Serial | Season 01, Episode 01 | The Alibi

Sarah Koenig explores the complex case of Adnan Syed, convicted in 1999 for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Koenig recounts her year-long investigation, highlighting the challenges in recalling specific details from that day, the lack of physical evidence against Adnan, and the pivotal testimony of Jay, who claimed Adnan confessed to the murder. The episode also delves into the overlooked alibi provided by Asia McClain, who remembered seeing Adnan at the library during the critical time. Despite her testimony, the court dismissed her claims, leaving Adnan's conviction standing and raising questions about his guilt.

• Challenges in remembering past events in detail:
  • Sarah Koenig discusses the difficulty of recalling specific daily details from the past.
  • Example: Asking teenagers to remember specific activities from weeks prior.
  • Importance of significant events in aiding memory recall.

"It's really hard to account for your time in a detailed way. I mean, how did you get to work last Wednesday for instance? Drive, walk, bike? Was it raining? Are you sure?"

• Relevance to the case:
  • Teenagers in the story had to recall details from six weeks prior without modern aids like social media.
  • General answers like "most likely" and "probably" are common when no significant event is remembered.

"If some significant event happened that day, you remember that. Plus, you remember the entire day much better. If nothing significant happened, then the answers get very general."

• Hae Min Lee's disappearance:
  • Disappeared on January 13, 1999, after school.
  • Her body was found a month later in a park, indicating manual strangulation.

"Almost 15 years ago, on January 13th, 1999, a girl named Hae Min Lee disappeared. She was a senior at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, Maryland."

• Adnan Syed's arrest:
  • Ex-boyfriend of Hae Min Lee.
  • Arrested six weeks after her disappearance and has been in prison since.

"A couple weeks after that, so six weeks after she first went missing, Hae's ex-boyfriend, a guy named Adnan Syed, was arrested for her murder. He's been in prison ever since."

• Rabia's connection to Adnan:
  • Rabia Chaudry is a family friend and believes in Adnan's innocence.
  • She reached out to Sarah Koenig to investigate the case, citing mishandling by Adnan's defense attorney.

"Rabia knows Adnan pretty well. Her younger brother Saad is Adnan's best friend, and they believe he's innocent."

• Rabia's motivation:
  • Believes the defense attorney intentionally botched the case to gain more money for the appeal.

"Rabia told me she thought the attorney botched the case on purpose so she could get more money for the appeal."

• Adnan's reputation:
  • Described as a good student, athlete, and community member.
  • Rabia and her brother Saad emphasize his positive traits and community standing.

"He was an honor roll student, volunteer EMT, he was like on the football team, he was a star runner on the track team, he was the homecoming king, he led prayers at the mosque."

• Fact-checking Adnan's accolades:
  • Some exaggerations but generally accurate portrayal.
  • Adnan was well-liked and involved in various activities.

"I later fact-checked all these accolades, of course, and learned that Rabia was mostly right, though she sometimes gets a little loosey-goosey with the details."

• Motive:
  • Prosecution argued Adnan killed Hae out of jealousy and anger after their breakup.
  • Used Adnan's secret relationship and behavior to paint him as duplicitous.

"The state used this against him in two ways. First, they argued he'd put everything on the line...so that when she broke up with him eight months later, he was left with nothing and he was outraged."

• Character assassination:
  • Prosecution portrayed Adnan as having a dual personality, living a double life.

"His family didn't know that he actually drank, he smoked, he was having sex. This was proof of bad character, someone who could be a murderer."

• No direct evidence linking Adnan to the crime:
  • No DNA, fibers, hairs, or soil linking Adnan to the crime scene.
  • Only evidence was some fingerprints in his car, which was not unusual.

"As for physical evidence, there was none. Nothing apart from some fingerprints in his car, which Adnan had been in many times."

• Jay's role in the case:
  • Jay, a friend of Adnan, testified against him, providing the main story the prosecution used.
  • Jay's story had inconsistencies but was supported by cell phone records.

"Instead, what they had on Adnan was one guy's story, a guy named Jay. He's the third person you need to remember in this crime story besides Hae and Adnan."

• Initial skepticism and curiosity:
  • Sarah was intrigued by the conflicting stories and the possibility of lies.
  • The complexity and uncertainty of the case drove her year-long investigation.

"What I took away from the visit was somebody is lying here. Maybe Adnan really is innocent, but what if he isn't? What if he did do it and he's got all these good people thinking he didn't?"

• Goal of the investigation:
  • To determine whether Adnan or Jay is lying and uncover the truth about Hae Min Lee's murder.

"So either it's Jay or it's Adnan, but someone is lying, and I really wanted to figure out who."

• Adnan's arrest:
  • Arrested early in the morning on February 28, 1999.
  • Taken directly from his home to an interrogation room.

