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HBO to make documentary of ‘Serial’ podcast’s Adnan Syed
Adnan Syed, who was convicted of murder in 1999, is serving a life sentence plus 30 years in prison. His case was reopened thanks to a podcast titled Serial and now HBO is producing a documentary about the case.
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Adnan Syed is currently in prison, serving a life sentence plus 30 years. (Serial/File)
H
it investigative 2014 podcast Serial, which dissected the 1999 murder case of Baltimore highschooler Hae Min Lee, is finally getting the TV treatment as HBO has announced a four-hour documentary series on Adnan Syed, the convicted murderer whose case was reopened thanks to the podcast. Adnan is currently in prison, serving a life sentence plus 30 years.
Titled The Case Against Adnan Syed, the documentary, much like the podcast, explores the events prior to Hae Min Lee’s disappearance. Directed by Academy Award nominee Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, West of Memphis), the crime documentary promises new findings and “groundbreaking revelations” that challenges the state’s case. Access to Syed, his family and friends, as well as the defense team will also shine a new light on the case by raising new questions about what really happened to Hae Min Lee.
Read also: 'Adnan's Story' digs deeper than 'Serial'
After serving 18 years in jail, Adnan Syed, who was convicted of girlfriend Hae Min Lee’s murder, was granted a retrial in 2016 after new evidence and witnesses were uncovered. The questionable reliability of the cellphone data that linked Syed to the crime scene and a new alibi witness were presented in court, leading The State of Maryland to appeal the lower court judge’s ruling. The Court of Special Appeals also ruled to vacate Syed’s conviction and granted a retrial on March 29, 2018.
The Serial podcast left an open-ended finale in December 2014 and was followed-up by another podcast, which led to a book titled “Adnan’s Story” by Adnan Syed’s family friend, Rabia Chaudry, who is an attorney and US Institute of Peace senior fellow. Rabia unveiled a number of facts via more than 100 documents and letters throughout the book, which were not discussed in Sarah Koenig's Serial podcast. Rabia has been actively campaigning for Adnan’s exoneration.
The Case Against Adnan Syed is yet to have an air date. (asw)
