Wilds's testimony played a giant part in convicting Syed of murdering his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee in 1999. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Though Wilds stands by his storyat least the one he told The InterceptChaudry and Undisclosed have continued to dig up evidence that wouldnt just exonerate Syed, but also Wilds himself. Though Syed said Wilds wasn't with him and had his cell phone at 3:30, his phone called a girl named Nisha, whom only Syed, and not Wilds, knew. He'd previously refused to take part in Sarah Koening's podcast, which attempted to retrace the steps taken in. Her body was discovered in Baltimore's Leakin Park on Feb. 9, 1999. Jay's story was wildly inconsistent. But look, if we start speculating what he was thinking that far ahead I dont know. Once the police made it clear that my drug dealing wasnt gonna affect the outcome of what was going on, I became a little bit more transparent. Meanwhile, Wilds version of the day changed throughout his interviews and testimony. But Wilds, who is not heard from outside of taped testimony in either Serial or the HBO documentary, stood by what he told police in a three-part interview with The Intercept in 2014 following the podcast airing. I remember the highway traffic to my right, and I remember standing there on the curb. Thats the best way I can account for the inconsistencies. Syed was just 19 years old when he was convicted of murdering his former high school girlfriend Hae Min Lee and sentenced to life in prison. I dont feel comfortable drawing conclusions like that. I got the feeling the few times of interacting with Adnan that there was this enormous pressure from somewhere trying to make him into something he didnt want to be. Wilds stated that he helped the 17-year-old Syed, who was accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, bury her body, which was later discovered in Baltimore's Leakin Park. Thus, this article dives further into the details. I don't feel comfortable drawing conclusions like that. I was also around a bunch of people earlier the day [at Cathys], and I didnt want them to get fucked up with homicide. Syed went on trial in February 2000 and was convicted of the murder of his girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Its starting to get dark, so between 3p.m. Additionally, since Syed provided no real alibi, Wilds testimony was convincing enough that it allowed prosecutors to nail Syed for the murder. Adnan Syed leaves the courthouse after Baltimore Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, overturned his first-degree murder conviction in the 1999 killing of Hae Min Lee. Prosecutors dropped all charges against Syed, eliminating the possibility of a retrial. Timelines: January 13, 1999 Adnan's Call Log Adnan's Story 7:45-9:15 a.m. I also ran the operation out of my grandmothers house and that also put my family at risk. "He might really have just been bulls******* at the time. Even to Serial, the podcast that detailed nearly every part of Syed's case, Wild remained off the record to provide background information, according to Rolling Stone. As for Lees family, all they knew was that she didnt show up to pick up her cousin, which is when they reported her missing. In 1999, Annelise Hyang Suk Lee, a 27-year-old female of Asian descent, was found raped, beaten, and . Then Jay spoke. Autopsy results later show that Lee was strangled, The Baltimore Sun reports. It all revolves around Jay," lawyer and Syed family friend, Wilds, who gave police multipleinterviews and testified in court, was first questioned on Feb. 28, 1999, just hours before police arrested Syed on suspicion of Lees murder. November 25, 2019: The Supreme Court rejects bid for a new trial, Without comment, the Supreme Court decided not to open a new trial. And detective notes capped Browns interview with the word REWARD, written in all caps. The subject of the groundbreaking 2014 podcast "Serial," Syed was arrested in. Syed could be granted another trial, though, which could pull Wilds back into the spotlight. Four weeks later, her half-buried body was found at Leakin. Judge Wanda K. Heard gives Syed a life sentence plus 30 years. Wilds' testimony in. Wilds . She got a new boyfriend? And he didnt know how to deal with that. S on Serial, claimed he was drinking a 22-ounce Budweiser while driving when he made a pit stop. When the Serial podcast premiered in October of 2014, many listeners were shocked to find that almost the entirety of the . Haes car could have been in the parking lot, but I didnt know what it looked like so I dont remember. We may earn a commission through links on our site. