SERIAL PODCAST WORKSHEETS EPISODE 7 TRIAL

SERIAL PODCAST WORKSHEETS EPISODE 7 TRIAL

The winner-winner-chicken-dinner prize went to the person who theorized that Adnan purposefully kept Asia out of the trial, even though she was a sound alibi, to save her for a second shot in case he lost the trial without her. Then IвЂ™d take a deep breath and try to be entertained by the various theories and analyses. Unknown unknowns a la Rumsfeld as it were. They donвЂ™t even know what they donвЂ™t know. Of course I also had to mentally regroup after every 300 or so comments and remind myself:ДЎ) THE INNOCENCE PROJECT IS ON IT, HEE HAW!Дў) These folks have not seen the trial transcripts, the police files, the attorney records, the forensics, the court documents, etc etc. Every so often a timid soul would emerge via private message and reassure me that they believed Adnan was innocent, and they believed me when I said no one pressured Asia into writing those documents. I wanted to stop reading the Reddit threads positing the many reasons and ways Adnan killed Hae, but I was a spectator surrounded by accidents. In the past few weeks the tenor of conversations shifted so significantly against Adnan, it was demoralizing. I remember clear as day, as we sobbed, Adnan standing to be shackled and him turning to look at his mother and his community and tell us it was ok, he was innocent and Allah knew he was innocent. Something odd and preternatural happened as the verdict was read, but IвЂ™ll blog about that later. We sat in shock as the verdict of guilty on all counts was read. There was no way, no freaking way, they could deliberate on a murder case and reach a guilty verdict in less than two hours. They reached their verdict with lightening speed. I hadnвЂ™t even settled in to eat when I got the call to come back to the courthouse. I assumed that we wouldnвЂ™t hear a decision until after the weekend at the soonest. The jury had retired for deliberations, and we left to get lunch in downtown Baltimore. The day of the conviction is still fresh in my memory, like it happened just the other week. I was struck by DeirdreвЂ™s comment that its rare and meaningful for those convicted to maintain their innocence throughout.ДЇrom a Baltimore Sun article about AdnanвЂ™s conviction. It fights cases of people they actually think are innocent. The Innocence Project does not fight cases only based on weak convictions. PUTTING THE INNOCENCE IN INNOCENCE PROJECT Its more than enough to know theyвЂ™re on it, and to know that they begin with returning the presumption of innocence to him вЂ“ a tremendous gift that he deserves. I corresponded with her a couple of times early on but have since backed off to let the experts handle it. Sound familiar? It should.ДЄnyway, I know as much as the audience in terms of the kinds of evidence DeirdreвЂ™s team will be probing, and I know as much as the audience in terms of how far theyвЂ™ve gotten. Incentives like money, release from prison, immunity from prosecution, or reduced/vacated sentences. One of the major reasons cited for wrongful convictions is the informant вЂ“ 18% of all wrongful convictions that are overturned are convictions based on a witness/informant who was offered some sweet incentives in return for their testimony. I donвЂ™t know how those responsible for his execution sleep at night.

Todd maintained his innocence even as he was being put to death and refused a plea deal that would have spared his life. His conviction was based on an informant who cut a deal thanks to a dirty prosecutor. All three of ToddвЂ™s children died in a fire he was accused of setting. Todd Willingham, an innocent man executed in Texas in 2004. It also doesnвЂ™t take into account the innocent people weвЂ™ve actually executed in this country. This doesnвЂ™t account for the hundreds, if not thousands, who are innocent but languish in prisons because theyвЂ™ve been unable to get attention to their case, there is no DNA to test, or there is no legal recourse left. Since 1989 there have been 321 DNA-related exonerations in the U.S. When they take a case, it not only says something about that case, theyвЂ™re also putting their name on and tying their reputation to that case.ДЄ quick look at a fact sheet found on the Innocence ProjectвЂ™s website shows how vital their work is. They get thousands of applications annually. ItвЂ™s no small thing for an institution as respected and prestigious as the Innocence Project to commit their time and resources to a case. The kind of explosion that oozes joy and molten chocolate. So when Sarah told me that Deirdre offered to look at the case, my heart nearly exploded.

Serial podcast worksheets episode 7