), In the new interview, Wilds explained his changing accounts of what happened as attempts to spare friends and family -- namely, the grandmother he lived with -- from any involvement in the case. We know: At trial, Jay and Jenn both said he went to her house that afternoon. In September, a legal team formed to represent Wilds and also quickly worked out a plea deal to testify against Syed. Jay Wilds, the key witness in the 2000 Adnan Syed trial, revealed in part two of his interview with The Intercept that he contemplated suicide after telling police he helped bury Hae Min Lee in 1999 -- read his quotes here Syed was previously sentenced to life in prison. The first season of Serial ended this month, but the story is far from finished. Inside Sheins controversial culture, Does Noom really work? Wilds's testimony played a giant part in convicting Syed of murdering his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee in 1999. A layperson could tell you neither Jay or Adnan were involved. It all revolves around Jay," lawyer and Syed family friend Rabia Chaudry says in episode two of "The Case Against Adnan Syed." "Jay told the story that convicted Adnan." But their gym, lockers, parking, was down in the magnet wing. 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.. Cathy has people over when we get there. I was a bit of an outdoorsman, adventure seeker, fishing, camping, learned to ride a motorcycle. Its starting to get dark, so between 3p.m. The surprising truth, Broker: the baby box drama movies ending, explained, Colleen Hoovers It Starts with Us: the sequels ending, explained, Why is SHEIN so cheap? Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. It wasn't like, 'Oh, we're down in the park, come on down.' We were friendly, we were. 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 and Syed were seniors at Woodlawn in Baltimore County, Maryland, in January 1999, when she disappeared. Reason 2: Jay is one of the alternate suspects. 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. Just a giant farce that would be comical if not for the devastating consequences. Just normal conversation like, I think shes fucking around. After the earlier mistrial, Judge Quarles recused himself from sitting for the next trial, and so the case was held before a new judge (Heard) and of course a new jury. Hes gone with Haes car. Ok, so you arrive at Cathys with Adnan after he tells you he murdered Hae? So, Jay is now saying that what he alleged at the second trial -- Adnan was with Hae's car and he showed Jay her body at Best Buy -- didn't happen. On the sixth day, Judge Quarles and Gutierrez had a disagreement and, despite the white noise machine, members of audience and crucially the jury overheard (p220). He said, Im gonna drive back down there [to the grave]. "She looked kinda purple," he said. We drive over toCathys house to smoke. He tells the police he lied to them. It was about Jay Wilds what he said, and whether it was true. When did he first talk to you about hurting her? So that would ruin her life too. Then there's the matter of where Wilds saw Lee's dead body for the first time. The details of his story changed on each telling. I don't know Adnan, andI don't think Jay's lies prove Adnan's innocence. Its where Im from. If Wilds did receive the reward money for being the tipster, but that information wasnt disclosed, that would have immediately led to a new trial. Shes a high school girl, Oh, hes cute, Oh, whateverthings fizzleout. We know: At trial, Jay said he went shopping with Adnan. They did not tell the defense that someone got an actual cash reward that was handed to them by a detective on the case. "You have to remember Jay was a suspect in this case," she says. "Jay testified early on that the police said were considering charging you with this murder. Between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., there are outgoing calls made to Jay's friend Jenn, Adnan's friend Nisha, and two other friends (Phil and Patrick). Colin Miller, a law professor who writes at the EvidenceProf Blog, is unsparing in his evaluation of what this does to the state's case. "Even people who think maybe Adnan is guilty should conclude this shouldnt have passed muster in a court of law," says Chaudry. Evidence from the Adnan Syed case | Previously undisclosed.wikispaces.com. Jay wouldnt have appreciated Sarahs prying into Adnans case because it would have exposed his ever-shifting narrative. Adnans first trial was delayed for a few months, but eventually started on 8th December 1999. He just seemed like someone who didnt smoke weed too much. Well first of all, I wasnt openly willing to cooperate with the police. He did, after all, give multiple conflicting locations for where the murder took place and where the body was found. Jay Wilds, Maryland's key (and only) witness at Adnan Syed's 2000 trial for murdering Hae Min Lee which was chronicled on the hotly debated Serial podcast, which launched in October 2014 and completed its 12-episode run earlier this month has consented to a single interview (with The Intercept) in an attempt to tell his side of the story. Now he's given us a whole new timeline of the supposed events of that day. Jarett Wieselman is a senior entertainment editor for BuzzFeed News and is based in Los Angeles. Jay later led police to Hae's car. 