Serial, Episode 9: To Be Suspected by Rothery and Tucker
New Evidence:
Three pieces of previously unknown evidence were uncovered at the beginning of this episode. The first bit of information was regarding the 2:36 phone call that was supposedly made at a payphone at Best Buy. Laura, a friend of Stephanie, Jay, and Adnan, said that she was sure that there was never a payphone or any other public phones at Best Buy. She specifically remembers the lack of telephones because she used to shoplift from the store and observed the surroundings many times. This information supports our previous discovery that there was no record of there being a phone booth in the Best Buy parking lot.
The next piece of evidence was given by Summer, who was a woman listener who had heard a mistake on the podcast and decided to call Koenig to correct it. She claimed that she had been friends with Hae in high school and the two of them had been managing the wrestling team together at the time that Hae was murdered. When she calls Koenig, she explains that she remembers having a conversation with Hae at 2:30 or 2:45 on the day that she went missing. She specifically remembers the conversation because she was upset with Hae for having to miss the wrestling match that day. If this is true, then it would be impossible for Hae to have been murdered by 2:36, making the 2:36 call impossible.
The last piece of evidence is about the call that Adnan got while in Cathy’s apartment. It was discovered that Aisha called Adnan that night to let him know that the police were going to call him, so it makes sense that he would sound worried on the phone. This gives a reasonable explanation for why Adnan sounded suspicious on the phone that night.
Summary of Events:
After Hae's body was found, Adnan, Krista, Aisha, and Stephanie all got together and mourned, which demonstrates how close they were. The girls remember that Adnan was very upset that night and called the detective on Hae’s case in grief, insisting that there must have been a mistake. Then, when Adnan was questioned about Hae’s murder, he claims that he thought nothing of it. He did not think he was actually a suspect and thought they were simply questioning him because he was her ex-boyfriend, and even says that the thing he was most worried about when the police came to his house was his father finding out about his and Hae’s secret relationship.
In this episode, Adnan talks about his time in jail. He explains how he did not fully understand the seriousness of the situation for a while; he was still worried about passing in his school work and was wondering when he would get to go home. He also writes to Krista when he first goes to jail, and he is really kind in his letters. He does not get upset with her for testifying against him, and he checks in on her and talks her through her problems. After his trial, Adnan’s tone in his letters to Krista changes because he realizes that he is hated by many people. He is disturbed by the fact that no one believes him.
Adnan and Koenig further talk about his later time in prison. He has excellent behavior and an almost perfect record, having received 21 certificates and awards in total. He also has had numerous jobs; he was a clerk at Jessup, and a cook at North Branch. Adnan admits that while he does not have the life he originally planned, he still has one. He has friends and gets along with everyone, and only has one infraction (for having a cell phone) in his entire time in prison.
Something odd about Adnan’s behavior is how he takes responsibility for what has happened. He claims to be innocent during the trial, but then apologizes for the pain he caused and says that he is to blame because he should not have lent Jay his phone and car. He says that he should have been a good muslim and he does not blame or have anger towards anyone else. Why might this be?
Activity:
Take a few minutes to think and write about a time when you made a mistake, and even though it was not entirely your fault, you took the blame because of the guilt you felt. We will be discussing this after.
Discussion Questions:
1) What do you think happened regarding the 2:36 call and the Best Buy parking lot location? Do you think that the murder actually took place at Best Buy? Explain.
2) Do you think that Adnan's reactions to Hae's body being found make him suspicious? Why or why not?
3) What do Adnan's actions throughout the trail and during his time in jail say about his personality? Why do you think Koenig included the information about his good behavior in prison in her podcast?
4) Did this episode change your view on Adnan? Why or why not?
1. I do not believe that the 2:36 call came from the Best Buy and I do not think that that is where Hae was killed. The inconsistency involving the phone booths and Jay's stories are not consistent enough for me to have reasonable suspicion that the murder and call happened at the Best Buy.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Adnan's reaction should not be taken into consideration because everyone reacts to loss differently. There are general things that happen when you find out that someone has dies but nothing is definite when people grieve. His reaction should be ignored when deciding if he is guilty or not, but I personally think that he is not anymore suspicious than he was before.
