Serial Episode Eight
https://serialpodcast.org/season-one/8/the-deal-with-jay
Part I –Listen to the Serial Episode and post a thoughtful question in our class forum as described in the Syllabus.
Some issues related to the legal aspects of evidence and procedure seen in this episode include:
Jurors
Reasonable doubt
Witness credibility based on corroboration
Statement against penal interest
Presumption of innocence
Plea bargain
Sentence bargain
Accessory to crime
Privileged upbringing and failure to understand the realities and challenges of criminal behavior
Part II – Respond thoughtfully to at least one other student’s question as described in the Syllabus.
After listening to this week’s serial, I was a little shocked that Jay, despite his accessory to the Hae murder, got almost royal treatment by law enforcement when he was interrogated. I don’t think someone who is an accessory after the fact should get a sentence bargain in the end. A thoughtful note might be that Jay was described as a troubled young person, that many thought it wasn’t strange that he became involved in the Hae murder. I would think that Jay did all this to save his skin because Adnan held the accessory aspect over him, which I believe put tremendous pressure on him and further pushed his mental health to the side. One idea why he got a lower sentence was that Koenig describes in the podcast that Jay “gave detectives everything.” Many of Jay’s actions can likely be tied to his upbringing discussed at the end of this episode. I know he showed remorse at trial, but I think it is BS that he shall get off the hook quickly with lousy probation for two years; he was helping to get rid of Hae, according to the podcast. So the question that I’d like to ask was it fair that Jay, despite his involvement, got off the hook so quickly in a way? Additionally, Adnan looks more suspicious that he strangled Hae because of his anger and motive. She dated that other man; this becomes apparent when you hear Koenig mention Adnan’s suspicious phone call to Gen that eventually led to law enforcement to Jay. As a final note, I’d like to think that Jay’s end play was done because detectives had what they refer to as a complete circle. But, also that Adnan was the suspect all along, maybe because he was described as the logical suspect in this dream case. Hopefully, next week will tell more!
