this morning, she is speaking out exclusively to abc news sot asia mcclain: the biggest thing to us was setting a good example for our children. leaving a legacy of integrity? but prosecutors say justice was served 16 years ago? mcclain admits, she does not have all the answers? sot asia mcclain: do i think adnan killed hae? honestly i couldn't tell you as for syed? after spending nearly half his life in prison, his attorney says on syed's behalf he is thankful for his day in court wmar sot adnan syed i'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to present new evidence for the love of my family and friends who stood by me all this time." elias: still to come on local 5 news midday... (weather) sam has the details in central iowa's most accurate forecast next. forecast with meteorologist sam schreier. certified by weatherrate the independent weather experts" sam weather adlib: iowa is going to get some light snow during the morning hours especially across west and central iowa. this will be a very light snow, between about 0.5 to 1.5 inches. the snow will swing through during the early mo

the star witness was somebody named asia chapman, asia mcclain before she was married.ut the fact that she had an alibi for adnan syed that day but was never called by the defense during the original trial, correct? >> correct. >> let's take a listen to what she says right now. >> do i think adnan killed her? honestly, i couldn't tell you. by coming forward i hope i was able to provide enough information to the judge for him to be able to make a rational decision. whatever that might be is in his hands. >> so there's two factors here, susan, right? the fact that the attorney did not go to this alibi witness potentially and also that she provides an alibi. >> the case is called strickland. what that means basically and how it affects us here is that adnan has to show that gutierrez filed contact asia mcclain, filed investigate it and failed to call her to the stand. the second part is that he has to show that if his attorney had talked to asia mcclain and put her on the stand, there is a good chance it could have made a difference. >> yes. >> and he -- he -- i believe fo

mistakes highlighted by "serial" host sarah koenig, was failure to contact a key alibi witness, asia mcclain. >> if there was some prove his innocence, great, up >> but i think, asia, you might be that technicality. >> reporter: after hearing her in the podcast, syed's defense team called mcclain to testify during the new hearing. syed at the time prosecutors contend he killed lee. >> i was sitting in the library bored to tears, and someone walked in that i knew. i asked him about his breakup with hai. she was dating someone else but that he just wanted her to be happy. he didn't seem to be disturbed or angry with her. >> reporter: she is speaking out exclusively to abc news. >> the biggest thing to us was setting a good example for our children, leaving a legacy of integrity. >> reporter: but prosecutors say, justice was served 16 years ago. mcclain admits she does not have all the answers. >> do i think adnan killed hai? honestly, i couldn't tell you. by coming forward, i hope that i was able to provide enough information to the judge for him to be able to make a rational decision. whateve

. >> to not ever contact asia mcclain, to never find out if her story helps or hurts your case, that is not a strategy. >> reporter: one of the issues was failing to contact a potentially key alibi witness, asia mcclain. >> if there were some technicalities, great, you >> but i think asia, like you might be that technicality. >> reporter: after hearing her in the podcast syed's defense team called mcclain to testify during the new hearing, mcclain maintaining she was with syed at the time prosecutors contend he killed lee. >> i was sitting in the library, bored to tears, and someone walked in that i knew. i asked him about his girlfriend that was dating someone else. he just wanted her to be happy. >> reporter: this morning she is speak out exclusively to abc news. >> the biggest thing to us was seating good example for our children, leaving a legacy of integrity. >> reporter: but prosecutors say justice was served 16 years ago. mcclain admits she does not have all the answers. >> do i think adnan killed her? honestly, i couldn't tell you. able to provide enough information to the ju

the state continued its cross-examination of star witness asia mcclain, now known as asia chapman.he attorney for the state spent most of the morning on when chapman wrote alibi letters to annan syed in jail. they were written a few days after his arrest. the maryland deputy attorney general drove home the question of when she wrote those letters asking if they were written months after syed's arrest and if he had put her up to it. she insisted consistently no. university of maryland law professor doug colbert represented syed right after he was arrested and came to watch today. >> asia mcclain has been a credible witness throughout her testimony, and she hasn't wavered from her alibi defense. i think she's been a very strong witness for adnan syed. >> reporter: the hearing is garnering worldwide attention after the case was played out on a hugely popular podcast called "serial." amber followed every aspect of the case and is a member of the muslim community syed comes from. she too thought mcclain was good. >> she comes off as very genuine. it doesn't seem like she has a hidden ag

mistakes highlighted by serial host sarah caning whose failure to contact a key alibi witness asia mcclaint, you know. that technicality. >> after hearing herg in the podcast, say yed's defense team called mcclain to testify during the new hearing. mcclain maintaining she was with say yed at the time prosecutors contend he killed lee. >> i was sitting in the library bored to tears, and someone walked in that i knew. i asked him about his breakup with haley. she was dating someone else but that he just wanted her to be happy. he didn't seem to be disturbed or angry with her. >> she is speaking out exclusively to abc news. >> the biggest thing to us was setting a good xwampl for our children. leaving a legacy of integrity. >> but prosecutors say justice was served 16 years ago. mcclain admits she does not have the all the answers. >> do i think adnan killed hey? honestly i couldn't tell you. by coming forward, i hope that i was able to p information to the judge for him to be able to make a rational decision. whatever that might be is in his hands. >> reporter: as for say yed, after spending