3. His action show that he is making the best of a very bad situation. He is not making things worse for himself . Considering he has a life sentence, being miserable and behaving poorly would not help nor change anything about his situation. Koenig probably included it because it not not negative and in a way can help improve how people look at Adnan.
4. My views on Adnan have not changed because no new damaging evidence has been reviled against him.
1. I think the 2:36 call, along with the information that shows there likely never was a payphone outside, and likely was a payphone inside, only adds mystery to this already confusing and mysterious case. I have no idea what could have actually happened in the Best Buy parking lot, if anything. I believe, although I may not be properly examining the information, that nothing might have happened at the parking lot, and that the call may have been unrelated. But the truth is, with our current information, we can have no idea.
ReplyDelete2. I don't believe Adnan's reaction to the body being found was suspicious. People react in a huge variety of ways to learning about a tragedy. Were this truly Adnan's first time hearing about her body (in other words, assuming he didn't kill her) then we really can't criticize his reaction. People can laugh, cry, scream, anger, or even completely ignore the truth when confronted with tragedy. So no, I believe his reaction was justified and does not make him suspicious.
3. Throughout the trial, and even in prison, Adnan has acted calm and polite. I found his explanation to be reasonable, which was that his reactions can have no positive impact on his trial or the people around him. I think it shows Adnan to be an extremely practical and reasonable person, as I think I would be frustrated and angry if I was (possibly wrongfully) convicted. I believe Koenig added this information to build Adnan's character and show the way he acts. At the end of the day, a podcast is a form of story-telling, and every story needs well-developed characters.
4. This episode changed very little on my view of Adnan. Through the previous episodes we had learned a fair bit about Adnan and already had ample time to form an opinion. I had already felt that Adnan was innocent and practical. This episode helped to cement this opinion, but not change it. To conclude: this episode did not change my view on Adnan, because it instead supported my view.
1. The fact that Hae was seen alive around the time where she was supposedly murdered at Best Buy (this 2:36 call) means to me that, if Adnan did it, it did not happen at the Best Buy. The 2:36 call confuses me, but Jay could have molded his story to fit this call in order to incriminate Adnan (If he was innocent).
ReplyDelete2. When Adnan was first called by the police he panicked, but this could simply be because being called by the police because your ex-girlfriend and good friend is dead is pretty scary. If I got that call I would react similarly, because it's a horrible call to get. The fact that he met up with his friends to mourn and initially refused to believe Hae was dead makes him seem more innocent to me.
3. I believe that all of Adnan's actions show how good a person he is. He just wants everyone else to be happy, and is sorry that this whole event happened. If he is guilty, however, then this shows Adnan to be very manipulative and quite scary.
4. This episode changed my view significantly. I empathise with him now a lot more now than before, as I would act in a very similar way. Even though he was deemed guilty he tries to make the best of his situation, which is quite admirable.
1. I don't believe that Hae was killed at the Best Buy mainly because the time of the call (2:36) conflicted with a friend of Hae's story who said she had been talking to her at the school around that time. This puts a huge hole in the State's case because it throws off the state's whole timeline for the murder.
ReplyDelete2. I don't think that his reaction was suspicious. He was sad and upset that his ex-girlfriend (who he still cared about as a friend even after the breakup) had been murdered. I believe his apologies to the family was reflecting his sympathy for their feelings, not admitting to murdering her.
3. I think Adnan's behavior at the start of his prison sentence really shows his innocence and immaturity. While he was 17-18 at the time of all of this happening, he was still just a kid who thought his time in prison was only temporary. I believe Koenig talked about his awards in prison to highlight this child-like innocence that he clung to.
4. This episode did not change my view of wether or not he was guilty (I still think he is innocent) but it did show me another more sensitive side of him. Like I said in my answer to question 3, it really showed how he was still a child when the crime, the interviews, and the trial took place.
1. I think that the 2:36 call wasn't an impact on the case, and didn't come from best buy. The overall logic on the timeline just doesn't match up.
ReplyDelete2. I do not think that his reaction made him questionable. It seemed like he legitimately cared for her, and an incredulous response is exactly what I would expect from myself from a shock like that.
3. I think that Adnan's behavior shows his age, and how responsible and childish when he was sent to jail. He couldn't even believe that he was going to jail forever. However, I do think that Koenig tried to overdo it a little bit, but I still think that he was childish.
