James R | On 17, May 2018

Sky and HBO are following in Serial’s footsteps with a new documentary series charting The Case Against Adnan Syed.

Directed by Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, West of Memphis), the four-part series will explore the 1999 disappearance and murder of 18-year-old Baltimore County high school student Hae Min Lee, and the subsequent conviction of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, a case brought to global attention by the hugely popular Serial podcast.

Working Title TV and Instinct Productions are producing, and NBC Universal International Studios are distributing this follow-up to the case, which features original music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

In production since 2015, The Case Against Adnan Syed closely re-examines the events leading up to Hae Min Lee’s disappearance, from high school romance and forbidden love to cultural conflict and the aftermath of her disappearance, as well as the original police investigation and the present day, when Syed awaits a new trial.

Presenting new discoveries as well as ground-breaking revelations that challenge the state’s case, and featuring exclusive access to Syed and his family, the defence team, friends and teachers of both Syed and Lee, plus members of Baltimore City law enforcement, the series traces how Syed’s conviction in 2000 raised more questions than answers about what happened, underscoring the instability of memory and conflicting eyewitnesses.

Director of Programming, Sky Entertainment UK & IRL, Zai Bennett, says: “We’re excited to partner with our friends at HBO to bring this fascinating and gripping case to television screens worldwide. We’ll be offering viewers a compelling window into one of the most talked about murder cases in recent years. The hugely talented Amy Berg has unprecedented access to those closest to the investigation, which is sure to make unmissable viewing.”

In June 2016, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Martin P. Welch vacated Adnan Syed’s conviction and granted him a new trial after new evidence challenged the reliability of cell phone data linking Syed to the crime scene, and a long-awaited alibi witness finally had her day in court. The State of Maryland appealed the lower court judge’s ruling, but on in March 2018, the Court of Special Appeals also ruled to vacate Syed’s conviction and granted him the retrial he has been waiting for.

The Case Against Adnan Syed will air exclusively on Sky Atlantic in the UK.

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