"In the early morning of February 28th, 1999, Adnan was arrested by Baltimore City detectives. He was asleep in his bed when they showed up at his house."

• Unawareness of ongoing investigation:
  • Adnan was unaware of the developments leading to his arrest.

"What Adnan didn't know is that just hours before they picked him."

• Jay's taped interview with the police is crucial to the case against Adnan.
• Jay recounts Adnan's alleged plan to murder Hae and his involvement in the aftermath.
• Jay's story includes details of Adnan's actions on January 13th, 1999.

"Adnan had left school and driven to Jay's house. Jay graduated from school the year before and was working but not on that day."

• Jay establishes a timeline where Adnan visits him after leaving school.

"He left his cell phone in the car with me told me he'd call me."

• Adnan supposedly leaves his phone with Jay, indicating premeditation.

"He said he's going to kill Hae."

• Jay claims Adnan explicitly stated his intention to kill Hae.

"That [__] did come and get me, I'm at Best Buy."

• Jay receives a call from Adnan after the alleged murder, asking to be picked up.

"He opens the trunk and all I can see is uh like Hae's lips all blue and she's like wrestled up in the back of the trunk and she's dead."

• Jay describes seeing Hae's body in the trunk of Adnan's car.

"He told me that I had to take him back to school because he needed to be seen."

• Adnan allegedly wanted to establish an alibi by being seen at track practice.

"He couldn't believe he killed somebody with his bare hands."

• Jay recounts Adnan's alleged bragging about the murder.

"We drive to Jay's to get some shovels, go retrieve Hae's car from the parking ride, and finally end up at Leakin Park where Adnan proceeds to bury Hae."

• Jay details the steps taken to bury Hae's body.

"You helped him dig the hole? Yes. How long did it take you both? 20-25 minutes."

• Jay admits to helping Adnan bury Hae.

• Adnan denies any involvement in Hae's murder.
• He provides an alternative account of his actions on January 13th, though his memory is vague.

"When he first heard Jay's story of the crime, Adnan didn't say, well, it didn't happen like that or I didn't mean for it to happen like that. He said it didn't happen."

• Adnan's initial reaction is a complete denial of Jay's story.

"I had no reason to kill her."

• Adnan insists he had no motive to kill Hae.

"I just sometimes wish they could look into my brain and see how I really felt about it."

• Adnan expresses frustration that his true feelings can't be objectively examined.

"No one can ever say why. No one could ever come up with any type of proof or anecdote for anything to ever say worse than I was ever mad at her."

• Adnan highlights the lack of evidence or motive against him.

• Adnan struggles to recall specific details of January 13th, which weakens his alibi.
• He remembers certain events but lacks concrete evidence to support his whereabouts.

"January 13th unfolded like any other day, a normal mostly uneventful day he says."

• Adnan describes the day as ordinary, with no significant events standing out.

"That day was Stephanie's birthday. Stephanie was one of Adnan's best friends and also Jay's girlfriend."

• Adnan recalls giving Stephanie a birthday present, which is a key detail.

"I went to his house and I asked him, you know, did you happen to get a present for Stephanie?"

• Adnan's visit to Jay's house is part of his account, but it lacks corroboration.

"When school was over, I would have gone to the library."

• Adnan suggests he went to the library after school, but this is unverified.

"Track practice didn't start until around maybe three o'clock or 3:30."

• Adnan's timeline includes track practice, but there is no solid evidence placing him there.

"The coach testified that Adnan probably was there but he can't be a hundred percent sure."

• The track coach's testimony is inconclusive regarding Adnan's presence.

"It was Ramadan, so Adnan would have been fasting all day."

• Adnan's fasting during Ramadan is mentioned but doesn't provide a solid alibi.

"The only thing I could say is man it was just a normal day to me."

• Adnan reiterates that the day felt normal, making it difficult for him to recall specifics.

• Jay's testimony is the cornerstone of the state's case against Adnan.
• The narrative Jay provides paints Adnan as a premeditated and remorseless killer.
• Adnan's defense hinges on discrediting Jay's account and proving his own innocence through lack of motive and unreliable timelines.

"Jay's story wasn't just a foundation of the state's case against Adnan, it was the state's case against Adnan."

• The prosecution's case heavily relies on Jay's testimony.

"To methodically map out the death of your friend, to strangle her with your own hands close up like that, that would mean Adnan wasn't just a killer but a master liar, a manipulator, a psychopath probably."

• The severity of the accusations against Adnan is highlighted, emphasizing the cold and calculated nature of the crime if Jay's story is true.

"Adnan's in a maximum-security prison in Western Maryland."

• Adnan's current situation in prison underscores the gravity of the case and its impact on his life.

"He has giant brown eyes like a dairy cow."

• The narrator describes Adnan's appearance, which contrasts with the image of a cold-blooded killer.

