Opinions vary, but after years of effort, an appeal has been given for Adnan Syed. Many had never heard of Syed until last year, when the popular podcast, “Serial” brought his case into the limelight, making him an overnight national sensation. In 2000, Adnan Syed who is now 33 years old was convicted of the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. Adnan’s conviction gained a fair amount of notoriety around the time that event occurred over a decade ago, but it did not become a media frenzy until the first season of the podcast started streaming. Investigative journalist Sarah Koenig and her team spent months investigating the case, and created a podcast that quickly went viral. The podcast that some say opens a Pandora’s Box of failed cases. As opinion began trickling in around the verdict after Koenig revealed details about how the case was handled, many wondered whether a podcast alone would be capable to bring a case back to life. Earlier this month, Adnan Syed was given an appeal. They say that the third time is a charm, and for Syed, it’s. Denied the opportunity to appeal not once, but twice, this new motion will overturn his last appeal rejection from January.
A popular podcast hub, Adnan’s interview with Sarah is shown, together with his interviews with other key witnesses and parties involved. Koenig not only broadcast the interview, but also put forward evidence in favor of the prosecution and defense. He never expressed his opinion on whether or not he felt Adnan was guilty, but he reinstated Adnan’s case through the Innocence Project, a non-profit clinic that works to exonerate people who have been wrongly convicted.
“Series” sheds light on the proven fact that Adnan was not being tried fairly, but did Koenig’s team’s depiction of facts influence the State of Maryland’s recent decision? It’s fair to say that were it not for “Serial”, and Koenig taking Syed’s case to the Innocence Project, it’s unlikely that his case would have been granted an appeal. Some argue that it’s unfair and biased, and that the podcast is the leverage behind giving someone who does not deserve another chance to get away with murder, while others argue that Syed was clearly wrongfully convicted and deserves full acquittal. It’s unclear whether Syed’s attorneys had dropped the ball during the initial trial, whether his race played a part in the sentencing, whether prosecution simply wanted to point where they felt most comfy, or whether he was certainly guilty. What is evident, were it not for “Serial” and the publicity it received, Syed’s cry might never have been exposed.
