Transcripts: Trial 1 & Trial 2

<<Previous Timeline

Thursday, December 9, 1999 / Trial 1

• Trial 1 Opening Arguments

• Cliffs Notes

Friday, December 10, 1999 / Trial 1

• Page 4: Young Lee, Hae’s brother

• Page 25: Nisha

• Page 37: Detective Adcock, Missing Persons Officer

• 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

• Cliffs Notes

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, WHS Principal

• Page 225: Sharon Watts, former WHS school nurse

• Page 250: Sharon Talmadge, Latent Prints Unit

• Page 284: Krista, Adnan's friend

• Page 322: Debbie Warran, Hae's friend

• Cliffs Notes

Tuesday, December 14, 1999 / Trial 1

• Prosecution provides defense with copies of Jay’s first and second interviews. According to MD state law, the prosecution doesn't have to disclose the interviews until the witness testifies. Gutierrez listens to Jay's interviews for the first time, during lunch.

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

• 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: Kristi aka Cathy

• Page: 182: Jay

• Cliffs Notes

• After court that day: A defense attorney (Flohr?) writes to Douglas Colbert noting that Jay responded to the idea that he was only interviewed twice. Colbert is told about this progress report detailing a third interview to clear up "inconsistencies" on the same say Adnan was indicted.

• Colbert re-directs the note to Gutierrez, who incorporates it into her questioning the next day.

• Gutierrez Notes about Jay's interviews and "two tapes." Note undated. Possible prep for next day.

Wednesday, December 15, 1999 / Trial 1

• Page 4: Jay

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

• Mistrial Declared

• Cliffs Notes

• Witnesses for the Defense are told "What to Do and When to Do it, and Where"

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

Thursday, December 30, 1999

• Amended State's Disclosure Not Missing

• 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. She 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. 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 knows what he will 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 the date of 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

• Amended State's Disclosure (response to Jan. 14, 2000 disclosure request)

• Ja'uan interview, and information re; Jen's Feb 26 interview and Adnan's Feb 26 interview

• Gutierrez's notes on Jen's Interview

Friday, January 21, 2000

• Ja'uan's April 20 police interview disclosed to the defense.

• Ja'uan Notes written by Gutierrez’s paralegal. These notes paraphrase Ja'uan's April 20 police interview.

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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

• Cliffs Notes

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

• Page 4: Preliminary motions about admissabile evidence

• Page 82: Jury enters, judge instructions

• Page 94: Prosecution’s opening, Mr. Urick

• Page 113: Defense’s opening, Ms. Guiterrez

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

• Page 200: Detective Kevin Forrester, Homicide Sergeant BCPD

• Page 219: Jury instructions, Judge warns families not to be emotional. Someone was smiling and the judge was not happy.

• Cliffs Notes

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

• Page 17: Young Lee, Hae's brother

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

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

• Page 154: William C Rodriguez, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner

• Page 183: 2:35PM, Nisha, Adnan’s friend [Gutierrez's notes taken during Nisha's testimony]

• Page 206: Krista Meyer, Adnan's friend

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

• Page 290: re: subpoenas for Ritz & McGillvary

• Cliffs Notes

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

• Page 4: First Responding Officer, Adcock

• Page 22: Missing Persons Detective O'Shea, Baltimore County

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

• Cliffs Notes

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

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

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

• Page 68: Don, Hae's new boyfriend

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

• Cliffs Notes

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

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

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

• Page 91: Lynette Woodley, Assistant Principal, WHS

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

• Cliffs Notes

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

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

• Motion in Limine to exclude Nurse Watts from testifying

• Page 70: Judge decides Sharon Watts cannot testify

• Ruling on Motion in Limine

• Page 78: Yaser Ali, Adnan's best friend before Adnan met Saad.

• Cliffs Notes

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

• Page 5: Inez

• Page 108: Jay

• Cliffs Notes

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

• Exhibit 45: Kristi/Cathy's neighborhood

• Cliffs Notes

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.

• Cliffs Notes

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

• Jay

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

• Jay is asked why he left Kristi aka Cathy out of his first statement.

• Cliffs Notes

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

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

• Cliffs Notes

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

• Jay

• Cliffs Notes

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

• Page 4: Jay

• Page 179: Jen

• (Unrelated: On this day the Department of Motor Vehicles sends Jay a letter notifying him that his license will be suspended for failing to appear on three traffic citations)

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

• Page 3: Jen

• Page 205: Kristi aka "Cathy"

• Page 297: Debbie

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

• Debbie

• 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 Begins

• Page 78: Andrew Davis

• Page 93: Philip Buddemeyer

• Page 111: Mr. S

• 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

• Mr. Rahman, Adnan's father

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

• Page 3: Mr. Rahman

• Page 21: Detective William Ritz

• Page 100: Andrew Davis, Defense PI, testifies about a credit card purchase

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

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

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

• Page 202: Bettye Stuckey: Guidance counselor, character witness

• The Defense rests

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

• Page 47: Closing Arguments

• Verdict Sheet

• 1:35PM: Jury deliberations begin

• 4:25PM Verdict Read; Syed convicted of:

• First Degree Murder (Life)

• Kidnapping (30 years, consecutive to life)

• False imprisonment and robbery (10 years, concurrent with kidnapping)

• Rabia remembers going down to see Adnan that same evening, and says that's when Adnan gave her Asia's letters, (according to Serial podcast.) Adnan remembers calling Rabia on the phone, telling her about the letters, and mailing them to her.

Saturday, February 26, 2000

• Baltimore Sun reports Adnan convicted

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Trial Exhibits

Missing Pages Recap

Post Conviction Timeline>>