"He's adamant about this. You can hear it right and he's staunch."

• Adnan's firm denial of involvement is noted, though it contrasts with his vague memories of the day in question.

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of the key themes and details discussed in the transcript, focusing on Jay's testimony, Adnan's perspective, and the implications for the case.

• Adnan struggles with remembering the specific day of the incident, which is both a disadvantage and a point of contention in his case.
• The inability to recall the day can be interpreted in two ways: a genuine lapse or a convenient excuse.

"I definitely understand and someone can look at this to say oh man you know he must be lying it's so coincidental that he doesn't remember what he did its particular time."

• This quote highlights the skepticism surrounding Adnan's inability to recall the day, suggesting it could be perceived as an intentional lapse.

"There's nothing tangible I can do to remember that day is the truth if there's nothing I can do you know to make me remember."

• Adnan expresses his frustration and helplessness about not being able to recall the day, emphasizing his genuine struggle with memory.

• Adnan's trial was lengthy, involving extensive testimonies and technical discussions about cell tower technology.
• Despite the prolonged trial, the jury reached a verdict quickly, convicting Adnan of first-degree murder.

"Anons trial was a long ordeal Jai was on the stand for something like five days a cellphone expert testified for two days."

• This quote underscores the exhaustive nature of the trial, with significant time spent on witness testimonies and technical evidence.

"After just a few hours including a lunch break they convicted a nun a first-degree murder."

• The quick decision by the jury contrasts sharply with the lengthy trial, suggesting a strong consensus among jurors.

• Asia McClain wrote letters to Adnan claiming she saw him at the library during the critical time of the murder.
• These letters were not fully explored by Adnan’s attorney, Christina Gutierrez, which could have provided a substantial alibi.

"I remember he's like there's a girl I go to school with who her name is Asia mcclain he's like right after I got arrested she wrote me a couple of letters."

• Adnan recalls Asia McClain's letters, which could have served as an alibi, indicating a missed opportunity for his defense.

"We left around 240 unquote remember he is supposed to be dead by two thirty six."

• Asia's specific recollection of the time could directly contradict the prosecution's timeline, potentially exonerating Adnan.

• Christina Gutierrez failed to investigate Asia McClain’s claims, which is seen as a significant oversight.
• Defense attorneys agree that not checking out a potential alibi witness is indefensible.

"Asia Plus boyfriend saw him in library 2:15 to 3:15."

• Gutierrez’s notes show she was aware of Asia's potential alibi but did not pursue it, indicating a critical lapse in defense strategy.

"Alibi witnesses can be tricky especially if it's just one person because then it becomes one person's word over another."

• This quote explains the potential risks of relying on a single alibi witness, though it does not justify not investigating the claim at all.

• Adnan’s new attorney filed a petition for post-conviction relief based on the Asia affidavit, arguing that the trial outcome could have been different.
• Efforts to contact Asia for the hearing were unsuccessful, and she later undermined her own statement by contacting the prosecutor.

"Asia had done the very thing they dreaded Asia had called one of the prosecutors in an ons case a guy named Kevin uric and undermined her own statement."

• Asia’s reversal and contact with the prosecutor significantly weakened the post-conviction relief efforts, casting doubt on her original statements.

"She told me that she don't even read it because she was getting pressure from the family and she basically wrote it to please them and get them off her back."

• Asia’s claim that she wrote the affidavit under pressure undermines its credibility, complicating the defense’s case.

• Rabia Chaudhry, a supporter of Adnan, remains skeptical of Asia’s retraction and believes in Adnan’s innocence.
• Rabia's efforts to understand and investigate further reflect her commitment to uncovering the truth.

"I don't know why they were the affidavit was written solitarily I mean I'm an attorney I'm a licensed attorney I work on Homeland Security it's like I have no reason to make something like this up."

• Rabia emphasizes her professional integrity and disbelief that Asia’s original statements were fabricated or coerced.

"I have to know if Adnan really was in the library at 2:36 p.m. because if he was well library equals innocent it's so maddeningly simple."

• Rabia’s fixation on verifying Asia's account underscores the critical importance of this alibi to Adnan's case.

• The case hinges on verifying Adnan's whereabouts during the critical time, with Asia McClain’s testimony being potentially pivotal.
• Continuous efforts to find the truth reflect the complexity and emotional weight of the case.

"If you're wondering why I went so nuts on this story versus some other murder case the best I can explain is this is the one that came to me."

• This quote illustrates the personal connection and commitment to the case, driving the exhaustive efforts to uncover the truth.

• There were security cameras inside the library in 1999.
• The video system required a videotape to be put in every morning and tapes were recycled weekly.
• Any footage from January 13th, 1999, would have been overwritten by the time Adnan’s lawyer could have checked.