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Jay Wilds, key witness in Adnan Syed's murder trial, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). All Rights Reserved. Stephanie [Jays girlfriend] came to me and said Adnan is pretty cool, plus he wanted to buy some weed. I guess I was being kind of a jury on whether or not people needed to be involved or whatever, but these people didnt have anything to do with it, and I knew they didnt have anything to do with it. A December 1999 trial ended in mistrial. Now I dont wanna tell the people at Cathys that this guy Im with just killed his girlfriend and the cops just called because then they would all be a part of this fucked up thing. Baltimore City Circuit Court judge Melissa M. Phinn vacated Syed's conviction, effectively setting him free. The way she moved and went about her day. Who would hold party elites accountable to the values they proclaim to have? in January 1999 . Wilds then drops Syed back off at school, where he has a free period and then arrives late to his psychology class it started at 12:50 p.m., but he entered at 1:27 p.m., as his teacher notes. Wilds' shaky testimony was first highlighted in Serial, the 2014 podcast hosted by Sarah Koenig that brought Syeds case back into the public eye. 824 Words4 Pages. Well, according to Chaudra, Wilds attorney told her that the prosecutors threatened him by promising to prosecute him in a predominantly white county, and Wilds, who is black, was frightened enough to do what he was told. The popular podcast detailed an investigation into the 15-year-old murder of . Im also thinking, Whats making him think Im totally okay with this? Like if a car goes by, and I jump out and wave at them saying, Hey, this is a murderer right here. But I didnt. When I pick him up at Best Buy, hes telling me her car is somewhere there, and that he did this in the parking lot. Questions still remain about Lee's 1999 murder after her ex-boyfriend Syed was sentenced to life in jail, and the case received mass attention from the podcast 'Serial. Be the first one to comment on this story. Serial sought to dive deep into the potential failings of the criminal justice system and thoroughly re-examine Syed's case. READ MORE ON CRIME Lunch period 11:15-11:30 a.m. Jay drops Adnan back off at school. The five-day hearing includes witness testimonies from McClain, as well as a cell phone expert, Harpers Bazaar reported. Koenig's account of the events that transpired at the time of Lee's murder, publicly rebuked Jay's version of what happened and his reasons for helping Adnan Syed and portrayed him as a petty weed dealer. "That's the best way I can account for the inconsistencies. "I guess I was being kind of a jury on whether or not people needed to be involved or whatever, but these people didn't have anything to do with it, and I knew they didn't have anything to do with it," he said. The police and prosecutors then laid their investigation on Adnan solely because that was the lead they wanted to believe for the sake of closing the case. Syeds trial, and Jays testimony, became the focus of a This American Life spinoff series, the 12-part podcast Serial, broadcast in the fall of this year. For instance, during one of his police interviews highlighted in The Case Against Adnan Syed,an officer asks Wilds, Youre sure its the 13th because we told you got these calls on the 13th? Jay responds in the affirmative. Another person who received scrutiny in the popular podcast was Syed's former classmate Jay Wilds . Police take evidence from the scene and interview several people in an attempt to find the killer. Jay Wilds was the star witness in the trial of Adnan Syed - the 18-year-old who was convicted of murdering his ex-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 the subject of the podcast's . But Wilds testimony, even though inconsistent, was corroborated by cellphone recordsas well as his friend Jennifer Pusateris testimony (at least, at first): Pusateris initial statement to the cops said that she received a call from Wilds on Syeds cell; a later statement from her included a bit about Wilds confessing to her that he helped Syed bury Lee. Wilds looms large in Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyders reporting about the trial. Photo: Natasha Vargas-Cooper for The Intercept, Natasha Vargas-Cooper[emailprotected]theintercept.org@natashavc. Though Wilds' testimony seemed to have been trusted implicitly by Syed's jury, the Serial podcast shining a light on the key details of Wilds' claims led many listeners to believe Wilds was. Theres also the added fact that Wilds boss at the time told people Wilds had to leave work several times to talk with the police before the date of that official interview. Lee had disappeared on Jan. 13, and almost a month later, on Feb. 9, her body was found by a passerby in Baltimore's Leakin Park. We drive over toCathys house to smoke. He seemed under alot of pressure to please. Moreover, a detective named Bill Ritz who repeatedly interviewed Jay Wilds was later accused in a separate case of manipulating and fabricating evidence and not disclosing exculpatory evidence. Wilds' first taped interview with police occurred on February 28, 1999. When the Serial podcast premiered in October of 2014, many listeners were shocked to find that almost the entirety of the prosecutions case to convict Adnan Syed for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee hinged on the testimony of one witnessJay Wilds. Then he calls me and says, Come pick me up., So I go to pick him up, and when I get there he says, Oh shit, I did it. I say, Did what? He says, I killed Hae.. Im being manipulated into whats being done right now.. