents’ murder despite no history of severe abuse or obvious textbook "trauma" (again, for Jennifer, the controlling nature of her parents was enough for her to make a violent and dangerous decision). We see how psychopathic traits can lead to shocking actions that seem incomprehensible to most people. This highlights the complex interplay between cognition, emotion, and behavior in the human mind.

Ultimately, the discussion underscores the vast complexity of human psychology. While frameworks like psychopathy scales can provide useful insights, they cannot fully capture the intricacies of individual minds. The ability of some psychopaths to rationalize extreme actions using a form of emotional calculus challenges our notions of morality and culpability.

As our understanding of psychopathy continues to evolve, it raises profound questions about free will, the nature of evil, and the degree to which we can truly know another person. These are issues that will likely continue to fascinate and perplex psychologists, philosophers, and society at large for years to come.