She was with Wilds on the day that Adnan Syed murdered Hae Min Lee. HBOAn old photo of Adnan Syed from when he was on the football team. Your time is important. McClain keeps an active blog and also holds events for people to come meet and speak with her (McClain, 2016). But 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. (The Alibi: Serial, 2016, 48:46). HBO's four-part documentary The Case Against Adnan Syed, which began filming in 2015 and wrapped last year, chronicles the many developments in Syed's case since Serial and presents new evidence and new interviews with key figures. But the Undisclosed podcast also discovered that there was no wrestling match that night and that either the co-manager or McClain had been mistaken, or worse, lied. But there is nothing we can do about this; it is the system we live in.. Pusteri testified that Wilds told her about seeing Lee and Syed's body confessing to her murder. This just destroys the dumb theory that cops fed Jay the information and he told Jenn or the theory that cops gave Jay the location of the car. She has done countless interviews and meet and greets since 2000 around the time Syed was convicted. Adnan Syed is a Muslim-American man who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999. We continue to grieve. And the next phone call, calls 10 and 11, are crucial. She had received four calls in the afternoon to her landline, at 12:07, 12:43, 3:21, and 4:12, and three later calls to her pager, at 7:00, 8:04, and 8:05. We believe justice was done when Adnan was convicted in 2000, and we look forward to bringing this chapter to an end so we can celebrate the memory of Hae instead of celebrating the man who killed her.. Despite the 2016 announcement that Syed would get a new trial and the popularity of Serial and the HBO documentary The Case Against Adnan Syed the Maryland Court of Appeals ultimately denied him a new trial in 2018. The petition argued that McClains testimony would have directly challenged the States theory of the case, and potentially changed the outcome of the trial. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sied's friends, Jay Wilds and Jennifer Pusateri, were also questioned. The court ruled in a 4-to-3 decision that while Syed's defense lawyer had been "deficient" in not calling Asia McClain to testify, her deficiency was not enough to "prejudice" the outcome of the trial. The Season 1 finale of Serial revealed that the Innocence Project Clinic at the University of Virginia Law School was looking at the case, and hoped to persuade the courts to finally initiate DNA tests on the physical evidence. Trying to find information on Pusateri was not exactly challenging. (Click here for part one and here for part two.). He wanted nothing more than for people to know he had a clear name in the case. It may include the use of force or [], In today's society, driving while under the influence of alcohol has become a very deadly crime. Pusateri's police interviews and court testimony (along with Wilds' own) were instrumental in convicting Syed of the killing. Everything was told to me by someone else.. The court later sent Syeds case back to the Baltimore City Circuit Court, where Syeds attorney filed a motion asking for the post-conviction relief case to be reopened. Syed was granted a new trial more than two years ago, yet he remains in jail. In a later filing, the States expert witness, Abraham Waranowitz, signed an affidavit confirming that he was not shown the AT&T instruction sheet, and that it would have changed his testimony. Solely because of hurt pride, he chose to kill, said Assistant States Attorney Kevin Urick of Syed. Tragically, she never did. During her time as a student at Woodlawn, Lee was a valued member of the lacrosse and field hockey teams as well as the manager of the wrestling team. But an olderPusateri seems to bequestioningWilds version of events several years after the fact. At the time of her disbarment, she told The Baltimore Sun she had been struggling with multiple sclerosis. Lees family has maintained that it was Syed who killed her. The almost two decades-long case is extraordinarily complex, featuring numerous timelines, theories and conflicting testimony, and the nuances are explored extensively in Serial, the Undisclosed podcast, and the HBO series. Serial sought to dive deep into the potential failings of the criminal justice system and thoroughly re-examine Syeds case. When first questioned, Wilds said he went to McDonalds that afternoon which changed to a visit to his friends house during the second interview. Never went to prison and has moved to Los Angeles. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. The arrest came after police had subpoenaed Syeds cellphone records, and questioned two people from his call log: Jay Wilds and Jennifer Pusateri. Jay Wilds: Knows only as Jay in the series, he provided evidence which led police to Syed, then testimony at his trial. For Chaudry, news that Adnan Syed would finally get another shot at justice was staggering if unbelievable news. Chaudry is also an attorney and has maintained Adnans innocence since 2000. The evidence that was gathered against Syed was anecdotal, circumstantial, and yet, convincing enough to sway a jury to convict him of the murder of Hae Min Lee. Judge Welch vacated Syeds original conviction and ordered a new trial on the basis of the evidence given in the February 2016 hearing. Listeners may remember Jenn Pusateri as Jay Wilds friend in high school and during a police interview she said she had seen Wild and Syed together on the night of the murder and that Pusateri had been notified by Wilds that Syed had murdered Lee. After multiple appeals from the State to overturn Judge Welchs 2016 decision, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals upheld the decision to grant Syed a new trial. They had to demonize an entire community by arguing that because Adnan is Muslim, he had the potential to do this.. As a result of this meeting, EAC Task Force on Cyberlaws in close collaboration with [], Traditional security systems work to avoid crimes as much as possible. A rare photo of Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee together. T. 2/17 154-58. The Baltimore police followed a promising lead: Adnan Syed was allegedly a spurned lover with a potential motive to murder Hae Min Lee. And yet, Gutierrez did not include her in Syeds defense at trial. None of the samples tested positive for either Syed or Wilds's DNA. potential witnesses, including Jennifer Pusateri and Wilds. She told detectives and at trial that that Adnan killed Hae. In the original trial, the State leaned heavily on Syeds cellphone recordsand specifically his incoming call logto determine his location on the day of Lees disappearance. Me and Jay we were pretty inseparable, we were pretty tight, Pusateri says in the second episode. But the podcast did ignite a level of public interest that breathed new life into the case, and less than two years after Serial ended, a judge vacated Syed's conviction and ordered a new trial. Jay obviously picks and chooses what he tells, and at this point its created such a mess," Jenn Pusateri says in HBO's new docu-series The Case Against Adnan Syed.". As a Pakistani American and a Korean American, Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee apparently feared negative reactions from their families due to multiple religious and cultural differences. Pusateri seems to be a messenger for Wilds and seems to be protecting someone. Even retired Judge Martin Welch who denied Syeds 2003 request for a new trial ended up vacating his conviction and ordering a new trial. During that sit-down, Pusateri said that Wilds told her Syed strangled [Lee], and that Wilds said that Adnan said that Hae broke his heart.. However, an appeals panel of seven judges ruled on March 9 (on a 4-3 vote) that Syed will not receive a new trial. He'll trade places with you in a heartbeat, which is why people don . She wasnt rude, but she was totally uninterested in talking to me. Additionally, the interviews with Wilds originally published by the Serial-inspired podcast Undisclosed: The State vs. Adnan Syed reveal numerous lengthy pauses and an odd tapping sound at several junctures of his recounting of the days events that suggests possible coercion by investigators. They both went to school together at Woodlawn High School and were a part of the same crowd of friends (Serial, 2016). Rabia Chaudry also has easily been found due to her partaking in her own podcast regarding Adnans innocence and the book she had written. We will occasionally send you account related emails. Adnan Syed was convicted for the murder of Lee and is currently in prison. When the first season of the wildly popular podcast "Serial" debuted in 2014, millions of listeners learned about the 1999 murder of high school senior Hae Min Lee. (The court has said that public pressure was not a factor in its decision.). During the episode titled The Alibi in the Serial podcast Koenig talks with Rabia Chaudry about where she or Adnan knew McClain from. February 27: Jennifer Pusateri tells detectives Jay Wilds has told her that Syed killed Hae. Lee was last seen alive on the afternoon of January 13, 1999, when she drove her Nissan away from school to pick up her six-year-old