Synopsis: “Part Five: The Tree Grew” captures the latest chapter for Adnan Syed, whose story was first captured in the popular podcast “Serial.” Amy J. Berg’s 2019 HBO four-part documentary series THE CASE AGAINST ADNAN SYED explores the 1999 murder of high school student Hae Min Lee, and the arrest and conviction of Syed, who was her ex-boyfriend at the time. Featuring exclusive access to Adnan, this new episode chronicles the turns in the case that unfold after a suspect from the original investigation into Lee’s murder is caught assaulting a woman. This development lead Adnan’s legal team to revisit the case and demand a new investigation. When the state attorney’s office steps in, the prosecution pushes back, resulting in a legal and political tug of war that thrusts Adnan’s case into chaotic uncertainty.
This all-new episode chronicles Adnan’s personal journey from incarceration to freedom, and his eventual reunion with family after 23 years behind bars. During the year-long investigation led by his new lawyer Erica J. Suter and supported by Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, new information is unearthed, exposing flaws in the original investigation and prosecution, including undisclosed evidence pointing to other potential suspects, suppressed witness testimony, and DNA from the crime scene that has remained untested.