"Was there a security system back in 99 that could have been checked at the time? Probably yes, I'm going to say yes."

• Indicates the presence of a security system that could have potentially provided evidence.

"I think it ran for, you know, a week so you had a Monday tape, a Tuesday tape, a Wednesday tape, and so forth."

• Describes the tape recycling system which implies that old footage would have been overwritten.

• Library computers required users to sign in with a piece of paper and pencil.
• Sign-in logs were not meticulously kept for 15 years.

"To use a computer did people have to sign in like write their name down? They did. What was the system then? A piece of paper and pencil."

• Explains the rudimentary sign-in system for computer use.

"Those by any chance weren't logged meticulously and kept for 15 years, were they? No."

• Confirms that the sign-in logs were not preserved.

• Persistent efforts were made to find Derek and Jerrod to confirm Asia McClain’s account.
• Jerrod could not recall anything about January 13th, 1999.
• Derek remembered dating Asia but could not recall specific details of the day.

"Do you have any memory by any miracle that you went to Woodlawn library branch near Woodlawn high school to pick up Asia McClain with your friend Derek? I have no idea."

• Jerrod’s lack of recollection about the day in question.

"Derek was my last hope eventually I caught him at home... Derek couldn't remember that day either."

• Highlights the difficulty in corroborating Asia’s account through Derek.

• Asia McClain called back after receiving a follow-up email.
• She had a clear memory of seeing Adnan at the library on January 13th, 1999.
• She described Adnan’s demeanor and their conversation about his breakup with Hae.

"I wish I could say that my charming persuasive letter is what prompted Asia to call, but the truth is she never got my letter."

• Asia responded due to a follow-up email, not the initial letter.

"She had a remarkably clear memory of what happened on January 13th, 1999... Derek was supposed to come get her at the library along with Jerrod but they were very late."

• Asia’s detailed recollection of the events and interactions at the library.

• Asia was spooked by a private investigator and concerned about testifying.
• She believed Adnan did not seem like a murderer based on his demeanor.

"She told me that when she got the knock at the door quote that was not cool because to her if Adnan did do it quote the last thing you want is a murderer being pissed off at you knowing where you live."

• Asia’s fear and hesitation to get involved due to potential danger.

"He just doesn't seem like a murderer... he just seemed like he cared about Hae, he didn't seem angry or upset."

• Asia’s perception of Adnan’s character and her doubts about his guilt.

• Asia’s testimony could have contradicted the state’s timeline of the murder.
• The judge ruled that Christina Gutierrez’s decision not to use Asia as an alibi witness was strategic.

"If you're saying you saw him on this day at that time that means the state's timeline for their whole theory of the case doesn't make any sense."

• Asia’s account directly challenges the prosecution’s timeline.

"The judge ruled on Adnan’s petition a few weeks before I spoke to Asia... Gutierrez could have reasonably concluded that Asia was offering to lie in order to help Adnan."

• The judge’s reasoning for dismissing Asia’s potential testimony.

• Adnan found Asia’s memory both validating and heartbreaking due to its timing.
• He appreciated the support but lamented the lost opportunity for it to impact his case.

"Instead of being excited, Adnan said it was heartbreaking... because it's kind of like, you know, that is between since too late."

• Adnan’s mixed feelings about Asia’s recollection coming too late to help legally.

• Asia expressed uncertainty about Adnan’s guilt after learning more about the case.
• She felt a moral obligation to clarify the truth about Hae’s murder.

"All this time I thought the courts proved it was Adnan that killed her... Now I'm not so sure."

• Asia’s evolving perspective on Adnan’s guilt and the justice system’s conclusions.

"If he didn't kill Hae we owe it to him to try to make that clear... If he did kill her then we need to put this to rest."

• Asia’s commitment to seeking the truth for both Adnan and Hae’s sake.

• Adnan regularly communicated with the interviewer, expressing his ongoing sense of injustice.
• The judge’s ruling rendered Asia’s potential testimony legally insignificant.

"The witness who says she saw you at the exact moment when the State contends you were strangling a young woman in a car is worthless."

• The judge’s dismissal of Asia’s testimony despite its potential to exonerate Adnan.

"I've been thinking a lot about Adnan... I just hope that Adnan isn't some sick bastard just trying to manipulate his way out of jail."

• Asia’s lingering doubts and hopes regarding Adnan’s true character and innocence.

• The podcast will explore further aspects of the case, including potential setups and other suspects.
• The narrative will continue to delve into the complexities and unresolved questions surrounding Adnan’s conviction.

"I think that there are other people involved but maybe I think maybe he was set up... I think he was set up somehow."

• Introduction to future themes exploring alternative theories and suspects.

"Every question we've had for the past eight months he knows it... there's like running out of suspects."

• Indication of the ongoing investigation and search for answers.