Jay Wilds and Adnan Syed may not have been close, but Wilds' witness testimony would ultimately be key to convicting Syed of Hae Min Lee's murder. On February 28, 1999, Wilds' initial police interrogation was captured on camera and, on the same day, Syed was arrested. Syed was put on trial in February 2000 and was convicted of the murder of his girlfriend Hae Min Lee. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He thought he was going to be a little blurb. Hell, he says Koenig never referred to it as Serial or even as a podcast. He quickly became the centerpiece of their case, despite changing his testimony multiple times. When I pick him up at Best Buy, he's telling me her car is somewhere there, and that he did this in the parking lot. He also provides a narrative of January 13, 1999 whose details do not match the various timelines he provided to police and in his testimony in the trial that eventually put Syed in prison for life. 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. Yes. The podcast alleged that there were inconsistencies between his police statements and the testimony he gave at Syed's second trial. I think the simplest pitch I can make to you is: You have a story about what happened to you, and you should be the one to tell itYoure in the documentary either way, so it just seems more respectful and fair to you to let you tell what happened, rather than having me piece it together from whatever I can glean from the record. The petition argued that McClains testimony would have directly challenged the States theory of the case, and potentially changed the outcome of the trial. I asked him where we're going and he says, 'Didn't you say everyone gets dumped in Leakin Park?'. The Intercept said that at least one other interview with Jay will be released, so heres hoping fans will get more clarity in the next part of the conversation. What If a Whole Stand-up Special Were About Peanut Butter? Often, this means that the new evidence is "noncumulative," that it doesn't simply bulk up evidence already established at trial. But he didn't call me unless he needed something. The band have become the very thing their critics accuse them of. Jay Wilds I pick him up he doesn't have any car with him. I firmly believe Jenn Pusateri and Jay Wilds were victims, in a sense, victims of bad police work and provided false testimony under duress and coercion from the state. But there is nothing we can do about this; it is the system we live in.. Wilds also admitted to lying about other details. It also led to theorists and supporters forming a social media movement. It wasnt like, Oh, were down in the park, come on down. We were friendly, we were cool. All rights reserved. JAY Wilds was a key witness in a 2000 murder trial where Adnan Syed was charged for the murder of Hae Min Lee. All Rights Reserved. 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. It's in the evening after school, we never hung out in the morning. "From the way he carried himself, at least, it looked like he had never lost anything before. Wilds's testimony played a giant part in convicting Syed of murdering his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee in 1999. If you're a fan of Sarah Koenig's popular podcast, Serial, then you might already know that previously convicted murderer Adnan Syed whose case was His details on what they did with the body and what he and Adnan did that day were striking. WebAdnan was convicted because of one sole witness, Jay Wilds. He said, 'You've gotta help me, or I'm gonna tell the cops about you and the weed and all that shit.' For people who want closure, there may not be closure.". A Complete Timeline of The Case Against Adnan Syed, What to Know About 'The Hunger Games' Prequel. And it's hard to imagine, right now, how anyone could be free of doubt about Jay's testimony," Vox's Ezra Klein wrote in an article headlined "Jay's Interview Shreds the Case Against Adnan Syed.". Although the charges have been vacated for now, Adnan remains under house arrest for the next 30 days while the prosecution decides whether to retry him or drop all charges against him. They believed the records showed Jay was in the area near NHRNCathy's apartment. Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Wednesday her office is seeking a new trial after a nearly-year long investigation revealed two new possible suspects. As described on the Serial podcast, Lee and Syed dated for much of 1998, and had broken up towards the end of the year. 