Adnan Syed: Innocent Or Guilty?

Adnan Syed is a 36 year old who had been convicted of first degree murder at the age of 17 on February 28, 1999. Adnan’s friend Jay Wilds testified that he helped Adnan bury Hae Min Lee’s body back in 1999, but Adnan Syed mentions he had nothing to do with Hae’s death. Adnan was convicted with evidence of his cell phone call logs, Asia’s letters to him, and Jay’s description of the route they took during the day of Hae’s death. Adnan Syed is granted a new trial. Not only has there been mistrials, delay, and not enough evidence but also there has been a conviction towards Adnan resulting with doubt after more than 1 decade later.

In episode 7, Sarah admits to Deirdre Enright, who works at the University Of Virginia School Of Law and runs their Innocence Project clinic, that there isn’t any “gross negligence or malfeasance or something on the part of the detectives or the State Attorney’s office, everyone seems to be doing their job, responsibly.” The people working on the case were doing their jobs correctly, and Adnan was convicted, not because the case was built for his conviction, but because the evidence and other information collected pointed to Adnan’s guilt. And Jim Trainum, the detective hired by the Serial staff, tells Sarah that “the detectives in this case were cautious and methodical. They weren’t rushing to grab suspects or to dismiss them either. The evidence collection was well documented,” and that the case is “better than average” (Ep. 8, Jim).

However, Serial has shed light upon numerous loopholes in the State’s case, making the jury’s decision questionable. Adnan Syed is not guilty

He tells the police that Adnan, did in fact, kill Hae. Jay also helped take her body to Leakin Park to help bury it; making Jay an accomplice. This was the police’s main lead in the entire investigation. The story seemed some what legit for the most part. Plus, it was the only thing they could really go on.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened that day. Lastly, there wasn’t enough witnesses that heard Adnan was leaving with Hae that day. There is not enough evidence to convict him of that murder. Primarily, because the only witness they have on Adnan is Jay. Many people have their droughts on Jay people believe he killed Hae Lee.

On January 15, 1999 highschooler Hae Min Lee was reported missing and weeks later found dead. She was a victim of murder and died by manual strangulation. Her ex-boyfriend Adnan was arrested for the murder. Adnan is still in prison today. Sarah Koenig is the narrator of Serial.

However, despite the conviction the whereabouts of Adnan Syed are very blurry on the day of Hae Min Lee’s death. Asia McClain,

The ex boyfriend who’s name was Adnan Syed was accused of killing his girlfriend but claims that he is innocent and he’s trying to make himself not seem guilty. Adnan Syed is the murder of killing Hae Lee who is his ex girlfriend. Hae lee went missing on January 13, 1999. Four weeks later her body as found in Linkin Park. The case was towards Adnan Syed, who was convicted and sent to jail for life for the murder.

Jay Wilds, Adnan’s friend, testified that he helped Adnan bury Hae's body and he knew all the details. But Jay’s story had many inconsistencies. Also, many people testified that Adnan was a great guy who has never been in a fight. Lastly, Adnan Syed was seen during the time frame he was supposedly killing Hae. Asia McLean wrote

It was his word alone that suggested that Adnan wanted Hae dead. Not a single person thought this, not Hae, not their family, not their friends and not even anyone at school. The only problem here is that Adnan doesn't seem to remember exactly where or what he was doing that day. Who could blame him though, we can’t even remember what we eat the other day. He had to remember something that happened 15 years ago and although it was a big memory something so simple as smoking weed, could cause someone to forget what they did.

The real reason all eyes were on Adnan was due to Jay’s testimony. However, there were plenty of inconsistencies that were, in my opinion, too easily forgotten. At first, he says he helped bury the body, then during the second interview he had nothing to do with that. Who knows what his actual role in the murder was and whether he was framing Adnan. He did after all give the police the motive for the murder.

These two reasons are all that a person should need to believe that Adnan didn't have enough motive, or time, to kill Hae. Jays testimony sets the timeline and proves there is enough evidence, which is not presented by Adnan’s lawyer, to say Adnan is innocent by a straying story. The time period where Hae could've been killed does not match Adnan’s timeline. Jay, who is a convicted felon, was the only witness and is trusted to give a good story. Cristina Gutierrez, who was Adnan’s lawyer, had medical issues that distracted her from using useful information in his case.

However, the beginning ends with detectives interviewing Jay, an acquaintance of Adnan, who claims that Adnan repeatedly spoke about murdering Hae, and called him when he had supposedly

The Case of Adnan Syed She was killed over a breakup. On March 13, 1999, Hae Min Lee was murdered and buried in a shallow grave at Linkin Park. She was a popular kid at Woodlawn High School, who played lacrosse and had lots of friends.

Soon after Adnan Syed, the ex- boyfriend, of Hae was arrested by the police and was sentenced life in prison. The case against Adnan was based on the testimony of Adnan’s friend, Jay. Jay testified that he helped Adnan bury Hae’s body, but Jay’s story does not match up with the cell phone records, and seems to change every time it is told. The prosecution argued that Adnan killed Hae Lee because he felt betrayed, and that he sacrificed his religion for her. Christina Gutierrez, Adnan’s lawyer, provided ineffective assistance to Adnan.