Defend or Convict Adnan Syed
Lexi Teufel
Ms. Fehir
ENG 4U1
Defend or Convict
March 25, 2015
Dearest Mr. & Mrs. Lee,
I know that this letter is very overdue and most likely unwanted, and may be seen as “a trap to try and convince people” (Sarah Koenig, Serial, Ep. 11, 33:34). I thought, since I have never provided you with my side of the story, you both may get a better understanding as to the reasons why I continue to maintain my innocence for the murder of Hae. Your daughter was a great part in my life, and although my words may mean nothing to you, I hope that you will hear the truth in my version of events and understand that I, too, am a victim in this tragedy.
I would first like to discuss the only “hard evidence” that the state has offered in convicting me of this murder; the outgoing phone call on my cell phone to Nisha Inez Butler on the day Hae was murdered. The state offered that my motive for killing your daughter was due to my rage after our final breakup. Prosecutor Kevin Eurig said: “He became enraged, he felt betrayed that his honor had been besmirched, and he became very angry, and he set out to kill Hae Min Lee” (Serial, Ep. 10, 12:56). I would just like to clarify that Hae and I had already moved on: I to Nisha, and Hae to Don, whom I had met and was friendly with. The state’s motive is really just something they scraped together to pin this murder on me.
When the outgoing call to Nisha from my cell phone was used to prove that my acquaintance, Jay, and I were together at the time of Hae’s death, I was immediately shocked as I was in school during that time. Sarah Koenig, the writer of Serial, who has been researching my case, believes she has found a few viable explanations as to why this call does not in fact link me to Hae’s murder. My 2:23 second outgoing call to Nisha went to her answering machine but Nisha said she didn’t have one. Koenig researched and found that I was charged for the call, supporting the fact that the call was unanswered, as it was over 30
Ms. Fehir
ENG 4U1
Defend or Convict
March 25, 2015
Dearest Mr. & Mrs. Lee,
I know that this letter is very overdue and most likely unwanted, and may be seen as “a trap to try and convince people” (Sarah Koenig, Serial, Ep. 11, 33:34). I thought, since I have never provided you with my side of the story, you both may get a better understanding as to the reasons why I continue to maintain my innocence for the murder of Hae. Your daughter was a great part in my life, and although my words may mean nothing to you, I hope that you will hear the truth in my version of events and understand that I, too, am a victim in this tragedy.
I would first like to discuss the only “hard evidence” that the state has offered in convicting me of this murder; the outgoing phone call on my cell phone to Nisha Inez Butler on the day Hae was murdered. The state offered that my motive for killing your daughter was due to my rage after our final breakup. Prosecutor Kevin Eurig said: “He became enraged, he felt betrayed that his honor had been besmirched, and he became very angry, and he set out to kill Hae Min Lee” (Serial, Ep. 10, 12:56). I would just like to clarify that Hae and I had already moved on: I to Nisha, and Hae to Don, whom I had met and was friendly with. The state’s motive is really just something they scraped together to pin this murder on me.
When the outgoing call to Nisha from my cell phone was used to prove that my acquaintance, Jay, and I were together at the time of Hae’s death, I was immediately shocked as I was in school during that time. Sarah Koenig, the writer of Serial, who has been researching my case, believes she has found a few viable explanations as to why this call does not in fact link me to Hae’s murder. My 2:23 second outgoing call to Nisha went to her answering machine but Nisha said she didn’t have one. Koenig researched and found that I was charged for the call, supporting the fact that the call was unanswered, as it was over 30