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CJS Adnan Syed Essay - Grade: 100
College of Southern Maryland
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CJS – 2010
Professor Robertson The Case Against Adnan Syed The murder of 18-year old Hae Min Lee left residents in Baltimore County uneasy in the early months of 1999. Lee was reported missing on January 13, 1999, after she left Woodlawn High School in Baltimore, and never returned home. Four weeks later, her body was found partially buried in Leakin Park. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was ruled as strangulation. A poor investigation with lack of evidence led to the conviction of Adnan Syed, Lee’s ex- boyfriend, and fellow classmate. Syed pleaded not guilty but was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder and kidnapping. This case has crossed international headlines as Adnan Syed claims his innocence to this day, over twenty years later.
During the trial, prosecutors knew that they had no physical evidence, so they relied on the next best thing: testimony. The most important and reliable testimony was by Syed’s friend, Jay Wilds. Wilds told the police that he helped Syed bury Lee’s body after he confessed to him that he in fact killed Lee. According to the testimony, Syed had told him a day earlier that he had intended to kill her. Wilds also stated that Syed showed him the body in a Best Buy parking lot and had asked for his help. Although his story changed several times, prosecutors were able to confirm with cellphone tower records. Prosecutors also had another witness, Jennifer Pusateri, who told the courts that Wilds filled her in on the murder details and that Syed had indeed shown the body to Wilds after he confessed to the murder.
The case against Adnan Syed drew international attention after a podcast, “Serial”, was released in 2014. The narrator of the podcast, Sarah Koenig, discusses the case in its entirety and breaks down the facts presented in the case, and the facts missing. Koenig was brought aware of the case after a family friend of Adnan’s, attorney Rabia Chaudry, contacted her regarding the case
CJS – 2010
Professor Robertson after finding out she used to be a reporter with the Baltimore Sun. Chaudry and Syed had been longtime family friends and went to high school together.
According to the podcast, Syed’s defense attorney during the trial, Maria Cristina Gutierrez, failed to interview several alibi witnesses, including a woman named Asia McClain, who claims that she was with Syed at the library at the time Lee was murdered. This crucial witness may have cost Adnan the trial and his life. Koenig reveals that Gutierrez was disbarred from practicing law due to ongoing health problems, and numerous claims of mishandling client money, and there is a conspiracy that Gutierrez purposely threw Adnan Syed’s case so she could get more money for the appeal. This has been hard to prove because she died in January of 2004.
Investigators found jealousy and pride to be a motive in her death and tied that motive to Syed. Syed and Lee dated briefly in 1998, but their relationship was kept a secret due to religious reasons. They broke up, and according to “The Baltimore Sun” and Assistant State’s Attorney at the time, Kevin B. Urick, “Syed became upset when Lee started dating another man”, and his pride and jealousy “overpowered” him.
During the initial investigation, numerous DNA samples were collected from Lee’s body, including fingernail clippings and necklaces and clothing materials. No physical evidence was presented at Syed’s trial in 2000, and new tests performed recently at Syed’s defense attorney’s request revealed that none of the samples matched Syed’s DNA. Additionally, Syed’s DNA was not found amongst samples that were initially taken from Lee’s car – the place where prosecutors believe she was strangled. This means that the killer, Syed or someone else, left no trace of their DNA in the sample areas. However, according to “The Baltimore Sun”, one female DNA profile was found on a piece of a rope found in Leakin Park. This DNA profile did not match Lee and
CJS – 2010
Professor Robertson Lack of evidence, choppy testimony, and insufficient defense are all grounds for a new appeal. This murder was a tragedy for Hae Min Lee’s family and justice deserves to be sought for all parties involved.
References:
- Considine, Austin. “Here's What to Know Before Watching 'The Case Against Adnan Syed'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Mar. 2019, nytimes/2019/03/08/arts/television/the-case-against-adnan-syed-serial- hbo.
- Considine, Austin. “'The Case Against Adnan Syed': Finale Reveals New DNA Test Results.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 Apr. 2019, nytimes/ 2019/03/31/arts/television/case-against-adnan-syed-dna-hbo-finale.
- Koenig, Sarah. “Serial – Season 01, Episode 01: The Alibi”. Serial Podcast. 3 Oct. 2014, serialpodcast/season-one.
- Francke, Caitlin. “Jury Finds Teen Guilty of Killing Ex-Girlfriend; Adnan Masud Syed Faces Possible Life Term for Hae Min Lee's Death.” Baltimoresun, 9 Dec. 2018, baltimoresun/news/bs-xpm-2000-02-26-0002280318-story.html.
CJS Adnan Syed Essay - Grade: 100
University: College of Southern Maryland
