Transcripts: Trial 1 & Trial 2

<<Previous Timeline

Thursday, December 9, 1999 / Trial 1

• Trial 1 Opening Arguments

Friday, December 10, 1999 / Trial 1

• Page 4: Young Lee, Hae’s brother

• Page 25: Nisha

• Page 37: Detective Adcock, BCPD

• Page 56: Sgt Forrester, Baltimore City Homicide

• Page 71: Sal Bianca, Baltimore City, trace analysis unit

• Page 103: Romano Thomas, mobile crime lab unit, BPD

Monday, December 13, 1999 / Trial 1

• Page: 156: Emmanuel Obot, Baltimore City Police Crime Lab

• Page: 160: Det Joseph O’Shea, Baltimore County PD, Missing Persons/Homicide Unit

• Page: 175: Inez Butler-Hendricks, teacher and athletics trainer, WHS

• Page 195: Don, Hae’s new boyfriend

• Page 212: Lynette Woodley, principal of WHS

• Page 225: Sharon Watts, former WHS school nurse

• Page 250: Sharon Talmadge, Latent Prints Unit

• Page 284: Krista, friend of Adnan

• Page 322: Debbie Warran, friend of Hae

Tuesday, December 14, 1999 / Trial 1

• Page 6: Hope Schab, Hae’s French teacher, WHS

• Page 21: Margarita Korrell, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

• Gutierrez notes taken during Korrell testimony

• Page 69: Melissa Stangroom, Forensic Chemist, MD State Police Crime Lab

• Page 96: Yasir Ali, Adnan’s friend

• Page 125: “Cathy”

• Page: 182: Jay

• Prosecution provides defense with copies of Jay’s first and second interviews. This is according to MD state law. The prosecution doesn't have to disclose the interviews until the witness testifies.

Wednesday, December 15, 1999 / Trial 1

• Page 4: Jay

• Page 230: Dr William Rodriguez, Forensic Anthropologist & Medical Examiner

• Mistrial Declared

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• Colbert's letter to the court between trials re: pretrial release?

Thursday, December 30, 1999

• Prosecution discloses: The two hairs that did not match the defendant, also did not match Hae Min Lee.

Saturday, January 1, 2000

• Nissan Sentra GXE registration expires,

Monday, January 3, 2000

• Cristina Gutierrez responds to the Pretrial Release Service Program letter. he is not available on Friday, January 7th, but will return by mid afternoon on Monday, January 10th. She has asked for Judge David Mitchell to be assigned to the Pretrial Release hearing, and wants to know why he hasn't been.

Tuesday, January 4, 2000

• Adnan's parents make $5,000.00 payment to Christina Gutierrez

• Jay is scheduled to be sentenced on this day. He is told his sentence would take into account whether or not he told the truth at Adnan's trial. This date was set because the original date for Adnan's trial was October 13, and the state expected Adnan's trial to be concluded by January 4. Jay is told not to come to court for sentencing until Adnan's trial is concluded.

• Baltimore Circuit Judge Roger W. Brown dismisses charges against four men accused of killing Shawn L. Suggs, 21 -- on the grounds that the courts are overwhelmed.

• By law, defendants are to be tried within six months after their first court appearance or the charges could be dropped. The case was postponed seven times after the speedy trial deadline had passed.

Thursday, January 6, 2000

• Defense requests photographs that the prosecution plans to use in the second trial. Instead of showing us this document, Susan Simpson and Undisclosed will only provide this snippet. Why can't we see the entire document?

• State's Attorney Patricia Jessamy apologizes to the parents of a murder victim who saw their son's suspected killers go free because of chronic trial delays in a criminal justice system that is "totally overwhelmed."

• "We're very sorry that this happened, and we will do everything we can to make sure they will get their day in court," city State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy said.

• Jessamy appealed the decision by Baltimore Circuit Judge Roger W. Brown on Tuesday that dismissed charges against the four men accused of killing Shawn L. Suggs, 21.

• The dismissal prompted renewed calls yesterday for a state takeover of Baltimore's beleaguered court system, as judges and prosecutors vowed to change the way cases are handled.

Friday, January 7, 2000

• Defense files a motion for a Brady hearing, alleging that the prosecution withheld exculpatory evidence, specifically Jay’s inconsistent and bizarre witness statements.

• The Pretrial Release Services Program has set a hearing for this day but Cristina Gutierrez is not available, and a judge unfamiliar with the case has been assigned. Assumption that this hearing did not take place.