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. I walked around through the bushes and everything and I got back that way and I was getting ready to urinate when I looked down I seen something that looked like hair, something was covered by the dirt. Syed was sentenced to life in prison. Mr. Syed, 41, had been serving a life sentence after he was convicted in the 1999 murder of his high school classmate Hae Min Lee. On Monday, a Maryland judge overturned Adnan Syed 's first-degree murder conviction for the 1999 death of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. Who Was Mallory Beach in 'Murdaugh Murders'? One big theory being floated around is that Wilds was the anonymous tipster who called Detective Massey and told police to focus on the ex-boyfriend. Also Jay had no motive. There is a specific point where I became involved in this. I told [Adnan] that I wouldnt touch her car, or any of her possessions, and I say, Fuck it. You cant start drawing conclusions like that. The teacher, Mr. Brown, didnt know either Syed or Lee, raising eyebrows at his participation in the investigation. He just couldnt come to grips with those feelings. The ins and outs of the timeline have been scrutinized and studied endlessly by professionals and amateurs alike. Lee's body was discovered in Baltimore's Leakin Park by a passerby, partially buried in a shallow grave. And then I would only give them information pertaining to my interaction with someone or where I was. Jay Wilds was a crucial player in Adnan's conviction - he testified that Adnan confessed to him about killing Lee, saw Lee's body in the trunk of her car, and helped bury her body in Leakin Park. Photography class 9:15-10:40 a.m. English class 10:45 a.m. Adnan calls Jay and offers to lend him his car. March 25, 2000: McClain writes an affidavit. Syed was arrested that same day, aged 17. When Woodlawn put in the magnet thing, they took out all the vocational classes. I didnt tell the cops it was in front of my house because I didnt want to involve my grandmother. By the time I graduated [Woodlawn] high school in 1998, I wasnt exactly angry, but I did resent the school. Where was Haes car? I was also around a bunch of people earlier the day [at Cathys], and I didnt want them to get fucked up with homicide.. Serial Three seasons, investigation The addictive 2014 podcast that started the global mania for true crime. Fellow Woodlawn student Jay Wilds testified that he helped Syed bury Lee. Her remains were discovered buried in a park a month later. Years later, now that Wilds testimony has come under fire, even Pusateri doubts his version of events. Jay Wilds, who claimed he helped . He has come to prominence in recent months. So I said, Look man, Im not touching [Hae]. . She never showed up, and was never seen alive again.. The creators of the public radio show This American Life debut the podcast series Serial, hosted by Sarah Koenig, about the Lee murder mystery. McClain has fought for Syed's innocence since the case had originally opened. March 9, 2019 7:21 PM. Hae Min Lee was last seen at about 3pm on 13 January 1999. Getting them in trouble for anything that they knew or that I had told them I couldnt have that. This fact seems damning to Syed, and it troubled . I say, Well we need to part ways. I dont remember if he dropped me off at my house or if I got a ride from somebody else. I know it didnt happen anywhere other than my grandmothers house. But this account somewhat differsfrom Jays second police interview, as well as his court testimony. JAY Wilds was the key witness in a murder trial in 2000, which saw Adnan Syed charged for the murder of his girlfriend Hae Min Lee. He says, OK, follow me halfway back down the hill [towards the grave site], so he doesnt have to walk all the way back up the hill to get back to me in his car. Justice Martin Welch vacates the original conviction, saying there should be a new trial. Matt Tinoco provided research for this interview. In his first interview since the end of "Serial," Jay Wilds says he thinks he knows who . Lees mother, Youn Wha Kim, says she moved to America from Korea to give her kids a better life. Interviewed by