Docu-series 'The Case Against Adnan Syed' unveils new evidence

Upcoming show revisits murder of Hae Min Lee and Syed's imprisonment

Back in 2018, the launch of the popular podcast titled Serial captivated critics and crime fans alike, leading them to become fixated on the homicide case of Hae Min Lee.

Following the success of said podcast, HBO will now revisit the murder of Lee and Syed's imprisonment. The upcoming four-part docu-series has been titled The Case Against Adnan Syed, reported Rolling Stone.


The renewed interest in Syed's case has prompted a retrial. The trailer, which was released a couple of days ago, suggests that the team has unveiled new evidence that wasn't discovered before.

PHOTO: HBO

The video opens with Rabia Chaudry, Syed's childhood friend, immediately talking about this being a “wrongful conviction,” signalling to viewers that the rest of the video should be seen through that lens. Eerie voiceovers mimic real-life news reports at the time of the murder. Crime scene photos quickly flash across a blood-red background.

“When you are working on a case...you’re only on one side, and that side is getting to the truth,” says Chaudry. “I’ve been saying, ‘Adnan, we should go to media, we should go to journalists, because they can do things we can’t do.’” On a phone call from prison, Syed says, "I know there are things that don't look good for me."

The body of 18-year-old Hae Min Lee was discovered in Leakin Park, Baltimore, Maryland in 1999. Lee was Syed's ex-girlfriend, leading to his arrest that same year and conviction in 2000. Syed has since claimed he was wrongfully convicted, and the evidence used to place him at the scene where Lee's body was found remains unreliable.

PHOTO: HBO

In production since 2015, The Case Against Adnan Syed closely re-examines the events leading up to Lee’s disappearance, from high school romance, forbidden love and cultural conflict, to the aftermath of her disappearance, the original police investigation and the present day, when Syed awaits a new trial.

Presenting new discoveries and revelations that challenge the state’s case. As per the producers, the series features "exclusive access to Syed, the defense team, his family, friends and teachers of both students, as well as the members of City of Baltimore law enforcement." It traces how the rush to justice and Syed’s conviction in 2000 raised more questions than answers about what happened to Hae Min Lee, underscoring the instability of memory and conflicting eyewitnesses.

PHOTO: HBO

In June 2016, Baltimore Circuit Court judge vacated Syed's conviction and granted him a new trial after new evidence challenged the reliability of cell phone data linking Syed to the crime scene, and a long-awaited alibi witness finally had her day in court. The State of Maryland appealed the lower court judge’s ruling, but on March 29, 2018, the Court of Special Appeals also ruled to vacate Syed’s conviction and granted him the retrial he has been waiting for.

The arrival of The Case Against Adnan Syed trailer comes just four days before the 20th anniversary of police finding the body of Lee on February 9th, 1999. The docu-series itself will air in March on HBO.

Watch the trailer here:



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