4. I still think Adnan is innocent. It showed me what I would expect from a person of his age, and it was honestly what I would expect.
1. I do not believe that the 2:26 call from a payphone was related to the best buy and Hae. Because of Jay's constant inconsistencies in the story I do not trust a single one of his points made and therefore I am led to believe that Hae was either not dead by 2:36 or that she was dead by 2:36 but that Adnan was not the killer.
ReplyDelete2. Adnan's reaction to discovering what happened to Hae is not suspicious. There is a wide range of ways that people act when faced with death that changes constantly. It is very common for people to apologize when a situation has turned sour and I believe that the apologies from Adnan were empathetic rather than sourced from his own guilt.
3. I believe that Adnan's reactions were sourced in a more religious place. As many prisoners go to religion when they are locked up, Adnan had probably become more religious and through that was able to remain calm. Koenig probably included this to show how Adnan is a person who thinks and doesn't lose himself when angered.
4. This episode did not change my view on Adnan. I believed that Adnan was innocent for a decent amount of time and this episode only supports that idea.
1. I feel like the 2:36 call is not relevant to the case. I think that the 2:36 call was just a coincidence that happened to coincide with the prosecution’s timeline. i also do not trust Jay, so I do not think that the call came from the Best Buy. I am unsure about whether or not the murder happend at the Best Buy. It seem unlikely, simply because the Best Buy is so public, and there might have been security cameras.
ReplyDelete2. Adnan’s reaction might have made him seem more suspicious. He might have seemed like he was acting when he called the police to tell them that they had the wrong person. On the other hand, his overreaction could also be perceived as him being in shock which would make him seem less guilty.
3. I think that Adnan behaves like a good, innocent person in his trial. His behavior during the trial seems to indicate an easy going personality and someone who gets along with everyone else. Koenig included the information about his good behavior to make the listener see hear he has behaved well in prison. She wants the listener to realize that he is a good person who has not let the situation beat him down.
4. The episode did not change my view of him mostly because I already perceived him as a friendly, decent person. This episode only reaffirmed what I already believed about Adnan.
1) I think that Jay saw someone at the best buy, maybe even wearing red gloves, but in heat of the moment said that it was Adnan. He might have mixed up the people. I don't think that the murder was done at best buy.
ReplyDelete2) I don't think that his reaction is cause for concern as he seemed to have really cared for Hae.
3) I think that he is a teenager and that comes out strong in his trial. He was scared, worried, and was put in a situation where he was guilty. Even his personality in jail shows that he really didn't truly understand the situation.
4) I am biased as I already know that Adnan is innocent, but I would say that this assures me that he was innocent or at least didn't deserve the treatment he was given in court.
1) I think that it is possible that this could be another case of Jay's story being warped. He could have seem Adnan leaving the phone booth and walking outside and thought that the phone booth was actually outside. Even if the 2:36 call was from Adnan to Jay I don't think that Hae was killed at Best Buy. It just seems like a very conspicuous location to murder someone and load them into your trunk.
ReplyDelete2) Not really. Adnan seemed to be a concerned friend for almost everything. He didn't want to believe that it was Hae that was dead and seemed scared that it really was her. In earlier episodes Adnan admitted that before he was taken into custady he would listen in on groups of Hae's friends that were trying to find her and genuenly wanted to know what happened to her.
3) I think that this information about Adnan goes towards helping reveal even more of his character. He was sorry that the community had to go through this ordeal and burdened himself with more responsibility towards Hae than he might deserve. It was meant to sow that even in this circumstance Adnan was a good person that wanted his friends, family and community to be happy. I think the information about his time in prison is meant to further push this idea of Adnan being a kind and good person.
4) This episode did add more to Adnan but it didn't change how I view him. I saw him as a good guy before this and all this episode did was reinforce that idea in my head. It showed how he was willing to take responsibility for something that he only had a small part in and that speaks to the type of person that I see him as.
1) What do you think happened regarding the 2:36 call and the Best Buy parking lot location? Do you think that the murder actually took place at Best Buy? Explain.
ReplyDeleteI do not think the murder took place in Best Buy. Whenever I go out shopping I remember it and the fact that Adnan cannot recall going there makes me believe him. Also the fact that Summer said there was no phone booth helps to show that Jay was lying. Even if they were in a remoter place of the parking lot, I can’t imagine why a person would commit a murder in such a public and open space.
