I searched for a thread or post about this podcast, but didn't see anything.
Anyone else been following and listening to the episodes? I'm completely hooked. It's so compelling and just absolutely intriguing.
Here's a brief summary from the podcast's site:
On January 13, 1999, a girl named Hae Min Lee, a senior at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, disappeared. A month later, her body turned up in a city park. She'd been strangled. Her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was arrested for the crime, and within a year, he was convicted and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. The case against him was largely based on the story of one witness, Adnan’s friend Jay, who testified that he helped Adnan bury Hae's body. But Adnan has always maintained he had nothing to do with Hae’s death. Some people believe he’s telling the truth. Many others don’t.
Sarah Koenig, who hosts Serial, first learned about this case more than a year ago. In the months since, she's been sorting through box after box (after box) of legal documents and investigators' notes, listening to trial testimony and police interrogations, and talking to everyone she can find who remembers what happened between Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee fifteen years ago. What she realized is that the trial covered up a far more complicated story, which neither the jury nor the public got to hear. The high school scene, the shifting statements to police, the prejudices, the sketchy alibis, the scant forensic evidence - all of it leads back to the most basic questions: How can you know a person’s character? How can you tell what they’re capable of? In Season One of Serial, she looks for answers.
So that last episode of Undisclosed was quite heavy.
You KNOW Adnan's lawyers are firing up the subpoena to get those records. If it turns out that it was Jay, Jenn or Don - it's a automatic Brady violation.
I think this is why they chose not to go with the DNA testing. If the DNA came back with remotely ANYTHING with Adnan's DNA, he was fucked. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Silock:
DNA in the car or on the body? In the car, there's sure to be Adnan's DNA.
Sorry, I should have been more specific - I meant in regards to the Innocence Project's DNA testing on Hae. Adnan's lawyer requested Adnan hold off on having it tested. I think the reason might be that if there was a trace of Adnan's DNA from those results, even if the court allowed in Asia's alibi, the petition to reexamine the cell evidence and now the possible Brady violation, the state would re-prosecute. This time they would be using the results of the DNA test as their smoking gun.
That would be pretty damning to explain how it got there if there were broken up and Adnan has been quite clear on him being separated from Hae for almost 3 weeks. I'm also not sure if the state can request for it to be tested now too. I should e-mail Colin. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Silock:
Oh, I think they held off on that because if the appeal gets denied, then the DNA is another way they can petition for another trial.
That is very true & it would have to be confirmed DNA as well to grant the trail. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Silock:
Oh, I think they held off on that because if the appeal gets denied, then the DNA is another way they can petition for another trial.
I mentioned it earlier in the thread. It's definitely a procedural tactic to maximize the number of chances on appeal.
If DNA testing has been done by his defense, and it came back positive for Adnan, there'd be 2 issues.
One, the state can compel to get a copy of the results. Two, the innocence project and all his pro bono defense would start walking back their involvement with the case unless some plausible reason for this could be explained. They're not going to hang him out to dry, but the innocence project is a charitable organization and not going to continue putting resources into a defendant no longer felt that they were wrongly convicted. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth:
I mentioned it earlier in the thread. It's definitely a procedural tactic to maximize the number of chances on appeal.
If DNA testing has been done by his defense, and it came back positive for Adnan, there'd be 2 issues.
One, the state can compel to get a copy of the results. Two, the innocence project and all his pro bono defense would start walking back their involvement with the case unless some plausible reason for this could be explained. They're not going to hang him out to dry, but the innocence project is a charitable organization and not going to continue putting resources into a defendant no longer felt that they were wrongly convicted.
Absolutely agree.
Did y'all listen to Serial Dynasty today? Wow, just as intriguing as the Undisclosed episode. [Reply]