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2 Woodlawn High graduates question Asia McClain alibi in Adnan Syed case

Posted at 7:51 PM, Aug 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-23 06:48:14-04

The State of Maryland has filed an application that would discredit testimony provided by an alibi witness for Adnan Syed, the subject of the Serial podcast.

Earlier this year, Asia McClain testified that she spoke with Syed in the Woodlawn Public Library on January 13, 1999. McClain was never contacted by Syed's attorney before his murder trial. 

Syed's lawyers argued that his original attorney, Cristina Gutierrez, was ineffective because she failed to call McClain, an alibi witness.

Monday, the state of Maryland filed a limited remand with affidavits from two former classmates of McClain's who question her alibi. Sisters and graduates of Woodlawn High School, they say McClain could be fabricating her alibi.

According to court documents:

Shortly after Adnan Syed was arrested in 1999, she came to class and started talking about him and the case and her being convinced of Adnan's innocence. She said she would be willing to make up a story to help Adnan. I told her how serious this was and that someone had lost their life and if he was innocent she should let the evidence show that and that she shouldn't play around with something so serious. Asia never mentioned seeing Adnan in the library or she saw him at all the day Lee went missing.

The witnesses said they were classmates and close friends of McClain. They said in court documents that they got into an argument with McClain when she said she would be willing to lie for Syed.

I have not gotten involved until now because I thought this was just entertainment and
that no one would actually take Asia's story seriously. I remember our argument very
well. In fact, she did not give any reason why she thought Adnan was innocent. V/e
were arguing because she was saying she was going to make something up to help him
and I could not believe she did not understand the seriousness of what she was saying she
was going to do.

The sisters say they had to come forward once Syed was granted a new trial.

My sister and I have had several conversations about the likelihood of Adnan being
granted another trial based on Asia's testimony. I was sure he would not be granted a new
trial. When my sister and I heard about the new trial I suggested we contact the State's
Attorney handling the case and that we should tell them about the conversation in Ms.
Graham's class. 

The witnesses came to the state's attention after one of the sisters sent an email following the post-conviction court's decision to grant Syed a new trial. Both witnessed have spoken with police and executed sworn affidavits. 

Related Headlines:

Serial's Adnan Syed granted new trial

Md. Attorney General files appeal to Adnan Syed retrial

Key alibi witness for Adnan Syed, Asia McClain, speaks in first TV interview

Adnan Syed's defense team files cross appeal in 'Serial' podcast case

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