This is where it was produced. 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. 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. Even documentary director Amy Berg openly admitted to questioning Wilds narrative of the events in the case after listening to Serial., The whole Jay storywas so confusing. Jay Wilds, the key witness in the Serial murder case, has broken his silence at last. Jay Wilds, a former classmate who claimed to have assisted Syed in disposing of the victim's body, was the key witness in his trial. Hes 17 at the time but charged with first-degree murder as an adult. Launch Gallery. 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. Yes. Yes we dig for about 40 minutes and we dig and dig, and hes digging less and less. Ill call you from someone elses phone when Im done.. I dont know what happened, what occurred between them that day. The Serial podcast about the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee has been heard and debated by millions, yet there are still untold stories and perspectives from Woodlawn High School teachers who taught. 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. In that situation, he was the loser. Feb. 1999: Police built a case against Syed, largely on the testimony of a man named Jay Wilds, who at the time had more than 20 run-ins with police -- including aggravated assault against a . 824 Words4 Pages. Wilds has played an interesting role in this case. I was a bit of an outdoorsman, adventure seeker, fishing, camping, learned to ride a motorcycle. Meanwhile, Wilds version of the day changed throughout his interviews and testimony. I believe she had a job also. What we do know for sure is this: 18-year-old Lee left her Baltimore high school before 3 p.m. on January 13, 1999, to pick up a cousin. I made him smoke one time, he got a little high, got a little weird. . Just another site. June 6, 2000: Lees mother gives an emotional testimony and Syed is given a life sentence. Adnan questioned in the documentary why Jay would leave. Even though he and Syed were allegedlyjust acquaintances, Wilds police interviews and witness testimony would ultimately be key to convicting Syed despite his storys inconsistencies and contradictions. Its while hes there that Officer Scott Adcock calls Syed asking if he knew where Lee was. What happened on this particular day depends on who you talk to. Jay Wilds is a former classmate of Adnan Syed from Baltimore, Maryland. I didnt know that he planned to murder her that day. Adnan's friend Jay, who . Family friend and attorney Rabia Chaudry asks McClain to write an affidavit after Syed is convicted, Serial reported. S on Serial, claimed he was drinking a 22-ounce Budweiser while driving when he made a pit stop. When did he first talk to you about hurting her? The police confirm to the press that they are. And thats not necessarily mebut that is my family, that is my uncles and cousins. Is 'Daisy Jones & The Six' Based on a True Story? Your login session has expired. He said, Im gonna drive back down there [to the grave]. Its in the evening after school, we never hung out in the morning. Jay Wilds, the only witness in the 1999 Maryland murder case that convicted Adnan Syed for the murder of 17-year-old Hae Min Lee, spoke with The Intercept, explaining his role in allegedly helping . I might have sat next to him in a class, and joked or something. 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. 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. maison d'amelie paris clothing. We may earn a commission through links on our site. I had friends but the groups were small. He seemed under alot of pressure to please. Im going to be late for practice, so just drop me off. Wilds's testimony played a giant part in convicting Syed of murdering his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee in 1999. Because at the time I was convinced that I would be going to jail for a long time if he turned me in for drug dealing, especially to high school kids. 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. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Wilds, who was an acquaintance of Syed, confessed to helping Syed bury. The only thing thats certain: The 18-year-old victim was last seen on January 13, 1999, driving her 1998 Nissan Sentra on her way to pick up her 6-year-old cousin and then head to her job at LensCrafters, The Baltimore Sun reported at the time. Phinn's decision came after prosecutors told the court they lost faith in Syed's conviction in light of new evidence and violations in the governments turning over evidence. Adnan Syed: Overturned airs on ID this Tuesday, September 27, 2022, at 9 pm ET. The kind of reporting we do is essential to democracy, but it is not easy, cheap, or profitable. I follow him halfway back down the hill, park, smoke some cigarettes. The creators of the public radio show This American Life debut the podcast series Serial, hosted by Sarah Koenig, about the Lee murder mystery. 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. than she was letting on. The following two series stepped away from the whodunnit intensity of the first, and went on to examine an American army deserter and the court system in Ohio. 