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. Its not my job to figure that out. And they wouldnt stop interviewing me or questioning me. Yes. He also stated that Adnan drove Hae's car from the I-70 Park and Ride to a nearby McDonald's, where Jay was waiting in Adnan's car. And while the story he told the Intercept's Natasha Vargas-Cooper is more believable than the one he told the police or Adnan Syed's juries, it also makes Jay, as a witness, less credible and thus it makes the case against Adnan much weaker. Jay Wilds leaves the courtroom p86 Because Pusateris testimony corroborated Wilds (and also changed over time), many listeners came to believe that Pusateri also knew more (or less?) But there was a grand jury hearing on this case,andI have an idea who might have based on that hearing. What we do know about Wilds and Syed, which Syeds testimony confirms, is that Wilds and Syed were together on the day of Lees murder, and Jay had Syeds phone and car for an unspecified period of time. Unmasking the unethical business practices of the fashion brand, Is Telekinesis real? Again, here's Jay: I wasnt openly willing to cooperate with the police. Pusateri and Wilds were . He calls me and says Im outside, so I come outside to talk to himand followed him to a different car, not his. Romano Thomas BPD Mobile Crime Lab tech p103, Motion for mistrial granted p 255 In Wilds' newest version of events, Adnan was in his car with Jay instead of being at his last period of school. We were in the car, we were riding, smoking. He saw himself as a target. It helped fan the flames of this story that. "He might really have just been bulls******* at the time. Rabia Chaudry, the Syed family friend and attorney who originally brought Syed's case to the attention of Serial host Sarah Koenig, today took to Twitter to point out what she sees as inconsistencies in the story Wilds is now telling compared to the account of events he offered at Syed's trial. My New Years just go SO HAPPY. Jay was undoubtedly prepped before the interview. And the burden of proof for a crime like this is extraordinarily high: beyond a reasonable doubt. We know: At trial, it allegedly happened at Best Buy. Are Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in love, or are they good actors? In another interview with police he tells them it was at a Best Buy. Heres everything we know about Jay Wilds before the premiere of HBOs documentary series, The Case Against Adnan Syed. Jay says: He and Adnan hung out at Cathy's. This is where it was produced. We know: At trial, the "trunk pop" moment allegedly happened at Best Buy. The retailers demise explained, Is UNICEF a good charity? Evidence page for 2016 State Leave for Remand, 2013-15 Reopening Post Conviction (pre PCR), Evidence in 2015 Defense Motion to Reopen, asked Judge Heard for help having her dismissed from the case, Judge Heard was not able to be present due to a family funeral. CrimeStoppers rewards are apparently paid out the following month after the police report that months official indictments. Adnan and Jay seemed to be good enough friends to one another and seemed to spend a good amount of time together. They often smoked weed together and quite a lot on the day Hae went missing. (Although he could have used a different phone.). He has never wavered on that point." Why is this story different from what you originally told the police? Another very important open lead is the crimestoppers reward. Officer Scott Adcock County PD officer who responded to initial call on January 13 p37 During his interview withThe Intercept,Jay came up with another version of events, but throughout the interview, he would sneakily point out that the passing of time would have affected his recollection of events. ("Serial" host Sarah Koenig attempted, but failed, to convince Wilds to open up on the podcast. Philip Buddemeyer Baltimore City surveyor p93 She quotes the prosecutor saying, "he tells police a consistent story about the defendant, he tells consistently the defendants involvement, the defendants actions on that day. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Related: 7 addictive podcasts to listen to once you're done with Serial. But the fact that Wilds' story shifted so much has many "Serial" fans saying he wasn't ever a credible witness. The first season of Serial examined the complex case of the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, in which there seemed to be much evidence but no conclusive proof of what happened. Consider what the world of media would look like without The Intercept. Adnan and Stephanie were also very close witch could be another reason as to why Jay is. Syed could be granted another trial, though, which could pull Wilds back into the spotlight. What was your life likeduring1998 and 1999? Jay Wilds' New Interview About 'Serial' Is So Completely Frustrating. 'Serial' Subject Takes HBO, 'Serial' Subject Adnan Syed Will Get a New Trial, Secret Chinese Police Stations in Europe Are 'Tip of the Iceberg', Trump's Attorney Just Blew Carroll Rape Case, King Charles Says Royals Require 'Acting Ability', Ukraine Will Regain 'Significant Territory' From Russia, Florida GOP Paves the Way to Help Ron DeSantis Challenge Trump. I stonewalled them that way. Getting them in trouble for anything that they knew or that I had told them I couldnt have that. ago The People List is a great way to find out more about someone in particular or to help find the name of someone youve partly forgotten. When she mentioned it to Wilds, "he quickly brushed it off: No ' [I was an] an accessory,' 'no, I did this, nothing," Horton says. In Februaryof 2000, Syed was found guilty of murdering Lee. "Jay is the center of gravity in this case. Some of what Wilds claims in the new interview also contradicts what he told police a point he addressed. What did you know about Adnan and his relationship with Hae Min Lee? At the time, this was Maryland in the 90s, the drug laws were extremely serious. No. Jay's actions here may not be right. 