2) Do you think that Adnan's reactions to Hae's body being found make him suspicious? Why or why not?
I do not think Adnan’s reaction made him suspicious. He loved Hae and his reaction was what anyone close to a deceased would do. Even though Adnan and Hae broke up, he still cared about her and had an understandable reaction.
3) What do Adnan's actions throughout the trial and during his time in jail say about his personality? Why do you think Koenig included the information about his good behavior in prison in her podcast?
I think Adnan’s actions show how genuinely good he is. Despite all he had to go through, he was still able to see the other side of the case. He realized his action of being a “bad” muslim and not remembering the day affected the jury's verdict and he had no hard feelings. Koenig probably included that information to show how no matter what Adnan went through, he will never let the situation change his view on life.
4) Did this episode change your view on Adnan? Why or why not?
This episode confirmed my ideas that Adnan is a good man and did not kill Hae. I thought Adnan would hate the world because he was convicted for something he didn’t do but he stayed true to himself.
1.) Regarding the 2:36 call from Best buy, I believe that it happened. While there is confusion as to where the payphone was, it is possible that Jay's ecollection is of where adnan was standing, and since he knew Adnan used a payphone, he remembered one being there when there really wasnt.
ReplyDelete2.) I do not think that Adnan's reaction is due cause for suspicion. People react to these sorts of events in many different ways, and I can say from personal experience that his reaction isn't all that unusual, even for someone who is innocent of the murder.
3.) Througiut the trial and his time and jail, Adnan's actions say a lot about his personality. They show that he is a caring guy, who doesn't want to cause trouble for anyone and mostly wants to stay out of people's way. This would also explain the guilt that he felt the whole time as well.
4.) This episode did not change my view of Adnan as I did not see any evidence that contradicts his innocence. Most of the evidence was based in speculation of people's reactions, which is not at all an exact science.
1) I don't believe that the murder took place at Best Buy. Summer seems to know a lot about the layout of the building and its surroundings, so I trust her. Additionally, Jay has already proven himself to be untrustworthy due to his ever-changing recollection of what happened that day. Also, why would someone commit a murder in such a public space??? It seems fishy to me...
ReplyDelete2) No, I don't think Adnan's reaction made him suspicious. He had just been told that his ex-girlfriend (whom he still seemed to appreciate as a person) was killed and found in a forest! Any highschooler learning of such a traumatic event would display confusion and fear, especially considering how close he was to the victim. I think it would've been more suspicious if he hadn't shown any strong reaction at all...
3) I think Adnan is a very rational and apologetic person. He seems to feel really bad about what happened to Hae, even though he says he wasn't the cause of it. As for his behavior in prison, I think he's simply trying to avoid any trouble (after all, messing around with a girl and doing illegal things contributed to him being there in the first place). He doesn't want to cause any more difficulties for those he's close to, so he's living a content life with what he has been provided with.
4) No, this episode didn't change my view on Adnan. However, I do feel like it provided a bit more insight into what his life is really like, in addition to his feelings towards his limited future. Overall, I still see him as a kind person who wound up in prison due to severely unfortunate circumstances.
1) What do you think happened regarding the 2:36 call and the Best Buy parking lot location? Do you think that the murder actually took place at Best Buy? Explain.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the murder happened the way that it did, especially the murder happening at best buy. First off, I think Jay is lying here. Second off, it would have been pretty impossible to get the murder done within the allotted amount of time.
2) Do you think that Adnan's reactions to Hae's body being found make him suspicious? Why or why not?
I don't think that Adnan's reactions to finding the body were suspicious. As Hae being someone he cared about, his reaction was pretty normal.
3) What do Adnan's actions throughout the trail and during his time in jail say about his personality? Why do you think Koenig included the information about his good behavior in prison in her podcast?
I'd say that his actions show him to be a compassionate and kind person. He wouldn't be the kind of person to commit such a crime. I think that Koenig has a bias towards Adnan, she might believe that he is innocent, that is why I believe that he portrays him in such a positive light.
4) Did this episode change your view on Adnan? Why or why not?
This episode did not change my view on Adnan. I always believed him to be a good person.