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. But when they put the magnet wing in, it was kinda like these people were different from us. And they didnt have to interact with us anymore. The trial, which resulted in a life sentence, has resurfaced after a judge overturned Adnan's conviction. I had cops show up and harass me before at my house. It began with his fear of being prosecuted for dealing pot in his high school. "This was true in 1999 when he was a 17-year-old child. It wasnt like, Oh, were down in the park, come on down.We were friendly, we were cool. . At times he even apologizes, as though he were trained to say something specifically and had forgotten. As described by Syed to Serial, he goes to his photography and English classes and then calls his friend Jay Wilds, offering to lend him his car during his lunch period. In it, Koenig talks to Syed who says hes innocent. Wherever her car was at the time I picked him up from Best Buy, it probably stayed there until he picked me up later that evening. Heres abasic timeline of the eventsof Jan. 13,according to Wilds first sit-down with police on Feb. 28, 1999: He gets a call from Syed around 10:45 a.m. on Jan. 13; an hour later, Syed arrives at Wilds house in his car and they both go to Baltimores Westview Mall, where Syed tells Wilds hes going to kill Hae because hes angry about their breakup; at 12:30 p.m., Wilds drops off Syed at school and keeps his car; at 3:40 p.m., Syed tells Wilds to meet him at a strip off Edmonton Ave., and 20 minutes later Syed shows Wilds Haes dead body in the trunk of her own car. Did you make the anonymous call to the police to tip them off about Adnan? I knew him because I knew Muslims in the community from playing basketball at the mosque. March 9, 2019, 2:00 PM. From your perspective, what was Adnans reputation at Woodlawn? She was still in the trunk. I was also around a bunch of people earlier the day [at Cathys], and I didnt want them to get fucked up with homicide. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. I think and, look, its been 15 years about 6 p.m. Koenig noted then that despite there being no physical evidence linking Syed to Haes murder, Wilds police interviews provided the groundwork for a conviction. Jay was credible on the main facts, and also for the ones saying it some random killer or Don, they are forgetting that Jay knew where the car was. He was prompted to speak with detectives after a friend of Adnan and Jay, Jenn, told detectives that Jay told . And then I would only give them information pertaining to my interaction with someone or where I was. And they wouldnt stop interviewing me or questioning me. The case was covered in-depth in the first season of the podcast by host Sarah Koenig. In support of their request, prosecutors cited two "alternative suspects" who were known at the time of the investigation and expert. And people were starting to find out he was a loser, Oh, you and Hae arent together anymore. 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. Theyre gonna pin me to the fucking wall. At trial, he said Adnan killed Hae in the parking lot of Best Buy, and then he also said he helped Adnan bury her in Leakin Park, Chaudry notes during the episode. When we were digging the hole, its not like Haes body was just lying next to us. 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. Im gonna kill that bitch, man. Nothing real pointed or anything, not like, I know his name, or I caught her. But I just thought he was just shooting off like everyone else shoots off when theyre mad at their girlfriend. But he didnt call me unless he needed something. Even though he and Syed were allegedlyjust acquaintances, Wilds police interviews and witness testimony would ultimately be key to convicting Syed despite his storys inconsistencies and contradictions. Adnan's friend Jay Wilds testified that he helped Adnan bury Hae Min Lee's body back in 1999, but Adnan Syed mentions he had nothing to do with Hae's death. He left in his car and I was trying to collect myself at my [grandmothers] house. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Lets back up, tell me what happened when you arrived at the Best Buy to pick up Adnan. I don't know what happened, what occurred between them that day," he said of Lee's death. Jay obviously picks and chooses what he tells, and at this point its created such a mess, she says in the documentary. But she seemed to be more mature, like she was two, three, four years older than us. Im pretty sure it was my fear of going to prison for having a bunch of weed in my grandmas house. Other contributing causes included the emergence of new suspects in the case. "That's the best way I can account for the inconsistencies. Now, the case: Undisclosed claims Wilds may have wanted the reward money to buy a motorcyle - something police may have known, too. Jay told the filmmakers that Adnan asked him to procure 10 pounds of marijuana. In. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. I dont think it meant that much to her. There was never a real friendship. A majority of the state's evidence against Adnan comes from Jay Wilds' testimony. That would free Wilds to then collect the reward moneyafter detectives officially filed Syeds indictment to CrimeStoppers on October 1stin November. The way she moved and went about her day. 10:45-11:15 a.m. Maybe Jays a liar. Photo: Natasha Vargas-Cooper for The Intercept, Natasha Vargas-Cooper[emailprotected]theintercept.org@natashavc. