The highly successful true crime podcast Serial will soon see a new episode release, following the release of Adnan Syed from prison.
Syed was originally convicted of the first-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, but since the launch of the podcast Serial in 2014, the case received renewed attention, now leading to Syed’s early release from a life sentence. Serial’s host Sarah Koenig was present for Syed’s release, and quickly announced a new episode some eight years after the season surrounding the case ended.
Syed served 23 years in prison for the alleged murder, but will now have the murder charge against him vacated, and arguably has the Serial podcast to thank for the overturning of his conviction. Now 41 years-old, Syed will be a free man. The case is still open in the court of public opinion, but this shows the sheer power of true crime podcasts and society’s continued interest in the medium.
Fans of Serial are overjoyed in their responses to the news, with many of them more than happy to return to the macabre subject matter following such a prolonged break. There is still criticism coming for host Koenig, with many believing she should be actively fact-checking old episodes and correcting potential erroneous claims made.
Should Serial now begin with a disclaimer is a big question. It demonstrates a flaw in the true crime world, with claims and old evidence archived forever online, and potentially used to slander those involved in a case. Syed could arguably start a defamation lawsuit against Serial, with the 2014 podcast now seemingly proven to have misled audiences on Syed.
Serial’s post-mortem on the Syed case will be uploaded sometime tomorrow, and will undoubtedly captivate the internet again as one of the trailblazing true crime podcasts.