Family and friends of Adnan Syed, who is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his ex-girlfriend 18-year-old Hae Min Lee, recall their blossoming high-school romance, their emotional breakup, Lee's mysterious disappearance, the discovery of her body, and the events that led to Syed’s arrest. After the podcast phenomenon Serial resurrects the cold case for millions, Syed’s family prepares for his appeal in February 2016, and hope for a chance to discover the truth after nearly 20 years.
As Syed’s appeal for a new trial gets underway, supporters look back at the 1999 confession of his friend, Jay Wilds, who claimed he helped Syed bury Lee’s body. With questions remaining regarding the police's timeline of events, acquaintance Asia McClain becomes a key figure in providing a possible alibi for him. While private investigators consult experts in hopes of re-creating circumstances surrounding evidence in the case, the veracity of Wilds’ testimony is called into question years later.
With Syed’s 2016 post-conviction hearing for appeal drawing to a close, figures in the case reflect on issues raised by the original trial, including misleading cellphone records and new cell tower data, questionable interviews, and gaps in information related to Jay Wilds’ involvement. The polarized culture in which the trial took place reveals a Korean community uniting to demand a conviction from a city they felt had systematically overlooked them, and a Pakistani-Muslim community that felt Adnan’s religion and ethnicity were on trial. Memories of events are questioned and the impact of the podcast Serial on those involved in the story is explored. Attorney Susan Simpson, along with others, is enlisted to further probe lingering questions around the State’s case against Syed.
Despite being granted a new trial, Adnan Syed and his attorneys contend with the State's repeated appeals, while a competitive primary race for Baltimore City State's Attorney has the potential to affect the case's future. Private investigators grapple with outstanding questions as they re-analyze the forensic evidence surrounding Hae Min Lee's death and Syed faces a major decision as his 20th year in prison approaches. On March 8, 2019, the Court of Appeals issues a new ruling to reverse both lower court decisions and deny him a new trial.