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. Yes. In all fairness to Jay, he told The Intercept that he never expected to be a major figure in Serial. We are now waiting to see what the Court of Appeals will decide, Brown wrote, noting that there is no precise timetable for when the court will announce its ruling. Where Is Jay Wilds From Serial Now? He Last Spoke Out I don't remember ever going to any kinds of functions or endeavors together, or any concerts or clubs together, you know. No. Plus, his known drug dealings certainly made him vulnerable to blackmail. Koenig is not sure what to believe. How The Intercept Landed Serials Star Other cited factors include the discovery of new suspects and concerns about a detective who worked on Syed's case. Last month, Syed's murder conviction was vacated, and he was set free. In 2000, a jury determined that Adnan Syed was responsible for the murder, kidnapping, robbery, and false imprisonment of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee's murder. You're in this on your own. Syed's classmate Jay Wilds, who said at trial that he helped Syed bury Lee's body, became the central figure in the national conversation over Syed's guilt. Yet, she also doesnt set the emotional scene of Jays family life suddenly getting interrupted. The evidence included a GPS location and witness testimony from Jay Wilds. Here, we lay out the essential facts. Seven bodies found just hours after Amber Alert for two missing girls, 'Cult mom' Lori Vallow's hair found on duct tape used to wrap son's body, Inside Jeffrey Epstein's private calendar including meeting with Noam Chomsky, Heartbroken family launch new lawsuit against Walmart over son's death, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Jay Wilds is a key witness in Adnan Syed's murder trial. He just seemed like someone who didn't smoke weed too much," Wilds tells the Intercept. By the end, The wait is over: Netflix has finally commissioned a second season of Wednesday. We get into his car, and he drives up around the corner to Hae's car. I was also around a bunch of people earlier the day [at Cathy's], and I didn't want them to get fucked up with homicide. He told me it was really painful for him, and he didnt want to go back and revisit this crap., You can understand why Jay didnt trust Koenig. Anything he touched might have his DNA. Unfortunately for Syed, it's not that simple. The obstacles to getting a new trial are simply too great." pic.twitter.com/QhE5vAxdtP, rabia chaudry (@rabiasquared) December 29, 2014, PERJURY ABOUNDS! Why wasn't it discovered?" She kept saying, Its going to be in your interest to talk to me, and that just started to feel like a threat, like if I didnt talk to her it was going to be bad news for me.. And if it was a Friday, In 2003, Joel (Pedro Pascal) wakes up on his birthday like every other morning, sitting down for breakfast with his 12-year-old daughter, Sarah. 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. In production since 2015, "The Case Against Adnan Syed" re-examined Hae Min Lee's disappearance, from her relationship with Syed up to present-day, as Syed pushed for a new trial. Wilds' first taped interview with police occurred on February 28, 1999. Like, he's not in a car or anything. This was an utter failure of the criminal justice system. This, Brown wrote, showed that the cell tower evidence used against him was unreliable and should have been excluded from trial." .css-o05pt{display:block;font-family:Didot,Didot-fallback,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-shadow:0 0 0 #000,0 0 0.01em transparent;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-o05pt:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-o05pt{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}What to Know About 'The Hunger Games' Prequel, The True Story Behind Love & Death's Ax Murder, Elizabeth Olsen Isn't Here to Judge Anyone, Here's Kate & Will in 'The Crown' Season 6, 'And Just Like That' Season 2 Is Back This June, Succession's 'Quiet Luxury' Is Actually Attainable, List of Yellowjackets Season 2 Fan Theories. Because Jay doesnt seem quite like a real person in Serial, it is easy to forget how jarring this podcast must have been for him and how it upturned not only his life, but his wife and childrensand also his friends lives. Following a rare 2014 interview with Natasha Jays silence was deafeningly loud during the course of Serial. We were in the car, we were riding, smoking. Dressed as Karl Lagerfelds beloved cat, Choupette. "People had lives and were trying to get into college and stuff like that. July 1, 2016. Did you go to Leakin Park immediately after agreeing to help? Jay Wilds is a former classmate of Adnan Syed from Baltimore, Maryland. On February 28, 1999, Wilds' initial police interrogation was captured on camera and, on the same day, Syed was arrested. "Jay From 'Serial' Gave An Interview That Might Actually Help Adnan Syed," read a headline on this website. Please logout and login again. 2) Syed was found guilty by a jury in Jay, on the other hand, had to recount the events of that day numerous times for the police and prosecutors. "Why has your story changed over time?" Only a small percentage of us will know the t, I grew up in the golden age of the Disney Channel. The two then spend about 40 minutes digging a grave, but Wilds' refuses to touch Lee's body; Wilds claims Syed buried Lee by himself. Those tests are far more sophisticated than anything available at the time of Syed's first trial. Addressing the Asia McClain complaint specifically, the written decision read as follows: It appears that trial counsel was made aware of Ms. McClain and made a strategic decision not to pursue her for the purpose of an alibi. In other words, the court ruled that not calling or investigating McClain was a strategic move on Gutierrezs part, and not evidence of inadequate assistance of counsel. He is based in New York. 