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. I think that was his first real girlfriend, and I think thats why his reaction was so strong. This interview is the first time Jay has spoken publicly about events surrounding Lees death and the trial that ended in Syeds conviction. The prosecutors ask the jury to believe him anyway. Reason 1: Jay willingly comes forward to implicate himself and his friend in a murder that neither of them had anything to do with because it was committed by an alternate suspect. And detective notes capped Browns interview with the word REWARD, written in all caps. Wilds was also an adult who sold marijuana to high school kids, which made him vulnerable. She got a new boyfriend? And he didnt know how to deal with that. I didnt know it was that close. I don't think it meant that much to her. Hae. It ended prematurely when Judge Quarles declared a mistrial. He refused. Adnan apparently told Jay he killed Hae in her car, which was somewhere around, but Jay was doubtful -- he thought the car was somewhere else. But they don't need to. ", He also revealed why there may be inconsistencies in his story. From your perspective, what was Adnans reputation at Woodlawn? I didnt resent the students, I resented the school for setting it up like that. What happened next? I dont necessarily know if he meant to kill Hae before he did it or if it was a sudden moment thing, but looking at his life, from what I saw, he seemed to be far out of his realm when it came to Hae leaving him. The trial transcript for this day is not available. I believe she had a job also. Jay sounds like he's in some middle school play where everyone is horrible at acting and just robotically mouthing the words they're supposed to say. Her sudden passing explained, Marcel Marceaus parents His fathers tragic death, What happened to Marcel Marceaus brother? He was a little pompous, a little arrogant, but he seemed really driven as far as his academics, but all those magnet students were. In another interview, he said the body was on Edmondson Avenue, while a detective testified in court that Wilds told him the body was on Franklintown Road. #FreeAdnan #MerryChristmas, I just can't even. Wilds also shares a follow-up email. This fact cannot be disputed. Serial Three seasons, investigation The addictive 2014 podcast that started the global mania for true crime. He asked me if I had shovels, so I went inside my house and got some gardening tools. He might really have just been bullshitting at the time. It's guilt that has to be proven. Didnt say that much. 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. He told the police enough to get them off his back, but he withheld anything he thought might widen their investigation to his friends and his family. Leesex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, 17, became the primary suspectin her homicide after an anonymous caller told the police to investigate him. Football paid for everything at the school. Discovery Company. He claimed Syed had spoken about killing Lee a week before her actual murder and disappearance. Ultimately, Wilds said he didn't feel he had anything to add to Koenig's investigation into Adnan Syed 's guilt or innocence. Jay Wilds was a crucial player in Adnans conviction he testified that Adnan confessed to him about killing Lee, saw Lees body in the trunk of her car, and helped bury her body in Leakin Park. From the way he carried himself, at least, it looked like he had never lost anything before. When did you two get closer to each other? PERJURY ABOUNDS! I dont know what happened, what occurred between them that day. Yes the serial team had these documents and did not report this. It took the viral podcastSerialto highlight the cases inconsistencies and a determined prosecutor, Marilyn Mosby, to dig into Adnans case which she wasnt obligated to do and ask the court to set aside Syeds erroneous conviction. But she's also a family friend of the Syeds, and she brought the case to Koenig's attention. Apparently, Wilds had been inquiring about the sale price of a teachers motorcycle, which Kelly Blue Book puts at $3,000. Motion denied p6 Photo: Natasha Vargas-Cooper for The Intercept, Natasha Vargas-Cooper[emailprotected]theintercept.org@natashavc. According to Susan Simpson, another lawyer working on the Undisclosed podcast, the official recorded interviews between Wilds and the police reveal some strange auditory clues to why the police would lie about the date they began questioning Wilds. 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. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. And as Koenig puts it, "the spine" of Jay's story has never really changed. And, lastly, she points out that an important car from the trial is now missing in his account of the day. Lets back up, tell me what happened when you arrived at the Best Buy to pick up Adnan. 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? So that would ruin her life too. Hae was dead before she got to my house. Parts one and two were published Monday and Tuesday. EGAD he cannot keep his lies STRAIGHT #FreeAdnan #ThanksJay! Are you kidding me? "I dont necessarily know if he meant to kill Hae before he did it or if it was a sudden moment thing," he says. 