other media, since Serial? He knows that none of us are basically giving up. The short version: On January 13th, 1999, Lee was supposed to pick up her younger cousin from daycare at 3:15 p.m. She never showed, which immediately set off alarm bells among those who knew her. Got called an Oreo. Syed's case has been publicized in the podcast Serial, as well as the HBO true crime documentary The Case Against Adnan Syed. August 19, 2019: The Supreme Court is asked to look at the case. The Serial podcast threw some question marks over Wilds' version of events.. January 1, 1999: Lee and Don Clinedinst go on their first date. For other inquiries, Contact Us. . I played lacrosse, was a bit of a jock. Thats led to some wild and totally unproven ideas on reddit, notably that Adnan hired Jay as a kind of hitman. In it, Koenig talks to Syed who says hes innocent. . It wasnt like, Oh, were going bowling, and lets call it in before we go bowling and call the rest of our friends and call Jay. I dont remember ever going to any kinds of functions or endeavors together, or any concerts or clubs together, you know. Instead, his words were shown on a screencap: Jay maintained to the filmmakers that on the day of the murder, he borrowed Adnans car to buy his girlfriend a birthday present. Now, the case: Undisclosed claims Wilds may have wanted the reward money to buy a motorcyle - something police may have known, too. No. Psychology class 1:27 p.m. There was a reward of $3,075 from CrimeStoppers for information on the case leading to the indictment. Its while hes there that Officer Scott Adcock calls Syed asking if he knew where Lee was. Ill call you from someone elses phone when Im done.. I worked a lot. Then he goes to track practice. According to Wilds, he and Syed were not incredibly close at school. I said, Alright, cool. I dropped him off at school, went to the mall, then when I was done, I go back to my friend Jenns house, where I normally go, sit and smoke with my friend. It was just at the end of my junior year, so about 16. Undisclosed proffers that Wilds was going to use the reward money to purchase the motorcycle, but Brown says he sold it to someone else. Her family reported the 18-year-old high school student missing after she failed to pick up her niece. A majority of the state's evidence against Adnan comes from Jay Wilds' testimony. At that age, it's intense and he never called Jay a liar, even in Serial. He came back with no tools or anything. Wilds's testimony played a giant part in convicting Syed of murdering his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee in 1999. Emotions have no IQ. I rode BMX freestyle. And people were starting to find out he was a loser, Oh, you and Hae arent together anymore. It wasnt until they made it clear they werent interested in my procurement of pot that I began to open up any. Is Riley Keough Singing in Daisy Jones & The Six? Im going to be late for practice, so just drop me off. Ok, so you arrive at Cathys with Adnan after he tells you he murdered Hae? About a month later, police uncovered her body in a nearby park; an autopsywould later find that she was choked to death. Jay feels strongly that he was unfairly depicted by Koenig and that she painted a highly misleading portrayal of him and his role in the case. We are deeply disappointed by the Supreme Court, but by no means is this the end of Adnan Syed, attorney C. Justin Brown told AP at the time. Jay is the center of gravity in this case. Wilds was also an adult who sold marijuana to high school kids, which made him vulnerable. Consequently, Wilds is a looming figure in Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyders reporting about the trial. I knew him because I knew Muslims in the community from playing basketball at the mosque. Going to work on February 9, 1999, a school maintenance worker stops at Leakin Park to urinate and finds Hae's body. Wilds and his family have tried to stay out of the spotlight, with Wilds citing the danger his cooperating with the police puts his family in, even though he claims he tried to stonewall the cops for as long as possible until they broke him down. Three days later, Baltimore Police . So where is Wilds today? The podcast alleged that there were inconsistencies between his police statements and the testimony he gave at Syed's second trial. How old was Adnan when he went to prison in 1999? He knew I was afraid of that. Its not my job to figure that out. Maybe Jays a liar. And the other thing about it, I mean, there looked like there was real hurt and pain. As long as I live, my daughter is buried in my heart. The paper says she almost collapsed as she stepped off the witness stand and that her sobs from outside the courtroom could still be heard inside. March 9, 2019, 2:00 PM. (Wilds would later lead the police to Lees car, parked on a residential street.) And