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. Fifteen years after Adnan Syed was convicted for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, the case became the basis for an immensely popular podcast, the This American Life spin-off Serial. WebJay's first story was that he was somewhere near his mother's house around 4:30 - 5:00. Eighteen-year-old Hae Min Lee was reported missing by her family after she failed to pick up her younger cousin from elementary school on the afternoon of January 13. Adnan Syed, her ex-boyfriend, was arrested and eventually convicted of He had no idea it was going to be a 12-part series over three months (and, obviously, he had no idea it would become the most downloaded podcast of all time). Oct. 11, 2022:Prosecutors dropped the charges of Adnan Syed. With its debut season, Koenig and Julie Snyder's investigative podcast, produced by This American Life, piqued the public's curiosity. Jay doesnt give any proof that Koenig was lying, and she herself describes their encounter very apologetically and with respect for his desire not to be recorded. Where was Hae's car? Getting them in trouble for anything that they knew or that I had told themI couldn't have that." January 2000:Syed's second trial started and continued for six weeks. March 8, 2019:In a split 43 ruling, the Court of Appeals reversed the findings of the lower courts, denying Syed's request for a new trial, court records show. Feb. 25, 2000:The jury found Syed guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, false imprisonment and robbery. "Once a person has been convicted at trial he is no longer presumed innocent," Brandon Garrett, a University of Virginia law professor who serves on the advisory board for the National Registry of Exonerations, told BuzzFeed News. "Why is this story different from what you originally told the police?" We were left to chew this all over. He describes asking her for a business card, a pretty basic form of professional identification, and her failure to produce an accurate one. Still, since Serial grooms listeners to question and distrust every persons account, I was wary that Jay was chiming in with his two cents now that the series had closed and he knew what rumors and claims he needed to address. "Judges may put a finger on the scale against do-overs," said Garrett. At his second trial, Syed, then 19, was convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years. "Why did they sit on this information? Didn't say that much. The Potential 2023 WGA Strike for Dummies. If you can make head or tails of this latest swerve in the Serial universe, let us know. 27 February: Jennifer Pusateri tells detectives Jay Wilds has told her that Syed killed Hae. Additionally, Wilds stated that he had assisted the accused in disposing of Lee's body at Leakin Park. Sept. 14, 2022: Baltimore prosecutors filed a motion to vacate Syed's murder conviction. Jay From Serial Just Gave His First Interview - Vulture The cell phone records show he was in the area. Jay Wilds, the key witness in the state of Marylands case against Adnan Syed, has given an exclusive interview to Natasha Vargas-Cooper of The Intercept. Jay Wilds, who swore he helped Adnan bury Haes body. Jay Wilds assumed a private life after playing a pivotal role in the prosecutions case against Adnan Syed. From conviction to freedom: A timeline of the Adnan Syed case, A legal expert discusses what's next for Adnan Syed, Recapping the important events leading up to Adnan Syed's release from prison, first season of the popular "Serial" podcast, Prosecutors dropped the charges of Adnan Syed. In fact, my "gut" suggests this is the case, but that and $20 will get you a 10 ounce beer at Wrigley Field. Just normal conversation like, 'I think she's fucking around. Freevees new series will determine whos the greatest reality-TV contestant across. And Wilds did not outright recant. The police confirm to the press that they are investigating her death as a homicide. 