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. Ill help you dig the hole.. Is that why you didntinitiallycooperate with the police? He left in his car and I was trying to collect myself at my [grandmothers] house. Wieselman writes about and reports on the television industry. The other thing to understand is something about the culture of Baltimorethis is where the Stop Snitching video comes from. He said, Youve gotta help me, or Im gonna tell the cops about you and the weed and all that shit. And then he popped the trunk and I saw Haes body. He had a professional job in high school, he was aparamedic or something [Ed. He was magnet. Mr S Found body in Leakin Park p111, Defense motion for a new trial p1 In the interview, Wilds described seeing Lee, dead in the trunk of a car. Adnan apparently opened the trunk of Hae's car and showed Jay her body. @YAmericanMuslim Analysis in a nutshell: He can't stop lying. He has firsthand knowledge on how Hae was murdered (strangled), where she was buried (Leakin Park) and the disposal of the car (300 Edgewood St). Baltimore police were already focusing their investigation on Syed after an anonymous tip told them to look at Lees ex. There is no call to Jay on Adnan's phone log in the evening. In the end, the case wasn't about Adnan Syed, not really. If Wilds were meeting with the cops before this official interview, its completely possible he would have been coached, as Simpson suggests. I only smoked with him two or three times. .css-13y9o4w{display:block;font-family:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-13y9o4w:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.28598rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.3;}}9 Celebs You Didn't Know Guest Starred On Seinfeld, Here's When Every Episode of 'Succession' Airs, The Final Season of Barry Is Hilariously Dark, That Heartbreaking 'Barry' Moment Was Inevitable, Chris Pratt Improvised MCU's First F-Bomb, Why Luke Bryan Called Out Taylor Swift on TikTok, GotG's James Gunn confirms MCU return for actor, Season 3 of 'Sweet Tooth' Could Be Its Last, Watch The 25 Best Anime Shows on Hulu Right Now, Citadel Is Prime Videos Latest Expensive TV Bet. Chaudry claims Wilds' account of how Lee's body was buried directly conflicts with his earlier testimony. He seemed a little bit more uptight than the other Muslim kids that I knew. Sarah pointed to Jays inconsistencies as one of the main reasons she believed in Adnans innocence. Hae was dead before she got to my house. Jay Wilds, Maryland's key (and only) witness at Adnan Syed's 2000 trial for murdering Hae Min Lee which was chronicled on the hotly debated Serial podcast, which launched in October 2014 and completed its 12-episode run earlier this month has consented to a single interview (with The Intercept) in an attempt to tell his side of the story. I remember Adnan standing next to me. Consequently, Wilds is a looming figure in Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyders reporting about the trial. Jay Wilds is a former classmate of Adnan Syed from Baltimore, Maryland. Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly stated that Adnan Syed went to trial in December 2000. We know: At trial, Jay says they both buried Hae.Jay testifies that he both helped dig the hole in Leakin Park and helped bury the body. Wilds originally told police that he saw Lees body in the parking lot of a Best Buy near the high school. But Brown wantd to sell soon & Jay couldn't get paid till Nov. The call log, though, could maybe support part of Jay's new timeline. Im not a lawyer and Im not a cop. Part three is scheduled to be published on Wednesday. Though Wilds testimony seemed to have been trusted implicitly by Syeds jury, the Serial podcast shining a light on the key details of Wilds claims led many listeners to believe Wilds was not exactly truthful and that even the slightest bit of questioning could have unraveled his story. People had lives and were trying to get into college and stuff like that. Adnan has a petition into Maryland's Court of Special Appeals. They had to chase me around before they could corner me to talk to me, and there came a point where I was just sick of talking to them. 2. 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.. On Jan. 13, 1999, Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old highschool student from Baltimore, went missing. So I said, Look man, Im not touching [Hae]. Elon Musk and Bill Maher Warn Against the 'Woke Mind Virus,' a.k.a. What else could motivate you to choke the life out of someone you cared about? It went national, but it was produced in Baltimore. But, like I said, I dont know how to come up with this story about how Adnan did it, why he did it, what he was thinking, how he was thinking, and why he was thinking that. 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. Roll call of the panel of prospective jurors p43 I can't be as confident as Chaudry. There was never a real friendship. ", Chaudry ticks off the changes. It began with his fear of being prosecuted for dealing pot in his high school. I really didnt know much about their relationship, if they hung out, where they hung out, when they hung out. #FreeAdnan pic.twitter.com/4iCiYVHtFl, EGAD he cannot keep his lies STRAIGHT #FreeAdnan #ThanksJay! They didnt have to go by us, except to come to lunch, and that was it. There are files with all the events from each day, but beware, those files are often very large and may take a little time to open or download. Or take the murder itself. At this point, Jay apparently drove himself and Adnan over to Cathy's to smoke. No. SCOTUS Now Just Another Congressional Committee, 'Serial' Recap: Everything About Adnan Syed's Case, Who Is Adnan Syed? I follow him halfway back down the hill, park, smoke some cigarettes. (Wilds would later lead the police to Lees car, parked on a residential street.) You can also contribute via. This fact eliminates all random killer (s) (Roy Davis or Mr. S or Space Aliens). Adnan is away for life because the state used Jay's testimony to show premeditation he said Adnan told him he was going to kill Hae before he did it.