I want you to tell me exactly what you were doing on October 27th at 3:37 PM. You don't remember? Well neither do I, and probably most of the population. But in a murder case these details are crucial and any ambiguity can make or break the case. In a new podcast that some claim is revolutionizing the field, the creators of This American Life take an in-depth look at a 15 year old murder case. Here's the gist of it according to the website:
On January 13, 1999, a girl named Hae Min Lee, a senior at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, disappeared. A month later, her body turned up in a city park. She'd been strangled. Her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was arrested for the crime, and within a year, he was convicted and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. The case against him was largely based on the story of one witness, Adnan’s friend Jay, who testified that he helped Adnan bury Hae's body. But Adnan has always maintained he had nothing to do with Hae’s death. Some people believe he’s telling the truth. Many others don’t.
To say I've been addicted to it is accurate. In the first day I heard about it I listened to the first three (45 minute) episodes in succession. The only thing that bothers me is that it's a true story meaning that, unlike a murder mystery, I might never know the true story. But hey, sometimes it's good for the soul to have occasional mysteries. Also, I've spent a decent amount of my time now figuring out what my alibi would be in certain situations if anything, you know, were to happen....
If you've got some spare time on your hands, when you're driving or flying, or just doing busy work download Serial or just give it a listen online here. And then leave a comment with your thoughts so I can see where everyone else on the the "whodidit" conundrum.
Happy Saturday!
