I want to inform the readers about the basic principles of criminal law before I give my personal opinion about this murder case of Adnan Syed. So, one of the basic principles of criminal law is presumption of innocence , “any person charged with an effect is – to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal ” (Presumption of innocence).
I kept this principle in mind throughout my analysis of this case, and I am very confident in believing Adnan is innocent. Let me tell you why.
In Asia McClain’s testimony, she mentions “…Adnan came in. He sat at the table. And we weren’t really close friends or anything like that, but we knew each other. And we chatted or whatever. I know school let out around 2:15. So it was probably around 2:30” (Koenig). After what Asia said, I initially thought she could just possibly be lying just to protect Adnan. The judge denied Adnan’s petition to bring Asia to the court because Asia’s letter did not state the exact time and her statement could be just a lie for the sake of Adnan. I wonder why Asia would go this far and lie for someone who she’s not really close friends with? After many years, Asia’s affidavit remains the same. Since something significant happened that day, where her boyfriend picked her up late and that was the very first snowfall of the year, it is evident that she remembers and is confident that she talked with Adnan at the library during the estimated time when Hae disappeared.
Another reason would be with Jay’s testimony against Adnan. In my opinion, Jay’s testimony is simply not enough to convict Adnan to life in prison. They were all statements, no physical evidence supporting his testimony. Jay says,”(Adnand) opens the trunk. And all I can see is Hae’s lips are all blue, and she’s pretzeled up in the back of the trunk. And she’s dead” (Koenig). Also, Jay mentions, “Adnan told me that I had to take him back to school because he needed to be seen there” (Koenig). It makes me wonder as to why wouldn’t Jay just report to the police after dropping Adnan back to school?
Upon further research, new evidence was discovered of Hae Min Lee’s autopsy report. According to the evidence, Hae had frontal lividity, which means Hae was laying flat and facing down for over 12 hours. This piece of evidence completely contradicts Jay Wilds’s testimony, where he mentioned that he found Hae “pretzeled up in the back of the trunk” for which Hae was in Adnan’s trunk and should have lividity on her right side. The timeline that Jay says is very suspicious since it doesn’t match actual forensic evidence. It proves how Jay’s testimony should have been furthered investigated before prosecuting Adnan Syed.
All in all, Asia Mclain’s testimony outweighs Jay Wild’s testimony since Jay’s testimony is inconsistent and new evidence that was revealed many years later contradicts his statements. Accusing a person as guilty without clear physical evidence is seen as completely biased for the public.
Adnan Syed is innocent unless the State of Maryland can provide credible evidence to prove that he is guilty for the murder of Hae Min Lee.
Works Cited
Charterpedia, and Department of Justice. “Section 11(d) – Presumption of Innocence.” Charterpedia, 17 June 2019, http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/csj-sjc/rfc-dlc/ccrf-ccdl/check/art11d.html.
“EvidenceProf Blog: The Undisclosed Podcast, Skin Slippage, and the Likely Back/Right Burial of Hae Min Lee.” Law Professor Blogs Network, lawprofessors.typepad.com/evidenceprof/2015/04/at-both-of-the-trials-of-adnan-syed-for-murdering-hae-min-lee-assistant-medical-examiner-margarita-korell-gave-testimony-ind.html.
“Livor Mortis Provides Crucial Evidence for Investigators.” In Public Safety, 19 Mar. 2019, inpublicsafety.com/2019/01/livor-mortis-provides-crucial-evidence-for-investigators/.McDonell-Parry, Amelia, and Amelia McDonell-Parry.
“’Serial’: How Adnan Syed Could Win His Retrial.” Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/serial-how-adnan-syed-could-win-his-retrial-121253/.
“Season One.” Serial, serialpodcast.org/season-one.
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