What happened in Reasonable Doubt Season 2 Episode 10? Plot details explored

Reasonable Doubt Season 2 ended with Episode 10 titled Encore, which dropped in October 2024 on Hulu. The Season finale had several loose ends: Shanelle Tucker’s meltdown of a murder trial, family showdowns, and a boatload of chaos left for next time.

People spent the whole season obsessing over who actually killed JT Tucker and wondering how Jax Stewart, her husband Lewis, and Shanelle’s family would survive the fallout from the trial. And this episode didn’t shy away from accountability, healing, blame, and getting justice in real-life situations. You’re left sitting there, knowing these characters are far from done with the drama.

The episode puts the characters through an emotional rollercoaster, especially Jax. She is forced to stare down some seriously uncomfortable truths about her life, and her situation with Lewis adds fuel to the fire.

The season wrapped up in a mix of closure and fresh chaos. Toni’s lawsuit is hanging over Jax and Lewis’s heads because they apparently can’t catch a break. Anyway, let’s get into the big moments from Reasonable Doubt Season 2, Episode 10, because there is a lot to unpack.

Reasonable Doubt Season 2 Episode 10: Natasha, not Shanelle, killed JT

One of the season’s biggest surprises was fully unveiled during this episode: it was Natasha (Kiah Clingman), not Shanelle (Shannon Kane), who delivered the fatal blow to kill JT. Natasha jumped to Shanelle’s defense during a brutal instance of domestic violence when JT was choking Shanelle.

Seeing danger, Natasha attacked JT, and this ended up killing him. Shanelle witnessed the incident and went ahead to take steps to cover up Natasha from being prosecuted, such as getting Natasha to change her clothes and walk quietly back to her dormitory.

This plot twist turned the whole case upside down. Even with the truth finally out there, everyone still decided to protect Natasha, so Shanelle took all that guilt on herself just to keep her kid safe.

It threw a spotlight on how difficult things get for domestic abuse survivors. You think you know what justice looks like, but then everything is a hundred times more complicated.

Trial outcome in Reasonable Doubt: Shanelle found guilty of manslaughter, spared prison

In this Reasonable Doubt episode, the jury found Shanelle not guilty of first-degree murder but guilty of voluntary manslaughter, and this significantly influenced her fate. However, District Attorney Lucy Wargo, who herself was a survivor of domestic abuse, showed leniency, and as a result, Shanelle never went to prison.

Instead, she got formal felony probation and some house arrest. This legal mercy was in the context of the chronic abuse and her role in saving Natasha. This verdict ignited a little hope after everything that went down. Shanelle comes out of the courtroom with a smile on her face and hugs everyone close to her.

Confrontations and relationships: Healing and struggle

Lucy facing her abuser

Another critical scene involved District Attorney Lucy Wargo's confrontation with her abuser, ex-boyfriend Peter. Lucy, who had feared speaking about her abusive past, stood her ground and planned a situation whereby Peter violated his parole and was physically aggressive in public. Lucy used her police contacts to have him out of her life and out of their shared son's life, who later stood with her when he learned the truth from her.

Corey helping Isabella win freedom

Corey, who had struggled with feelings of guilt for Isabella’s incarceration, was redeemed at the end of Reasonable Doubt by being key to her release. This intersected with Shanelle's case and served to help prepare ideas regarding justice and personal transformation, and concluded with Corey having a clear future ahead of her, both professionally and personally.

Sally and Chris’s relationship struggles

This Reasonable Doubt episode further examined the relationship between Sally and Chris, who went for couples therapy while struggling with trust issues fueled by the trial and deception regarding Natasha's participation. Sally desired to fight for the relationship, while Chris appeared to become further aloof, irritated by the lack of openness and his sense of exclusion, exemplifying how legal and personal warfare affect intimate relationships.

Jax finding closure and coping with family tragedy

Jax Stewart has been through personal loss. Losing her and Lewis’s premature baby, Jaden, shattered her. Meanwhile, Lewis was also handling the grief in his own way and even distanced himself from the kids and Toni. Jax had been on a mission for closure, especially about Damon, and it’s therapy that’s kept her from losing it. She’s clawing her way back, showing way more grit than most people would with her world flipped upside down.

Setting up future conflict: Toni’s lawsuit

The episode cut off just as Toni filed a lawsuit against Jax and Lewis, blaming them for her and Lewis’ baby, Jaden’s, death. This was like a legal grenade into an already-shaky marriage and their law careers. Creator Raamla Mohame called out Toni for being both heartbroken and spiteful, clinging to Lewis in the most toxic way possible.

Season 3 of Reasonable Doubt aired on September 18, 2025. The season began with two episodes as it landed on Hulu and continued with a legal drama spin based on lawyer Jax Stewart as she contends with new personal and professional challenges.

Reasonable Doubt Season 3 premieres with Jax and Lewis wrangling through backlash from Toni's wrongful death suit for their dead baby, and a high-profile murder investigation that has a child star involved.

New cast members and old favorites bring depth to plot lines, as episodes continue to premiere weekly on Thursdays.