Monday, January 10, 2000

• CG writes to Hope Schab: Hope will not have to testify for the defense on January 14 but will be called by the defense later in the proceedings. Gutierrez clarifies that this does not release Hope from the State's subpoena.

Friday, January 14, 2000

• Court denies defense’s Brady claim. Since Jay testified during the first trial, the defense knew what he would say in the second trial, satisfying Brady.

• Defense asks what evidence led the State to question Jay a second time, creating inconsistent statements.

• Court questions the State regarding anything that led to Wilds’ second statement, and determines that Brady and Strickler have been satisfied. The prosecution has disclosed everything it has, according to the court.

• Defense asks for clarification re: Jen's Feb 26 interview and date Adnan's Feb 26 interview.

• Gerald Russell calls CG's office (in response to a subpoena?) to let her know he no longer works at WHS. He works at RHS.

Saturday, January 15, 2000

• CG's Clerk (Kaliope Parthemos) visits Adnan in prison. Kaliope Parthemos notes re: Adnan's reactions to Trial 1

Monday, January 17, 2000

• Detectives seek to interview Bilal's friend.

Tuesday, January 18, 2000

• State responds to Jan. 14, 2000 disclosure request re: Feb 26

[Friday, January 21, 2000]

• Notes taken by Gutierrez’s paralegal on the April 20 police interview of Ju’aun that had just been disclosed to the defense.

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Friday, January 21, 2000

• Motions and Voir Doire

Monday, January 24, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 1

• Page 6: Jury Selection

• Page: 288: Judge's notes to jury

Tuesday, January 25, 2000

• Jury makes arrangements to be on jury duty - Court not in session

Wednesday, January 26, 2000

• Jury makes arrangements to be on jury duty - Court not in session.

Thursday, January 27, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 2

• Preliminary motions about admissabile evidence: Page 4

• Jury enters, judge instructions: Page 82

• Prosecution’s opening, Mr Urick: Page 94

• Defense’s opening, Ms Guiterrez: Page 113

• Emmanuel Obot, Mobile Unit, BC Police Crime Lab: Page 173

• Det Kevin Forrester, formerly homicide sergeant BCPD: Pages 200-219

• Page 219-222: Jury instruction and warning the families not to be emotional. Someone was smiling and the judge was not happy about that.

Friday, January 28, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 3

• Young Lee, Hae's brother: Page 17

• Grant Graham, Chief of Forensic Trace Materials Analysis, Armed Forces Medical Examiner: Page 81:

• 2PM: Hope Schab, French teacher, WHS: Page 130

• William C Rodriguez, dep chief medical examiner: Page 154

• 2:35PM: Nisha, Adnan’s friend: Page 183

• Gutierrez's notes taken during Nisha's testimony

• Krista Meyer's, Adnan's friend: Page 206

• Aisha (reads note from Hae to Adnan): Page 237

• re: subpoenas for Ritz & McGillvary: Page 290

Monday, January 31, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 4

• Officer Adcock, BCPD: Page 4

• Detective O'Shea, BCPD: Page 22

• Romano Thomas, Crime Lab, Technician, BCPD: Page 47

Tuesday, February 1, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 5

• Romano Thomas, Crime Lab, Technician, BCPD: Page 4

• Sharon Talmadge, Latent Print Unit, BCPD: Page 14

• Don, Hae's new boyfriend: Page 68

• Salvatore Bianca, Trace Analysis Unit, BCPD: Page 104

Wednesday, February 2, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 6

• Therese Long, forensic chemist, MD State Police Crime Lab: Page 7

• Margarita Korrell Assistant ME at Office of CME, Baltimore: Page 33

• Lynette Woodley, Assist. Principal, WHS: Pages 91-109

• Memo to Gutierrez from her associate re: investigation into Jay and Mr. S

Thursday, February 3, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 7

• Voire Dire of Sharon Watts, School Nurse, WHS: Page 20

• Motion in Limine to exclude Nurse Watts from testifying

• Judge decides Sharon Watts cannot testify: Page 70

• Yaser Ali, Adnan's friend: Page 78

Friday, February 4, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 8

• Inez: Page 5

• Jay: Page 108

Monday, February 7, 2000

• Judge Heard N/A - Court not in session

Tuesday, February 8, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 9

• A J Waranowitz, RF Engineer, AT&T

• Exhibit 45: Jay's neighborhood and Exhibit 45: Cathy's neighborhood

Wednesday, February 9, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 10

• RF Engineer Waranowitz questioned by CG re: the quality of cell phone reception amongst different phones and the equipment he used to do the testing.