arguing she made so many mistakes that his conviction should be overturne >> to not ever contact asia mcclain, to never find out if her story helps or hurts your case, that makes no sense whatsoever. that is not a strategy. alleged mistakes highlighted by "serial" host sara koenig failing to contact a potentially key alibi witness, asia mcclain. >> if there was nom technicality that then would prove his innocence, great, you know. >> but i think, i think asia, you might be that technicality. >> reporter: after hearing her in the podcast syed's defense team called mcclain to testify during the n hearing. mcclain maintaining she was with syed at the time prosecutors contend he killed lee. >> i was sitting in the library boreto tear ss and someone walked in that i knew. i asked him about hisis breakup with haee she was dating someone else. he justanted her to be happy. he didn't seem to be disturbed or angry with her. >> reporter: this morning, she is speaking out exclusion lively to abc news. >> the biggest thing was setting a good examp for our children, >> reporter: but prosecutors say justic

asia mcclain never even made that list.an who says she saw syed in the woodlawn public library at the time hae min lee disappeared. >> when a lawyer fails to do what's necessary, that rises to the level of a constitutional violation. >> reporter: the former branch manager of the woodlawn public library took the stand in court. she says the library had surveillance cameras at the time but syed's defense team never inquired about obtaining the videotapes. on cross-examination though, the state pointed out those tapes would have been erased by the time of syed's arrest in february. transcripts from the podcast "serial" have been entered as exhibit. this fan flew in from california to watch it play out. >> it's entertaining. let's leave it at that. if you're asking me who is innocent and who is guilty, i can't tell you. >> sarah koenig is providing new podcasts based on what's going on with this case. court resumes monday morning. >>> now at 6:00, a shake-up in the race for the white house. what new poll numbers reveal just fou

syed's current attorney said her failure to call alibi witness asia mcclain showed her business was comingnwound. >> how can any criminal defense attorney make the case that not contacting an alibi witness who was with you at the time the state says a murder was occurred? you cannot have anything more infective than that. >> reporter: infective counsel and questionable cell phone records are the main arguments for a new trial but the deputy attorney general of maryland said mr. syed was convicted because he did it and the state proved it. saying syed's motive was possessiveness and citing forensic evidence linking him to a vehicle that contained her body as well as the burial site in lincoln park where the victim's body was found. >>> right now at 6:00, some challenges for drivers during the evening rush. minor flooding reported in loudoun andmo montgomery counti. >>> some drivers having a tough time navigating these conditions. there are reports of some spinouts but no major accidents tonight. this is video from i-395 a few hours ago. >>> it's not just the rain drivers have to worry about

strategy. phighlighted by serial host sarah pkoenig was failure to contact a pkey alibi witness asia mcclain. p>> great, you know. p>> but i think, asia, you might pbe that technicality. p>> after hearing her in the odcast, syed's defense team pcalled mcclain to testify during pthe new hearing. pmcclain maintaining she was with psyed at the time prosecutors pcontend he killed lee. p>> i was sitting in the library pbored to tears, and someone pwalked in that i knew. pi asked him about his breakup pwith hai lee. pshe was dating someone else but pthat he just wanted her to be phappy. phe didn't seem to be disturbed por angry with her. p>> she is speaking out pexclusively to abc news. p>> the biggest thing to us was psetting a good example for our pchildren, leaving a legacy of pintegrity. p>> but prosecutors say justice pwas served 16 years ago. pmcclain admits she does not have p>> do i think adnan killed hai? phonestly i couldn't tell you. pby coming forward, i hope that i pwas able to provide enough pinformation to the judge for him pto be able to make a rational pdecision, whatever that mig

highlighted by p"serial" host sara koenig pfailing to contact a potentially pkey alibi witness, asia mcclain. p>> if there was nom technicality pthat then would prove his pinnocence, great, you know. p>> but i think, i think asia, pyou might be that technicality. p>> reporter: after hearing her pin the podcast syed's defense pteam called mcclain to testify pduring the new hearing. pmcclain maintaining she was with psyed at the time prosecutors pcontend he killed lee. p>> i was sitting in the library pbored to tear s s and someone pwalked in that i knew. pi asked him about his breakup pwith haee she was dating someone pelse. phe didn't seem to be disturbed por angry with her. p>> reporter: this morning, she pis speaking out exclusion lively pto abc news. p>> the biggest thing was setting pa good example for our children, pleaving a legacy of integrity. p>> reporter: but prosecutors say pjustice was served 16 years ago. pmcclain admits she does not have pall the answers. p>> do i think adnan killed hae? phonestly i couldn't tell you. pi hope i was able to provide penough information to the jud