Adnan Syed of "Serial" In Court Seeking New Trial
Lawyers for Adnan Syed, the convicted killer featured in hit podcast ‘Serial,’
— -- Lawyers for Adnan Syed, the convicted killer featured in hit podcast ‘Serial,’ argued in court Wednesday for a new trial, saying Syed’s previous defense team failed to provide him with effective counsel and used cell tower evidence that was unreliable.
Syed, who walked in wearing shackles and a blue jumpsuit, also sported a long beard and a prayer cap.
His attorney Justin Brown, says Syed’s former lawyer, the late Cristina Gutierrez never called an alibi witness who saw Syed on the day of the killing to testify.
Brown called the witness, Asia McClain, a “big piece of the puzzle” at the beginning of the three-day post-conviction hearing.
Family, supporters, and journalists were in attendance during the opening statements from the state and Syed’s defense team. Serial podcast creator Sarah Koenig, and former Baltimore Sun reporter, sat in the front row.
The defense called two witnesses to the stand Wednesday morning, both whom worked with Gutierrez previously. Brown and his team say Gutierrez failed to provide Syed with good counsel because of health issues, financial hardships, and a family life in turmoil.
Phillip Dantes, who worked and mentored Gutierrez, called her a “zealous” worker, but that she struggled with health issues, including multiple sclerosis. His testimony was largely denied because of numerous sustained objections from the state, who said the character-take down was a form of “smearing.”
The state also says Syed received a fair trial.
“He was convicted because he did it and the state proved it,” said Maryland Deputy Attorney General Thiruvendran Vignarajah, who is leading the charge against Syed.
The second witness, William Kanwisher, worked as an investigator for Gutierrez. During a somewhat testy testimony, Kanwisher called Gutierrez “accomplished,” but also says he noticed a lack of energy, and a decrease in focus from the lawyer because of the crumbling health.
“She became more erratic,” he said. “I had to do more of her cases, going on to say that often times, Gutierrez would hand over entire cases for him to take on with just a handful of days to prepare.
The post-conviction proceedings are meant to determine if Syed will receive a new trial.
Adnan Syed, now 34, is serving a life sentence for killing his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, in 1999.
Serial’s investigation raised doubts about the quality of Syed’s defense team as well as the reliability of key pieces of evidence used against him.
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