The Fight for Justice
Adnan Masud Syed, 19 at the time of conviction, was accused and convicted of murdering Hae Min Lee, 18, on June 6th 2000. Hae Min Lee was killed by strangulation and her body was found in Leakin Park on February 9th, 1999. Mr. Syed was arrested after there was an investigation of him and from an incriminating testimony from Jay Wilds. By popular demand and a reevaluation of evidence and court proceedings, Adnan Syed should be allowed another trial.
Christina Gutierrez was Adnan’s attorney and was incompetent in defending him in court. Gutierrez was a Baltimore lawyer that was known for her aggressiveness and great legal tactics. In the first trial, she continually tries to pin the murder on Jay, and does the same in …show more content…
When attempting to bail out Adnan, his family and community were faced with purposeful racism. The prosecutor at the bail hearing, Vicky Wash, spoke of many negative and racist topics about Adnan’s supportive community. She stated that they’d abscond him to Pakistan if the judge allowed Adnan to have bail, and paralleled Adnan’s case to one that was “similar to the present case.” Adnan Masud Syed is an American-born Pakistani teenager with a caring family and community. Wash labels this caring community with many stereotypes and places emphasis on Adnan’s Pakistani heritage. Adnan is an American citizen that has grown up in an environment that has many American lifestyles and ideas. The other case Wash spoke of was only similar to Adnan’s case in that they both have an American Pakistani teen that was accused of killing someone. Wash’s goal with these racist comments was to try and dissuade the judge against giving Adnan bail. Another example of racism in Adnan’s case is when the jury admits they had a bias against Muslims. In the popular podcast Serial, Sarah Koenig, previously a writer at the Baltimore Sun, interviews some of the jurors from the trial about a bias. The jurors admit after some pressure that many of them did have a racial bias against Muslims. Jurors are pre-screened to make sure they have no bias during the trial, but this wasn’t the case in this trial. The fact …show more content…
The justice system stands on principles that were compromised in this case. Adnan’s case is an example of the times that the American Court doles out injustice rather than justice. Martin Luther King Jr., one of America’s most famous civil rights leaders, once said,” Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The injustice that was an outcome of Adnan’s trial is an example of the injustice dealt by courts every day, every week, every month, every year. A court is supposed to provide justice and that is its sole purpose, and if the court cannot fulfil its duties then it is obsolete. Adnan Syed should get another trial so that the court can serve proper
Adnan Masud Syed, 19 at the time of conviction, was accused and convicted of murdering Hae Min Lee, 18, on June 6th 2000. Hae Min Lee was killed by strangulation and her body was found in Leakin Park on February 9th, 1999. Mr. Syed was arrested after there was an investigation of him and from an incriminating testimony from Jay Wilds. By popular demand and a reevaluation of evidence and court proceedings, Adnan Syed should be allowed another trial.
Christina Gutierrez was Adnan’s attorney and was incompetent in defending him in court. Gutierrez was a Baltimore lawyer that was known for her aggressiveness and great legal tactics. In the first trial, she continually tries to pin the murder on Jay, and does the same in …show more content…
When attempting to bail out Adnan, his family and community were faced with purposeful racism. The prosecutor at the bail hearing, Vicky Wash, spoke of many negative and racist topics about Adnan’s supportive community. She stated that they’d abscond him to Pakistan if the judge allowed Adnan to have bail, and paralleled Adnan’s case to one that was “similar to the present case.” Adnan Masud Syed is an American-born Pakistani teenager with a caring family and community. Wash labels this caring community with many stereotypes and places emphasis on Adnan’s Pakistani heritage. Adnan is an American citizen that has grown up in an environment that has many American lifestyles and ideas. The other case Wash spoke of was only similar to Adnan’s case in that they both have an American Pakistani teen that was accused of killing someone. Wash’s goal with these racist comments was to try and dissuade the judge against giving Adnan bail. Another example of racism in Adnan’s case is when the jury admits they had a bias against Muslims. In the popular podcast Serial, Sarah Koenig, previously a writer at the Baltimore Sun, interviews some of the jurors from the trial about a bias. The jurors admit after some pressure that many of them did have a racial bias against Muslims. Jurors are pre-screened to make sure they have no bias during the trial, but this wasn’t the case in this trial. The fact …show more content…
The justice system stands on principles that were compromised in this case. Adnan’s case is an example of the times that the American Court doles out injustice rather than justice. Martin Luther King Jr., one of America’s most famous civil rights leaders, once said,” Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The injustice that was an outcome of Adnan’s trial is an example of the injustice dealt by courts every day, every week, every month, every year. A court is supposed to provide justice and that is its sole purpose, and if the court cannot fulfil its duties then it is obsolete. Adnan Syed should get another trial so that the court can serve proper