
In 2014 a podcast called Serial captured the world’s attention raising questions about convicted murderer Adnan Syed’s guilt, putting the now 38-year-old’s plight to prove his innocence on a global stage.
Just last month his successful request for a retrial was overturned by the Court of Appeals, but a new HBO documentary into his story, is once again throwing up evidence that casts doubt on Syed’s guilt.
The Case Against Adnan Syed offers a fresh set of eyes that leaves armchair experts wondering; did he not do it? Could he be innocent of the 1999 murder of ex-girlfriend and Baltimore high school student Hae Min Lee?
Episode four in the series uncovers some particularly startling new evidence.
You can watch the series trailer here. Post continues after video.
DNA
At the time of the initial investigation, only basic DNA testing was carried out.
But last year prosecutors submitted items from the crime scene for testing and the documentary reveals what the items were and what they showed.
There were 12 in total, including fingernail clippings, necklaces and a shirt, blood samples, a condom wrapper, a liquor bottle and a rope found close to where Lee’s body was buried.
Syed’s DNA wasn’t found on any of it.
During Syed’s trial, neither the prosecution nor the defence requested that these items be tested, likely because both sides feared that it would either exonerate or incriminate him. After Serial, the prosecution still declined to test it so 2018 was the first time this was actually done.
Testing also uncovered a fingerprint on the rearview mirror of Lee’s car that also didn’t belong to Syed.
DNA of an unidentified female was found on two wires discovered near Lee’s body.
The body
The documentary hired its own private investigators to conduct their own enquiries and uncover new evidence.