cousin and head to work at a local LensCrafters. He was sentenced to life in prison and has maintained his innocence ever since. Her job at LensCrafters, too, was no mere filler just to pass the time Lee had dreams of becoming an optician someday. These connections led to police tracking down Pusateri for questioning. She was later disbarred by consent, in 2001, after a series of client complaints emerged. Syed was a well-liked student. In it, she says she and Adnan spoke for about 15 to 20 minutes while she was waiting for her boyfriend to give her a ride. In its opinion, the panel agreed that Syeds counsel had been deficient but did not believe it had resulted in prejudice, given the totality of the evidence against Syed. Horton was the one that wanted the whole family to stay underneath the radar and was so caught off guard when Koenig found them. Chaudry was extremely involved in Syeds life and the proving of his innocence, it only makes sense that she would attempt to continue to try and stay in the spotlight and show everyone her involvement since the case has risen to such a popularity, unlike individuals like Jay Wilds that has tried to stay completely under the radar. One can wonder if since McClain was never contacted by attorneys that she decided to show the world herself. Her names Asia McClain. A police investigation led to Lees ex-boyfriend and classmate Adnan Syed. On Jan. 13, 1999, Hae Min Lee left Woodlawn High School and never came home. It was Jay's testimony that helped to put Adnan in prison with a life sentence for the February 1999 murder of his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. The theory is that Wilds wanted to buy a motorcycle a claim substantiated during a ride-along Wilds took with Detectives William Ritz and Gregory MacGillivary on March 18, 1999. He was assisted by Jay Wilds. He walked away seeing no jail time and only probation that he was released form just a year later (Maryland Open Access, 2016). His ex-wifes name is Nikisha Horton. So at 7:00 he pages Jennifer Pusateri. It is important to remember that this case while it has been reopened, still was a case that took place in 1999. Her younger brother Saad is Adnans best friend. Wilds gave two recorded police interviews and testimony in court. Here, we lay out the essential facts. There is nothing here to excuse or explain.. This simple, off-the-cuff remark led many to question Syeds word choice: If he was going to insult Wilds, why wouldnt he call him a liar or something to that effect? He says he told Jenn Pusateri to be honest with the detectives because the lies that we were telling to try to protect each other were clouding the truth. (The Deal with Jay: Serial, 2016, 12:23). McClain in 1999 at the time of the murder was Syeds classmate at Woodlawn High School. In the subject field they would have entered "Summary of interviews with Jennifer Pusateri". Most of which are for possession of marijuana. Through background information, Serial fans can now see a new perspective of the individuals involved in the case. I was sobbing and hysterical. At this point I was unable to find any further court documents surpassing 2014. Sarah and her team created something amazing and beautiful and compelling, said Chaudry. He was soon sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years. 1 more reply. After jurors accidentally overheard an exchange in which the judge called Syeds attorney Cristina Gutierrez a liar," a mistrial was declared. The judges full written decision is available to read online in two parts. Pusateri is labeled as Wilds friend and that her information regarding the murder was provided via Wilds. February 3, 2016. how a podcast helped solve the murder of beauty queen Tara Grinstead, Michael Peterson and the murder mystery behind The Staircase.. Of course, these potential miscarriages of justice in the murder of Hae Min Lee would only be uncovered years later. Woodlawn High School in Gwynn Oak, Maryland, where Hae Min Lee was last seen alive. This is the final stage in the States appeals process. Don't use plagiarized sources. Investigators looked into Syed's cellphone records and brought in two of his contacts: Jay Wilds and Jennifer Pusateri. it took pages of testimony spread across two days to ask what you and I just did in a couple of sentences 6 Pappy_John 8 yr. ago Jennifer Pusateri: In my opinion, no. Pusateri's first statement to the cops said that she'd gotten a call from Wilds on Syed's phone, while a later statement included information that Wilds had confessed to her that he'd helped. We would smoke weed together," Adnan explains over the phone in the documentary. The trial saw Lees mother, Youn Wha Kim, deliver a heartwrenching testimony through an interpreter. As detailed in Serial, Wilds told police that. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Most significantly, Brown argued that Gutierrez failed to investigate or call a potential alibi witness in Asia McClain, a classmate of Syeds who claimed that she saw him at school on the afternoon of January 13, at the exact time Lee was allegedly killed. In his full written opinion, Welch noted that Jay Wildss testimony was inconsistent with the States version of events, and that Gutierrez rendered ineffective assistance when she failed to cross-examine the state's expert regarding the reliability of cell tower location evidence. Given that such a cross-examination could have led to a different outcome, Welch concluded that Syed should be granted a new trial. And soon after that, Syed was charged with her murder. Pusateris police interviews and court testimony (along with Wilds own)wereinstrumental in convicting Syed of the killing. The arrest came after police had subpoenaed Syed's cellphone records, and questioned two people from his call log: Jay Wilds and Jennifer Pusateri. She explained that her hardships in emigrating from Korea were necessary to provide her family with a better life, and to give her children a decent education and a decent future., I would like to forgive Adnan Syed, but as of now, I just dont know how I could, she said. But there is nothing we can do about this; it is the system we live in.. A photo of Adnan Syed, taken sometime before the murder of Hae Min Lee. Jay. And she said she specifically remembers me being at the library, at the public library, right after school. (The Alibi: Serial, 2016, 9:13). Two of Syed's acquaintances, Jay Wilds and Jennifer Pusateri, were also questioned. I really thought that everything I knew was like hearsay, because I didnt see anything, I didnt experience anything, Pusateri says in the docu-series. But this theory was soon dismissed when the Baltimore Police Department received an anonymous phone call claiming that Lees ex-boyfriend, 17-year-old Adnan Syed, was responsible for the murder of Hae Min Lee. Let's fix your grades together! GradesFixer. Syed pleaded not guilty and was convicted in 2000 of first-degree murder and kidnapping. Wikimedia CommonsJournalist Sarah Koenig, who took another look at Adnan Syeds story with Serial in 2014. Asia has her own website and has written her own book. The obstacles to getting a new trial are simply too great." And in 2019, Syed was dealt yet another blow when the Supreme Court rejected his appeal. Syed was granted a new trial more than two years ago, yet he remains in jail. Serial raised doubt about his guilt for many listeners. Pusateri and Wilds were close friends, and their matching stories helped put away Syed for life for Lees murder. This is huge because that is the actual way the victim was murdered and she was told this on the day of murder. Hae Min Lee was just 18 years old when she was found strangled in Baltimores infamous murder park.. Implementing security measures are also very time consuming and [], The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) focuses on human rights. McClain stated that she saw Syed at the library at the time of the suspected murder. Alike adults, kids can also run afoul of the law. It was later revealed that she was struggling with health issues during the trial, and she died just a few years later. Jay Wilds was the State's main eyewitness. Wilds initially denied having anything to do with the situation, but later made a bombshell claim to police: He had helped Syed bury Lees body and get rid of her car. Koenig goes on in an episode to talk about Pusateris involvement and her testimony to the police saying, They were suspicious of Adnan from the beginning, then from Adnans cell records, they get to Jenn, who leads them to Jay, who tells them its Adnan. (The Deal With Jay: Serial, 2016, 9:28). He leaves that confusing message that she tells you about. Jay Wilds and the Defendant go to Leakin Park time. According to the court transcripts from Syeds trial, Syed allegedly called Wilds pathetic as he approached the witness stand. This highlighted a majorinconsistencyin Wilds story:He flip-flopped between telling the police that he saw Lees dead body in the trunk of her car either behind rowhouses on Edmonson Aveor the parking lot of Best Buy. The new appeal was for post-conviction relief on the basis that Syed had inadequate assistance of counsel during his trial. Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/TNS via Getty Images. 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