Hyper-Homeroom of Mr. Holmes: Serial Podcast

Monday, May 2, 2016

Serial Podcast

On Jan. 13, 1999, Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old high school student from Baltimore, went missing. About a month later, police uncovered her body in a nearby park; an autopsy would later find that she was choked to death.

Lee’s ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, 17, became the primary suspect in her homicide after an anonymous caller told the police to investigate him. In February of 2000, Syed was found guilty of murdering Lee. Syed is currently serving a life sentence.

The star witness at Syed’s trial was Jay Wilds, a former classmate who testified that he helped Syed dispose of Lee’s body. Wilds’ testimony was critical to the state’s case. The trial became the focus of the 12-part podcast, Serial. Wilds chose not to be interviewed by Serial host and producer, Sarah Koenig -- but later spoke with The Intercept.

Rabia Chaudry

Producer: Sarah Koenig

Hae Min Lee was born in South Korea in 1980 and immigrated with her mother Youn Kim and her brother Young Lee to the United States in 1992 to live with her grandparents. Lee attended Woodlawn High School near Baltimore, Maryland.

Adnan Masud Syed, a Pakistani American was Lee's ex-boyfriend. On February 25, 2000, Syed was found guilty of first degree murder, kidnapping, false imprisonment and robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years.

Asia McClain

On May 19, 2015, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals remanded Syed's case to Superior Court for potential hearing on the admissibility of alibi testimony of Asia McClain, who claimed to have been talking with Syed in the library at the exact time the prosecutor said Syed attacked Lee in a Best Buy parking lot several miles away.