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He never said anything like, 'Hey, what gauge gun should I use?' So, as I'm riding with him to the park and it starts raining and I'm thinking to myself as he pulls overand I'm thinking this is the spot he's chosen. Doja Cat Becomes an Actual Cat for Met Gala. He asked me if I had shovels, so I went inside my house and got some gardening tools. She didn't look beat up. or, 'Is there a statute of limitation on murder?' He doesnt say anything dramatically, anything that cant be easily explained as a suspect discrepancy. #Serial, jasoncherkis (@jasoncherkis) December 29, 2014, @serials Jay Wilds speaks, adds more confusion. While Wilds pled guilty to accessory after the fact, he served no time. It only contributes to the fuzzy timeliness and general obscure picture of the days events that was already presented in Serial. They were reportedly introduced to each other in 1998. Wilds alleged that Syed had told him he had murdered Lee. But does this change the way we think about him, the enigma who at best gave inconsistent testimony and at worst helped put an innocent teen behind bars? WebA larger role in events by Jay Wilds than he has yet acknowledged is consistent with the reasonable, cautious approach to the facts that I am trying to take. More importantly, was he going to add to our understanding of Haes murder? That's about burying her. Aside from the arguably significant timeline discrepancies put forth by Jay, his perception of Adnan and Haes relationship is dramatically different from the way it was described by Hae in her diary, as well as Adnan and Don, Haes boyfriend at the time. (And to followers of the podcast, Wilds' version would also appear to place Adnan in possession of the phone during the ballyhooed Nisha call. It was a tense meeting, and an emotional meeting, in fact. Updated on: October 11, 2022 / 1:53 PM Wilds declined Koenigs requests to speak on the podcast, though the two did talk and she reported on that conversation. Contact Albert Samaha at albert.samaha@buzzfeed.com. At the time, this was Maryland in the '90s, the drug laws were extremely serious. Jay From Serial Speaks, Gives New Timeline of Hae Min Lee's The determination of how much new evidence is enough to merit a new trial falls under the full discretion of the judge, which doesn't usually bode well for the appellant. Wilds is a free man who now lives in California. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us. Redditors have already pounced on seeming inconsistencies and highlighted new twists; for instance, Wilds now says he first saw Lees body not in front of Best Buy, but outside of his grandmothers house. "Because the moment that we discovered it, we turned it over. Sept. 19, 2022:Syed wasreleased from prison after his murderconviction was vacated by a judge. At that time, prosecutors did not completely dismiss the case. He reiterates that he agreed to help Adnan bury Haes body because he feared getting in trouble for petty drug-dealing. But it seems that no one else is liking the minty-fresh look. It was supposed to be a mental lull for Serial devotees and conspiracy theorists, before the gap between podcast fandom and real life court system machinations collided. WebJanuary 12, 1999: Syed gets a new cell phone and calls a bunch of people on it, including Lee. This came after the 41-year-old served more than 23 years in prison. Sept. 28, 2022:The family ofHae Min Lee filed a notice of appealin an attempted to reverse a Maryland judge's decision tovacate the murder convictionof Syed. Timeline Of Adnan Syed Murder Case From 1999 To Release, The first time Kelly Mi Li ever tried therapy, she invited the world to watch. Tune in to Adnan Syed: Overturned on ID this Tuesday, September 27, 2022, at 9 pm ET, to learn more about the on-going case. Syed, who was a 17-year-old student at Woodlawn High School, was charged in the death of 18-year-old Lee, and found guilty of first-degree murder in 2000. As Wilds begins to retell the sequence of the events that purportedly led to Lee's killing is when his previous known narrativesas collected by Koenig and Serial through court documents, police records, and trial testimonybegins to divert. Please enter valid email address to continue. He was accused of choking Lee to death and then burying her remains in Baltimore's Leakin Park with the assistance of a friend. "But with his interview yesterday, Wilds broke that spine, and possibly the state's case with it.". Just normal conversation like, I think shes fucking around. Serial closed its 12-episode season with Sarah Koenig telling us Adnan Syed shouldnt have been convicted, though she didnt say he was innocent. "Why did you agree to help Adnan bury Hae?" WebTime for Jenn Pusateri and Jay Wilds to tell the truth. To speculate as to why he thought Syed killed Lee, he said he believed it was because Syed couldn't handle the sting of rejection from his breakup with Lee. The podcast planted doubts in the minds of millions surrounding Syed's years-old conviction while also raising questions around Jay's witness testimony and portraying him as a weed dealer. He then claims that the two are together and leaving Best Buy for Wilds' friend "Cathy's" house (her name was changed for the podcast) between 3 and 4 p.m., which would put Syed in possession or capable of making the "Nisha Call" at 3:32 p.m.Nisha being a friend of only Syed and not Wilds. I had a lot more on the line than just a few bags of weed. By this time my wife was getting real upset. I don't know what happened, what occurred between them that day. We got in his car and start driving. But hearing from him now is a sharp reminder that while we may all like to play armchair detective when it comes to Serial, there are real lives at stakesand one that was lost. EGAD he cannot keep his lies STRAIGHT #FreeAdnan #ThanksJay! Jay Wilds is a former classmate of Adnan Syed from Baltimore, Maryland. The thing is, it is well documented that Koenig wanted to have Jays voice. The standard of proof a person must meet to get a conviction overturned is higher than the standard he must meet to get an acquittal. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. Serial devotees rushed to point out the major inconsistencies between the account Jay gives in 2014 and the testimony he provided in 1999. The case first received national attention in 2014 the hit podcast "Serial" raised questions about the prosecution. A man purporting to be JayBaltimore County's star witness in their case against Adnan Syed. All contents The prosecution appealed to the Maryland Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state. The Desi Crime Podcast: 83. The Murder of Hae Min Lee Syed was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years on February 25, 2000, for first-degree murder,kidnapping, false imprisonment and robbery. The Intercept has done what Sarah Koenig and Serial couldnt: get Jay Wilds to talk on the record about the murder of Hae Min Lee, which Jay swore in court was the work of Haes ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed. For instance, he tells the Intercept that Syed intimated to him that he wanted kill Lee a week before her murder: When did he first talk to you about hurting her? There was never a real friendship. In Wilds' newest version of events, Adnan was in his car with Jay instead of being at his last period of school. ", March 29, 2018:According to court records, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals upheld Syed's request for a new trial. Wait, what the hell? As reported in Serial, Lee had last been seen by several fellow students at Woodlawn High School that afternoon, leaving school after lessons had ended for the day at 2:15 p.m. Lees body was discovered in Baltimores Leakin Park by a passerby, partially buried in a shallow grave. It's been a long road from conviction to freedom for Syed. Who is Jay Wilds? | The US Sun Baltimore Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn overturned Syed's conviction after nearly 23 years, passing the judgment that he was wrongly convicted. Feb. 1999:Police built a case against Syed, largely on the testimony of a man named Jay Wilds, who at the time had more than 20 run-ins with police -- including aggravated assault against a former girlfriend. Nov. 6, 2015:A Baltimore City judge ordered that Syed's post-conviction relief proceedings, to determine his eligibility for a new trial, would be re-opened, according to court records. Jay From Serial Just Gave His First Interview. While many different things aided the process, one key factor was Sarah Koenig and her podcast, titled Serial, which covered the subject earlier in 2014 for its first ever season, as it garnered the attention of millions. I also ran the operation out of my grandmother's house and that also put my family at risk. I think Jay is close to whoever did it.. Wilds says he was ditching last period of school that day with Syed when he borrowed Syed's car and phone to buy a gift for his then-girlfriend Stephanie at the mall. Simpson discovered an instruction sheet from AT&Tnot used at the original trialwhich stated that incoming calls cannot be reliably used to determine location. He says, 'OK, follow me halfway back down the hill [towards the grave site]," so he doesn't have to walk all the way back up the hill to get back to me in his car. However, an appeals panel of seven judges ruled on March 9 (on a 4-3 vote) that Syed will not receive a new trial. / CBS Baltimore. Emma Dibdin is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles who writes about culture, mental health, and true crime. He testified that Adnan killed Hae and forced him to help bury her body. That is especially the case when a witness changes his story years later. He also said he helpedSyed dispose of Lees body in Leakin Park, where she was found four weeks after she was last seen alive on January 13, 1999. May 28, 2010:Syed made an appeal for post-conviction relief in 2010 based on ineffective assistance of counsel based on his defense attorney Cristina Gutierrez's failure to investigate an alibi witness, Asia McClain, who maintained she was talking with Syed in the library at the exact time that prosecutors said Syed attacked Lee in a Best Buy parking lot several miles away. Syed's family, that day, fired his defense attorney. "They don't like to order do-overs of trials. In the petition, Syeds new attorney, C. Justin Brown, laid out a number of failures on the part of original attorney Cristina Gutierrez. "Because courts are deferential to that finding of guilt, the evidence that was used to convict the person tends to be presumed correct.". Ahead of tonight's final episode, here's a full timeline laying out the essential facts of Syed's case.

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