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, 'Serial' Recap: Everything About Adnan Syed's Case, Who Is Adnan Syed? Syeds first appeal is denied by the Court of Special Appeals, according to court records. This is the first part in a multipart interview. READ MORE ON CRIME And soon after that, Syed was charged with her murder. I had never known anybody who had killed anybody else, so theres no way I could have known. ", He also revealed why there may be inconsistencies in his story. They were granted Syeds cell phone call records and then looked at two recipients of calls from Syeds phone: Jennifer Pusateri and Wilds. When did you two get closer to each other? I think that was his first real girlfriend, and I think thats why his reaction was so strong. In the phone conversation, he contradicted past statements by suggesting he tried to return Adnans car at school, but couldnt find him and left. It was at least a week before she died, when he found out she was either cheating on him or leaving him. In Februaryof 2000, Syed was found guilty of murdering Lee. In the podcast Koenig pointedly challenged Jays account of events and his motivation for assisting Adnan. After class, he goes to the Woodlawn Public Library to check his email and chats with friend, Asia McClain. They leave the car at a park-and-ride lot. There was enough doubt for me to want to give this a real close look. He has a lot of public support and walking away is not an option.. Wilds' first taped interview with police occurred on February 28, 1999. Baltimore City police detective Darryl Massey received two anonymous phone calls telling him to look into Lees ex-boyfriend as a possible suspect, Undisclosed: The State vs. Adnan Syed reported. The teacher, Mr. Brown, didnt know either Syed or Lee, raising eyebrows at his participation in the investigation. About a month later, police uncovered her body in a nearby park; an autopsywould later find that she was choked to death. Syed was sentenced to life in prison. . McClain has fought for Syed's innocence since the case had originally opened. Wilds alleged that Syed had told him he had murdered Lee. Take my car, take my cellphone. The subject of the groundbreaking 2014 podcast "Serial," Syed was arrested in. Photography class 9:15-10:40 a.m. English class 10:45 a.m. Adnan calls Jay and offers to lend him his car. On January 13th of 1999, a 17 year old Korean girl by the name of Hae Min Lee when missing after school in Baltimore, Maryland. On Monday afternoon, a Baltimore judge vacated Adnan Syed's murder conviction, freeing Syed after 23 years behind bars. Here, we piece together the accounts as they reportedly happened in the 1999 teen murder case: While their relationship was kept a secret because of both religious and cultural differences, classmates Syed and Lee dated in 1998, and broke up in December of that year, according to court records. No. Joining is simple and doesnt need to cost a lot: You can become a sustaining member for as little as $3 or $5 a month. Syed is currently serving a life sentence. 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. Yeah. From the way he carried himself, at least, it looked like he had never lost anything before. Wilds was Syed's classmate at Woodlawn high school, Baltimore. Jay was likely not given a FULL check because he promised to present facts at Adnan's trial. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. How old was Adnan when he went to prison in 1999? examples of bad manners. What else could motivate you to choke the life out of someone you cared about? ', Adnan Syed: A Complete Timeline of His Trial, Appeal and Killing of Hae Min Lee, Photo: Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images, Adnan Syed's high school football photo; Photo: Courtesy of HBO, Youn Kim (r), mother of Hae Min Lee, is escorted from her daughter's Memorial Service by guidance counselor Gwen Kellam, on March 11, 1999, in Baltimore, Maryland; Photo: Elizabeth Malby/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images, Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, changed throughout his interviews and testimony, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Serial sought to dive deep into the potential failings of the criminal justice system and thoroughly re-examine Syed's case. They also highlighted the inconsistent statements of his co-defendant, Jay Wilds, who testified against him. When asked about the inconsistencies in his stories, Jay Wilds told The Intercept_ that. "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. For other inquiries, Contact Us. JayWilds and Adnan Syed may not have been close, butWilds' witness testimony would ultimately be key to convicting Syed of Hae Min Lee's murder. The podcast attracted global attention, and had gained more than 100 million downloads by June 2016. The case is reopened to take into account McClains new testimony, new cell phone data and allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel as well as prosecutorial misconduct, according to Harpers Bazaar. Jay Wilds spoke to The Intercept about the case for an article published Monday. It went national, but it was produced in Baltimore. Following a six-week trial and two-hour jury deliberation, Syed is found guilty. However he ended up doing itwhether it was premeditated, an involuntary reaction at that point in timehe just couldnt come to grips with being a loser and failing. View our online Press Pack. Jay also worked at the Drug Emporium store a short walk from his home. Notably, Wilds declined to be a part of the podcast although he was offered an interview. He claimed Syed had spoken about killing Lee a week before her actual murder and disappearance. Jay is the center of gravity in this case. Leesex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, 17, became the primary suspectin her homicide after an anonymous caller told the police to investigate him. She dated Adnan in. Wilds, who gave police multiple interviews and testified in court, was first questioned on Feb. 28, 1999, just hours before police arrested Syed on suspicion of Lee's murder. Mr. Syed, 41, had been serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of his high school classmate Hae Min Lee. . Police take evidence from the scene and interview several people in an