I found that to be a bit of a slap in the face. With the case back in the headlines and ID's special, Adnan Syed: Overturned, scheduled to air this Tuesday, September 27, 2022, at 9 pm ET, questions are being raised about Jay Wilds' connection to the murder and his witness testimony that may have led to Syed's wrongful conviction. Although her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed was sentenced to life plus 30 years in prision in 2000 (Syed's conviction was vacated in September 2022), there may be just as many questions surrounding the case now as there were then. Syed is given the chance to overturn the Baltimore City Circuit Court ruling that denied him post-conviction relief, thanks to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, Vulture reported. Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly stated that Adnan Syed went to trial in December 2000. There was never a real friendship. From your perspective, what was Adnans reputation at Woodlawn? I've posted 25 entries Sarah Koenig's Serial Podcast, which deals with the 1999 prosecution of 17 year-old Adnan Syed for murdering his ex-girlfriend, 18 year-old Hae Min Lee, on January 13, 1999 . Not just that, but prosecutors are also now saying a key witness -- Jay Wilds-- gave inconsistent accounts to cops. We got in his car and start driving. He has a great legal team. Classmates last saw her leaving school around 2:15 p.m. February 9, 1999: Lee's body is found in Leakin Park. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Syed has maintained his innocence during his decades in prison, yet a 2019 attempt to hear an appeal for a new trial was turned down by the Supreme Court. I think that was his first real girlfriend, and I think thats why his reaction was so strong. In that situation, he was the loser. Hes 17 at the time but charged with first-degree murder as an adult. I said, Isnt he a paramedic? And she said, Nah, hes cool, plus he wants to buy., I didnt trust him at first, since he wasnt like the people I knew pot smokers you know? Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. In September, a legal team formed to represent Wilds and also quickly worked out a plea deal to testify against Syed. Number of episodes: 25+ (ongoing). March 1, 1999: McClain writes Syed a letter. Clearly Sarah Koenig was leaning towards Adnans innocence and she got sidetracked by Jay a little bit, too. He ends up waiting more than two years. Baltimore police were already focusing their investigation on Syed after an anonymous tip told them to look at Lees ex. It also made household names out of its central characters, teenagers in Baltimore when the murder took place in 1999: Adnan Syed, the alleged killer; Hae Min Lee, the 18-year-old victim; and. In Adnan's call log was Jay Wilds, who talked to detectives on February 28, 1999. Im pretty sure it was my fear of going to prison for having a bunch of weed in my grandmas house. Jay Wilds and Adnan Syed were reportedlynot close friends but the Woodlawn High School seniors fates would eventually become inextricably linked through a brutal Jan. 1999 murder case, when Syed was arrested and ultimately convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. Shes a high school girl, Oh, hes cute, Oh, whateverthings fizzleout. Did you make the anonymous call to the police to tip them off about Adnan? After the party, Adnan drove Jay home and then dropped Stephanie home afterwards. Jays post-Serial interviews with The Intercept: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. 10:45-11:15 a.m. Once the police made it clear that my drug dealing wasn't gonna affect the outcome of what was going on, I became a little bit more transparent.". Yes. But because of the specifics Wilds included in his testimony the Best Buy location that supposedly matches with call logs, strangling, the whereabouts of Lees car there wasnt much doubt Wilds was somehow involved, even if just peripherally. From the statements Wilds made in 2014 with The Intercept, it seems unlikely he would do so. Her body was discovered in Leakin Park in Baltimore, Maryland, and a few weeks later her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Masud Syed, was . Yes. Though Wilds didnt participate in Serial, he did conduct a .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}three-part interview with The Intercepts Natasha Vargas-Cooper, and attorney Rabia Chaudry (also Syeds childhood friend) launched the Undisclosed podcast, both of which add layers to the mystery enshrouding Wilds testimony. Like, hes not in a car or anything. Jays wife and mother entertained the couples young children while Jay and I spoke in the family living room. Now, after years of controversy, a Baltimore court has overturned Syed's conviction after a judge ruled that the legal proceedings were violated during the initial trial.