A week after the Intercept’s initial interview with Kevin Urick, the prosecutor in the “Serial” murder case, we’ve finally got the conclusion. In the update, Urick disputes nearly every defense that “Serial” listeners have employed to argue that Maryland high-schooler Adnan Syed was unfairly convicted of the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. For instance, why was the DNA evidence from the crime scene never tested? “The body was out in the field for what, five weeks? I don’t know how well DNA stands up at that point.” What about the fact that Urick helped Adnan’s alleged accomplice Jay find a lawyer, which seems like it might be a conflict of interest? “I acted to honor constitutional rights and [someone] tried to make that seem like misconduct.” And did anti-Muslim sentiment play any part in Adnan’s trial? “This was well before September 11. Nobody had any misgivings about someone being Muslim back then.” Urick also repeated his claim that Sarah Koenig did not try to contact him until “the week before the last podcast,” which the “Serial” team has vehemently denied.
