CMA01
01.
Episode 1
Forming an opinion on whether Adnan Syed is guilty or not is rather tricky, especially if the only
information you know is being presented to you in audio format. But, even without this limitation, no
one really knows whether or not Adnan is actually innocent, or just an outright liar and a manipulator.
That being said, what I find most unsettling about the case is the use of Jay’s testimony against Adnan as
the primary evidence used for the incarceration. One of them has to be lying and this idea is what strikes
me as unsettling. If Jay happens to be telling the truth, then Adnan is being rightfully punished, but the
possibility of someone fabricating evidence against you, which can potentially ruin your entire life, is
terrifying to think about.
Episode 2
After listening to this episode, I am completely on Adnan’s side, not because I’m sure he’s innocent,
but because of how the state handled his case. During his trial, it seemed as though the state was
following the phrase, “Guilty till proven innocent”, rather than, “Innocent till proven guilty”. Any normal
teenage-like actions that Adnan performed were used against him during the trial, even something as
common as buying a new phone. While the court didn’t have a speck of hard evidence against Adnan,
they still charged him with murder, which makes you question the competence of the justice system in
the United States.
02.
i. I pictured Adnan Syed as being a handsome Muslim teenager, with big brown eyes and a smudge of
facial hair. I was correct since the narrator described to us what he looks like during her face-to-face
encounter with him, in episode 1, which translates to how he looks now in his older days.
ii. It was hard to picture Hae Min Lee since she was the victim of this case, but I pictured her as being a
tall, above average looking teenage girl who was responsible and loved by her family. The podcast
assures that she was well-loved by others and a smart student during the first episode, along with being
a good-looking person.
iii. Not much was said about Stephanie McPherson but I assumed she was good-looking and popular
within the high school, especially since she was close friends with Adnan and according to the podcast,
was also prom princess during their senior year.
iiii. I pictured Jay as the typical weed smoking high school teenager who likes to drive around and relax
with his friends. The first episode confirms this since that is exactly what he told detectives he and
Adnan did after burying Hae’s body.
v. As mentioned in the second episode, Don is blue-eyed with blonde hair.