Adnan Syed (Serial podcast)

[notblanche]

Did you see the news that came out of Maryland yesterday? The Court of Special Appeals upheld a lower-court ruling that overturned Adnan Syed's conviction in the murder of his high school girlfriend. Prosecutors can still appeal again, but it could mean he gets a new trial. 

In its majority opinion Thursday, the three-judge panel affirmed that the defense team's "deficient performance prejudiced Syed's defense," explaining that his counsel failed to contact a potential witness whose alibi could "have raised a reasonable doubt in the mind of at least one juror."

...

Prosecutors did not immediately announce whether they would appeal Thursday's ruling. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh's office said it is "currently reviewing today's decision to determine next steps," according to The Baltimore Sun.

In the meantime, Syed's current attorney, C. Justin Brown, celebrated the decision at a news conference, expressing his eagerness to proceed to a new trial.

"Let's take it to a jury in Baltimore City and let them decide whether or not Adnan Syed is guilty or innocent," Brown told reporters. "You know, this process has taken so long already. It's time to make some final resolution of it — and we hope that the state will see it the same way that we do."

www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/29/598001941/serial-subject-adnan-syed-deserves-a-new-trial-appeals-court-rules

[Ali7P]

I saw this on the MFM Facebook group. I'm glad he's getting a new trial, I hope the family finds out what really happened to Hae.

[mack]

I JUST SAW THIS

Perfect timing since i also had started re-listening to serial.

[mack]

Mar 30, 2018 12:27:42 GMT -6 Ali7P said:

I saw this on the MFM Facebook group. I'm glad he's getting a new trial, I hope the family finds out what really happened to Hae.

I don't know if I think that's not what happened to Hae. But regardless, he deserves a fair trial and to have it proved beyond a reasonable doubt. 

[Radley]

I listened to Serial and to Undisclosed and I’m glad he is getting a new trial. Even just assuming he did actually do it, the evidence was weak at best. I’m inclined to believe he didn’t do it and am pretty invested in finding out what actually happened to poor Hae.

[Ali7P]

Mar 30, 2018 12:28:47 GMT -6 mack said:

Mar 30, 2018 12:27:42 GMT -6 Ali7P said:

I saw this on the MFM Facebook group. I'm glad he's getting a new trial, I hope the family finds out what really happened to Hae.

I don't know if I think that's not what happened to Hae. But regardless, he deserves a fair trial and to have it proved beyond a reasonable doubt. 

I may have to re-listen. I remember thinking he wasn't guilty, after I finished.   

[notblanche]

Mar 30, 2018 12:28:47 GMT -6 mack said:

Mar 30, 2018 12:27:42 GMT -6 Ali7P said:

I saw this on the MFM Facebook group. I'm glad he's getting a new trial, I hope the family finds out what really happened to Hae.

I don't know if I think that's not what happened to Hae. But regardless, he deserves a fair trial and to have it proved beyond a reasonable doubt. 

I agree with this. I don't think he's innocent, but the argument for reasonable doubt is valid.

[notblanche]

I should listen to it again. I remember my opinion (Did he or didn't he?) changing every few episodes.

[mack]

Mar 30, 2018 12:33:15 GMT -6 notblanche said:

I should listen to it again. I remember my opinion (Did he or didn't he?) changing every few episodes.

Mine too. But it's different this listen--I am paying super close attention to the details he gives, etc and some of the smaller facts that I might have brushed over, and there are some red flags that I did not pick up the first time.

For example, when he is explaining why J had his car--would he really have cared whether or not his friend got a present from him? Enough to go to his house during school and lend him his car and phone? 

[mack]

I have also come to realize that a lot of my leaning towards him being innocent is that you don't want to believe he did it. He is so charming and repeatable. He sounds like a nice kid, someone you might have gone to school with. So there is this bias in your thinking; you want to give him the benefit of the doubt. It's hard to suss that out. So selfishly I am hoping this new trial will give her family the real truth (and selfishly, help me make up my mind lol).

[Radley]

Mar 30, 2018 12:41:23 GMT -6 mack said:

I have also come to realize that a lot of my leaning towards him being innocent is that you don't want to believe he did it. He is so charming and repeatable. He sounds like a nice kid, someone you might have gone to school with. So there is this bias in your thinking; you want to give him the benefit of the doubt. It's hard to suss that out. So selfishly I am hoping this new trial will give her family the real truth (and selfishly, help me make up my mind lol).

Ditto... plus I went back and forth a lot on innocent vs. guilty. The last I listened to was Undisclosed although that is a podcast with Rabia (sp?) so it’s probably not as unbiased as they want it to be. That’s probably why right now I lean more towards his innocence.

[theseaword]

I think he’s guilty but he should not have been convicted. Glad he’s getting a new trial.

[Dramaphile]

There were so many things wrong with that investigation and trial and the evidence presented, it absolutely deserves a new trial. I don't know if he did it, and maybe the evidence presented by the prosecution this time will convict him again, but the case should be heard.