• Waranowitz questioned by CG about how the terrain in the park and the burial site affects cell phone reception.

Thursday, February 10, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 11

• Jay Wilds

• CG questions Jay about the differences between his first and second recorded statements.

• Jay is asked by CG why he left Cathy out of his first statement.

Friday, February 11, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 12

• The Jury is not present. Jay answers CG's questions about his "plea deal."

Monday, February 14, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 13

• Jay Wilds

Tuesday, February 15, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 14

• Starting on Page 4: Jay

• Starting on Page 179: Jen

Wednesday, February 16, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 15

• Starting on Page 3: Jennifer

• Starting on Page 205: "Cathy"

• Starting no Page 297: Debbie

Thursday, February 17, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 16

• Debbie Warren

• Detective MacGillivary

Friday, February 18, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 17

• Detective MacGillivary

• The State rests

Saturday, February 19, 2000 / Trial 2

• Gutierrez prepares

Sunday, February 20, 2000 / Trial 2

• Gutierrez prepares

Monday, February 21, 2000 / Trial 2

• President's Day - court not in session

Tuesday, February 22, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 18

• Defense Commences

• Andrew Davis: Page 78

• Philip Buddemeyer: Page 93

• Mr. S: Page 111

• Jury Instruction

Wednesday, February 23, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 19

• Mr. S.

• Coach Michael Sye

• Gutierrez's notes checked off during direct examination of Sye

• Becky

• Syed Rahman

Thursday, February 24, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 20

• Mr. Rahman: Page 4

• William Ritz: Page 21

• Andrew Davis: Defense investigator, who testified about the credit card purchase: Page 100

• Saad Chaudry: Adnan's friend, called as a character witness, Page 113

• 1:48PM: Saad Patel: Character witness, Page 161

• 2PM: Maqbool Patel: Character witness, Page 187 Gutierrez's notes checked off during direct examination of Patel.

• Bettye Stuckey: Adnan's guidance counselor, called as a character witness: Page 202

• The Defense rests

Friday, February 25, 2000 / Trial 2 / Day 21

• Closing Arguments start on Page 47

• Verdict Sheet

• 1:35PM: Jury deliberations begin

• 4:25PM Verdict Read: Syed convicted of 1st degree murder (life), kidnapping (30 yrs, consecutive to life), false imprisonment and robbery (10 yrs, concurrent with kidnapping).

Saturday, February 26, 2000

• Baltimore Sun reports Adnan convicted

Monday, February 28, 2000

• Adnan writes a letter to Yusuf

Monday, March 6, 2000

• Missing: CG files Motion for new trial

Saturday, March 25, 2000

• Rabia tracks down Asia and gets her to sign an "affidavit" at a check cashing place. This document narrowed the alibi to 2:40 due to Rabia's misunderstanding the verdict.

Thursday, March 30, 2000

• Adnan and his parents write separate letters asking CG to use Asia affidavit.

• Adnan's parents send the judge a letter asking that the hearing (motion for new trial and sentencing) be postponed because CG had just been fired.

Wednesday, April 5, 2000

• Sentencing scheduled but postponed so that public defender Dorsey could prepare. CG had just been dismissed.

Wednesday, May 24, 2000

• Adnan's 19th Birthday (This is the second time Adnan has celebrated his birthday in prison.)

Tuesday, June 6, 2000

• Sentencing hearing w/ Judge Heard, Adnan represented by Charles Dorsey. Adnan maintains his innocence, despite Dorsey asking for leniency.

• Adnan sentenced to: life in prison for 1st deg murder + 30 yrs for kidnapping (consecutive to murder) + 10 yrs for robbery (concurrent with kidnapping)

• Motion for new trial denied (earlier filed by CG) denied.

• Syed’s Appeal filed in Court of Special Appeals (CoSA) MD. Issues raised:

• a) prosecutorial misconduct & Brady rule

• b) did court prevent Adnan from presenting evidence

• c) hearsay based on prejudicial nature of Hae's letter

• d) admission of Hae's diary

Wednesday, June 7, 2000

• Baltimore Sun reports Adnan sentenced to life plus 30.

Trial Exhibits

Missing Pages Recap

Post Conviction Timeline>>