And yet season two got them a subpoena from the government for their original interview tapes, apparently. Which they’re fighting, which may be the delay to season 2.
I would think season one’s exposure would lead to higher numbers on two even if it didn’t catch the attention quite as well. But I don’t know. It certainly got me listening to a bunch of other podcasts for a similar fix.
And Undisclosed has me hooked on another True Crime podcast, this time it’s The Accused. The set up is a bit familiar: an old case, long cold. The details here are different though, even from In The Dark. Police aren’t investigating this one, and have little interest in doing so. It involves the murder of recently graduated college student Elizabeth Andes. Her boyfriend found her. The cops took the boyfriend in for questioning. He confessed to her murder.
Case closed.
Except…not.
The confession was coerced after 15 hours straight questioning. Beyond that, there’s timing and placement that make it hard for the boyfriend to be the killer, in addition to it seeming completely out of character for all involved. He was acquitted in the murder trial, and then in a civil suit (with a much lower standard of proof) he was also found to have had nothing to do with Elizabeth’s murder. The cops who worked the case are convinced they had the right guy and he got off somehow. The family of the victim and her friends don’t buy it. Slowly, the case is coming under scrutiny again.
And it’s a fascinating story. Amber Hunt, the lead on this is a crime reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer and a true crime author. It’s the number one podcast on iTunes right now, and the Enquirer even has a special section on the crime, kind of wrapping things up as they stand right now. (The podcast is complete at 8 episodes, although Hunt has promised followups as events warrant.)
Two and a half episodes in, and I can vouch. It’s tremendous if true crime is your thing.
Actual new news:
Was just coming to post that.
I am extremely skeptical of the state of Maryland being able to mount a prosecution in this case for a second trial. Their main physical evidence will be inadmissible, and their star witness has admitted to giving multiple accounts and false testimony of the events in this.
I’m actually sitting here reading this opinion. This is gonna end up with me listening to the whole Serial series again, I’m pretty sure.
What’s interesting is that the original judge–and the special court of appeals–went in on the new trial motion based on the failure to contact Asia McClain as a potential alibi witness. Which, sure. Also important, but could be picked apart in a cross-ex.
They didn’t touch the aspects that Jay Wilds’ has said he lied about his version of events (or that the version of events he gave at trial contradicted the version he gave to police) or the cellphone tower evidence being invalid. That seems like the court tip-toeing gently around being the ones to directly bring about Syed’s release.
Serial season 3 starts September 20. There’s a “trailer” on their website. https://serialpodcast.org/
I’ll copy some of the A.V. Club’s summary of season 3:
For the season, host Amy Koenig spent a year inside the criminal courts of Cleveland, where she was given permission to record inside its courtrooms, judge’s chambers, back hallways, and prisons. Along with reporter Emmanuel Dzotsi, another voice you may recognize from This American Life , Koenig will chronicle numerous cases that exemplify just what justice looks like in today’s courtrooms.
It’s not going to just be about one case, it’s going to be about all the crazy little things that happen throughout the justice system. A bunch of “normal” cases—but all of them highlighting at least some aspect of the justice system where they found themselves shocked at the way some aspect of it unfolded, presumably even if the results may not have been remarkable or controversial.
I’m a little more optimistic about a third season than I expected.
I got through the first two episodes today. Episode 2, mostly about these little tinpot dictator judges, is pretty chilling.
I’d pretty much given up on Serial, but this is good.
Oh yeah, I liked the first two episodes too. I’m telling my friends who gave up that they should pick it back up again
I love every episode of the third season so far. This is fantastic stuff.
This new season is quite the journalistic achievement. I’m so impressed by it. The subject material is deeply infuriating.
I haven’t heard today’s episode yet. I agree that this season has been really great so far.
This post is not about Serial; it’s about This American Life. But I couldn’t think of a better place to mention the podcast because I found the subject matter so affecting and engrossing (like Serial can be) and it involves a dysfunctional police department.
Both Serial and TAL are podcasts I approach with trepidation because they affect me, but can’t stay away from because they are so well researched and produced.
Listening now…(serial season 3 continues to impress the fuck out of me, best season yet imo).
This Sini mother fucker.
Yeah. That interview was quite something.
“You in the Red Shirt”.
I listened to that episode, and it’s really screwing with my mind. It sounds like some 3rd world country. Just for my sanity, I refuse to believe the revelations from this episode.
4-part HBO documentary.
Adnan Syed’s overturned conviction was just reinstated along a 4-3 vote by the Maryland Court of Appeals. Crazy.
I’m sure the timing was hardly coincidental.