Alibi witness casts doubt on ‘Serial’ conviction of Adnan Syed

As a convicted murderer seeks a new trial in a case spotlighted by the popular Serial podcast, an alibi witness who was never before called to testify in the case has cast doubts about testimony from the case’s former prosecutor, who she says persuaded her not to come forward with information that might help win the defendant a new trial.

Asia McClain, now known as Asia Chapman, testified during a hearing for Adnan Syed, who was convicted of murdering Hae Min Lee and is serving a life sentence.

He is seeking a new trial on the grounds that his first attorney was ineffective for failing to contact McClain.

Chapman has said she saw Syed in a library within the time when prosecutors contend he was killing Lee, in 1999. But McClain was never contacted by Syed’s attorney to testify at his trial.

Syed’s current lawyer contends that failure amounts to ineffective council and Syed should have a new trial.

Chapman told the court that years after Syed was convicted, Syed’s new attorney, who was working on an appeal, visited her at her home and left a business card. She looked up the case and called then-prosecutor Kevin Urick because she figured he’d be less biased than the defence attorney.

In their 34-minute phone conversation, during which she took detailed notes, McClain said Urick told her that Syed “killed that girl”.

Chapman testified that Urick convinced her that Syed “was 100 percent guilty, and it was a waste of my time to get involved.”

Chapman will be called to the stand for more testimony.