attempt to find the killer. Interviewed by other media, since Serial? I think there was another dude or something, or whatever. The story Jay told police had problems, because it kept changing from telling to telling, Koenig says in the first episode of Serial. But they were able to bolster the main plot points using cell records from Adnans phone., Others think the inconsistencies point toward something else Chaudry says in the documentary that she thinks the police were helping [Wilds] craft the story.. Photo credit: HBO. And the other thing about it, I mean, there looked like there was real hurt and pain. On Jan. 13, 1999, Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old highschool student from Baltimore, went missing. It takes him about half an hour, 45 minutes, and he comes back with gloves on, panting, like, She was really heavy. Thats all he says. Lee's body was discovered in Baltimore's Leakin Park by a passerby, partially buried in a shallow grave. Ill help you dig the hole.. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. But their gym, lockers, parking, was down in the magnet wing. They did not have his permission to record, so we do not hear his voice. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. December 29 2014, 12:55 p.m. On Jan. 13, 1999, Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old high school student from Baltimore, went missing. There is a specific point where I became involved in this. I wasnt fully cooperating, so if they said, Well, we have on phone records that you talked to Jenn. Id say, Nope, I didnt talk to Jenn. Until Jenn told me that she talked with the cops and that it was ok if I did too. He knows that none of us are basically giving up. Undisclosed proffers that Wilds was going to use the reward money to purchase the motorcycle, but Brown says he sold it to someone else. Syed was 17 at the time that Lee was murdered in January 1999. "I don't know if she said something he couldn't handle, and he went off the edge or if he had been seriously speculating about it. Adnan Syed is currently serving life in prison, plus 30 years, for a murder he claims he didn't commit, and he may not have ended up there if it weren't for his former classmate, Jay Wilds. of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999. Getting them in trouble for anything that they knew or that I had told them I couldnt have that. Investigators at the time determined that she died by . 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. Be the first one to comment on this story. He was sentenced to life in prison for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. 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. It was Jay's testimony that helped to put Adnan in prison with a life sentence for the February 1999 murder of his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. Sellers had a previous record as an alleged streaker. How many covert wars, miscarriages of justice, and dystopian technologies would remain hidden if our reporters werent on the beat? I said, Drug dealers, people who get killed by drug dealers, and Im thinking to myself, When did I ever say that? So, as Im riding with him to the park and it starts raining and Im thinking to myself as he pulls overand Im thinking this is the spot hes chosen. and 4p.m. He ends up waiting more than two years. Much of the attention came after the case became the subject of the This American Life podcast Serial in 2014. 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. But there was a grand jury hearing on this case,andI have an idea who might have based on that hearing. Wilds' testimony in the murder trial was central to the conviction of Syed due to the nature of his account of events. Adnan left and then returned to my house several hours later, closer to midnight in his own car. Based on Syeds indictment date, the CrimeStoppers reward should have been paid in June, but it was not paid until November. I went to concerts, like anything from Wu-Tang to Warped Tour. Another person who received scrutiny in the popular podcast was Syed's former classmate Jay Wilds . August 19, 2019: The Supreme Court is asked to look at the case. He just started opening up. I know that he came from a very strict religious background and that he was uneasy with some of the things he was doing. In both, Syed's guilt is questioned, as is Wilds's statements. I played lacrosse, was a bit of a jock. 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. In the wee hours of the night, Lees car is found around 4:30 a.m. and around 6 a.m., Syed is arrested at his home on the 7000 block of Johnnycake Road. Her body was found in a forest three weeks later. Consequently, Wilds is a looming figure in Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyders reporting about the trial. Evidence page for 2016 State Leave for Remand, 2013-15 Reopening Post Conviction (pre PCR), Evidence in 2015 Defense Motion to Reopen, which showed the conflicts betweeen just a few of Jays different versions of events, details of Jays own court case for the murder. At the time,this was Maryland in the 90s, the drug laws were extremely serious. In his testimony at the second trial, he says that he and Syed drove to Security Square Mall and claims that Syed reportedly told him he was going to kill Lee. When Adnan loaned you his car onJan. 13, 1999, did he tell you it was because he planned on murdering Hae? The ins and outs of the timeline have been scrutinized and studied endlessly by professionals and amateurs alike. Normal high school Im mad at her and Ill scratch her car sort of stuff. Who would hold party elites accountable to the values they proclaim to have?