[Cher]

I remember finishing the podcast and thinking he was innocent. Then a few weeks later deciding he was guilty. I have no recollection why. This is a valuable contribution, I know.

[leatherpants]

Mar 30, 2018 12:35:35 GMT -6 mack said:

Mar 30, 2018 12:33:15 GMT -6 notblanche said:

I should listen to it again. I remember my opinion (Did he or didn't he?) changing every few episodes.

Mine too. But it's different this listen--I am paying super close attention to the details he gives, etc and some of the smaller facts that I might have brushed over, and there are some red flags that I did not pick up the first time.

For example, when he is explaining why J had his car--would he really have cared whether or not his friend got a present from him? Enough to go to his house during school and lend him his car and phone? 

This has convinced me to re-listen. I remember thinking some of that stuff felt off.

I have always been in the - he probably did it but his trial seemed weak sauce - camp.

[joy]

I never thought he was guilty. But, I’m not the best as these things.

[reginaphalange8]

After listening to Undisclosed I do not think he's guilty. Regardless though, he shouldn't have been convicted based on what they had.

ETA: does this mean he will be released if they don't decide to call for a new trial?

[Radley]

I still want to know what’s up with Jay. Was it really the police railroading him? Did he actually have anything to do with it? If he did, why would Adnan have picked Jay? So many questions.

[budders]

I started re-listening a few weeks ago too, and had actually been wondering what was going on with his appeal.

I have always wavered between guilty and not guilty, though slightly more to the latter. I 100% believe he deserves a new trial though, and I'm very interested to see what happens with this.

[unicornofthesea]

I remember the witness in the library saying they saw him there, but was never questioned and I believe didn't want anything to do with the case during the podcast. I think that's the key to making or breaking a re-trial.

it's probably been a year since I've listened...but I remember some shady stuff about the pay phone at best buy that didn't exist and the Jay guy I never felt they looked into enough.

[tinyjoys]

I listened about a year ago, I think, and I remember being so torn on how I felt. Maybe I'll pick it up again. I liked listening to it while I made dinner and maybe that will keep me interested in cooking for the next month.

[joy]

I listened to Undisclosed, which is more about what is known surrounding the events and not only what was admissable at trial like Serial. Basically the entire timeline that is discussed to death in Serial isn’t even reality - it was just what the prosecution thought they could prove. Law is interesting that way. Undisclosed also discusses Jay and Jen a lot. Jay becomes less shady; Jen becomes more so.

Apparently, there is another podcast that looked into Don. Maaaany are heavy into the Don Did It theory.

[tinyjoys]

*adds Undisclosed to list*

Do you have the name of the other one, too, joy? I'm curious.

[ArielMermaid]

I just remember I couldn’t believe how little the police looked into everything. People they never even talked to. Like, her boyfriend at the time was barely looked at and he seemed shady AF. I am not solid on Adnan’s innocence but I am solid on he got the total shaft in this investigation.

[Deleted]

This is making me want to finish the podcast.

[unicornofthesea]

Mar 31, 2018 8:11:17 GMT -6 joy said:

I listened to Undisclosed, which is more about what is known surrounding the events and not only what was admissable at trial like Serial. Basically the entire timeline that is discussed to death in Serial isn’t even reality - it was just what the prosecution thought they could prove. Law is interesting that way. Undisclosed also discusses Jay and Jen a lot. Jay becomes less shady; Jen becomes more so.

Apparently, there is another podcast that looked into Don. Maaaany are heavy into the Don Did It theory.

Who was Don again?

[joy]

Mar 31, 2018 11:10:44 GMT -6 unicornofthesea said:

Mar 31, 2018 8:11:17 GMT -6 joy said:

I listened to Undisclosed, which is more about what is known surrounding the events and not only what was admissable at trial like Serial. Basically the entire timeline that is discussed to death in Serial isn’t even reality - it was just what the prosecution thought they could prove. Law is interesting that way. Undisclosed also discusses Jay and Jen a lot. Jay becomes less shady; Jen becomes more so.

Apparently, there is another podcast that looked into Don. Maaaany are heavy into the Don Did It theory.

Who was Don again?

Don was Hae’s boyfriend at the time of her death. He was older and worked ar Lens Crafters.

EDiT - with his mom!

[joy]

Mar 31, 2018 8:13:22 GMT -6 tinyjoys said:

*adds Undisclosed to list*

Do you have the name of the other one, too, joy? I'm curious.

I do not. I heard about it over on GbCN recently.

Undisclosed is dense - fair warning.

[ArielMermaid]

Don is the biggest thing for me. His alibi was his mom wasn’t it? Shady.

[crazydoglady]

Mar 31, 2018 11:37:38 GMT -6 ArielMermaid said:

Don is the biggest thing for me. His alibi was his mom wasn’t it? Shady.

The alibi wasn't from his mom but it was shady
He hadn't been paid any overtime and he was supposedly working at a different store for the overtime he had never worked at the store before and it was not reflected on the time card

Or something

It was one of the things that I was truly like how could the investigators not have looked into that more