“This week I’m going to do something I haven’t done before, which is duck back into Adnan Syed’s case for a few days, to report on a court proceeding that’s happening in Baltimore”, said host Sarah Koenig of this week’s episodes.
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Koenig released a 15-minute episode this morning based on Wednesday’s court developments, and will do so for the next two days as well.
Koenig describes the hearing, which is a continuation of Adnan’s petition for post-conviction relief, first filed in 2010, as a “last-ditch effort” at getting out.
Syed’s lawyers argue that his original lawyer in the 2000 trial, Cristina Gutierrez, did not prevent significant evidence that would’ve helped her client.
Ms McClain’s testimony continues on Thursday.
“Serial’s” first season examined the evidence and court proceedings and cast a lot of public doubt on Syed’s guilt. According to Koenig, this case’s “main focus” is the fact that Syed’s former lawyer was financially and physically “declining” during the initial trial and thus failed to give appropriate attention to a potentially crucial witness.
As she testified, Chapman complained of being cold and asked if the courtroom temperature could be adjusted. Vignarajah also questioned her about a claim by a friend of Syed who told police Syed had sent Chapman a letter from jail and told her to type it.
“I felt for justice to be served we should put all of the information on the table”, said McClain during the hearing, about why she wanted to testify. The episodes, which are still sponsored by MailChimp, feature Koenig and Serial producer Dana Chivvis discussing new evidence presented in court.
Syed was convicted of the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 2000, and sentenced to life behind bars. She had been strangled, authorities said.
On the first day of a hearing expected to run through Friday, defense attorney C. Justin Brown asked Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin Welch for a new trial for Syed. Sara Koenig is “ducking back” into Adnan Syed’s case.
Chapman will be called to the stand for more testimony Thursday.
The family said the hearing is forcing “us to relive a nightmare we thought was behind us”.
Adnan Syed, 35, who is serving a life term in prison after being convicted of murdering his 18-year- … Syed’s defense never used her testimony, and now Syed’s legal team is claiming that he didn’t receive adequate legal representation.
But she did conclude, as she said on All Things Considered, that”something went wrong with this case”. It is not known if he will make the decision for a new trial at the end of the hearing or a later date.
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In a 2014 BuzzFeed poll, only about 10% of people said they believed Syed was guilty, 20% said innocent and 50% said that there was “something fishy about the details”.
