Adnan Syed, the subject of the hit podcast series Serial, walked out of court to cheers after a Maryland judge overturned his murder conviction and ordered his release after more than 23 years behind bars. Baltimore City Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn vacated the 41-year-old’s conviction and granted him a new trial on Monday. His conviction was overturned after prosecutors said a nearly year-long investigation had cast doubt on the validity of cell tower data and revealed new information about the possible involvement of two alternative, unnamed suspects. Officials now have 30 days to decide whether to drop the charges against Mr Syed entirely. There is reason to believe they will. Meanwhile, Mr Syed will remain in custody with a GPS bracelet tracking his movements. Syed was convicted in 2000 of first-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping and imprisoning his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Lee, 18, disappeared after leaving high school on January 13, 1999. Her strangled body was found in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park about a month later. Mr Syed has always maintained his innocence.
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“Leftovers at home never tasted so good”
After 23 years in prison, Adnan Syed seems to be enjoying some of the simpler things after his 1999 murder conviction was vacated. Rabia Chaudry, a lawyer and friend of the Syed family, posted a video on Monday afternoon showing the 41-year-old enjoying some leftover pasta. Josh Marcus September 20, 2022 10:30 am 1663662600
People react to Adnan Syed news
A judge has overturned the murder conviction of Adnan Syed, whose legal case was the subject of the hit podcast series Serial. On Monday, September 19, the 41-year-old was released after 23 years behind bars. Syed was convicted in 2000 of first-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping and imprisoning his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Prosecutors had recently asked for Said’s release on the grounds that “the state no longer has confidence in the integrity of the conviction,” after an investigation cast doubt on the validity of cell tower data and revealed two unnamed alternate suspects. Syed has always maintained his innocence. Celebrities who were fans of the podcast or had other ties to the case reacted to the bombshell news on Twitter. “The case was overturned!!! Adnan Syed is once again found innocent in the eyes of the law,” wrote Pretty in Pink actor Jon Cryer. Amanda Whiting with the full report.
Celebrities react to serial podcast about Adnan Syed’s release from prison
Syed’s case was popularized on journalist Sarah Koenig’s podcast in 2014 Josh Marcus20 September 2022 09:30 1663659000
Voices: Adnan Syed’s conviction should have been thrown out a long time ago
When it comes to the Adnan Syed case, as Clémence Michallon writes in her latest Voices column, innocent was “the only possible conclusion in 2014 and remains the only possible conclusion now, eight years later,” given all the holes in the original prosecution. Read her full article below. Josh Marcus20 September 2022 08:30 1663655437
Adnan Syed speaks after his release from prison
Adnan Syed said he “can’t believe it’s real” as he walked free from court after a Baltimore judge overturned his conviction for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Baltimore City Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn vacated the 41-year-old’s conviction “in the interest of justice” on Monday and granted him a new trial, marking the latest dramatic twist in a case that has drawn worldwide attention. Said’s shackles were removed and a judge ordered him released on house arrest while the investigation into Lee’s murder continues. Minutes later, he was met with a roar of cheers as he descended the courthouse steps and entered a waiting vehicle. Said smiled and waved the peace sign to his supporters, but declined to comment. Rachel Sharp has more on what the Maryland man had to say after 23 years in prison.
Serial podcast’s Adnan Syed ‘can’t believe it’s real’ after murder conviction overturned
Syed has spent the past two decades behind bars for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee Josh Marcus20 September 2022 07:30 1663651837
Alternate suspects emerge in Adnan Syed case
Adnan Syed walked free from court on Monday after a nearly year-long investigation revealed new evidence implicating two alternative suspects in the 1999 killing of student Hae Min Lee. Here’s what we know about the other suspects so far.
Adnan Syed: What we know about two alternative suspects in the ‘Serial’ murder.
The serial podcast named Ronald Lee Moore, a career criminal and accused murderer from Baltimore, as a suspect in Hae Min Lee’s murder Josh Marcus20 September 2022 06:30 1663648237
The Supreme Court decision that may deny legal recourse to Adnan Syed
One of the key claims used to vacate Adnan Syed’s murder conviction is that prosecutors withheld valuable evidence from his defense, in what is known as a Brady violation. So you would think that if this could be proven, Mr. Syed could sue the prosecutors for denying him his full legal rights and 23 years of life as a result. Instead, because of an obscure 1976 Supreme Court case called Imbler v Pachtman, prosecutors cannot be sued for intentionally withholding evidence. At the time, the high court noted that such a decision would reject the “genuinely wronged” remedy, but that this result was worthwhile because it is “better to leave wrongs committed by dishonest officers unremedied than to subdue them who are trying to do their duty in the face of the constant terror of retaliation.” Many government officials enjoy broad immunity from prosecution. “It’s one of the most egregious, harmful abuses of government power imaginable, completely without civil remedies,” civil rights attorney Hannah Marie noted on Twitter Monday. Josh Marcus20 September 2022 05:30 1663644637
What’s next for Adnan Syed?
First, Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, whose office sought to overturn Mr. Syed’s conviction, must decide whether to bring new charges. Subsequent investigations revealed that evidence of other suspects was not shared with Mr. Syed’s defense, prosecutors said. That evidence, in addition to ongoing DNA testing of evidence in the case, will likely influence Ms. Mosby’s decision. Meanwhile, Mr Syed will remain in custody with a GPS bracelet tracking his movements. The Maryland Attorney General’s Office says it stands by its decision to fight Mr. Syed’s appeals over the years and has accused Ms. Mosby’s effort to overturn the conviction as containing “serious problems.” He also denied committing a so-called Brady violation, which occurs when officials fail to turn over potentially exculpatory evidence to those accused of crimes. “Neither State’s Attorney Mosby nor anyone in her office bothered to consult with either the Assistant District Attorney who prosecuted the case or anyone in my office regarding these alleged violations,” said Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosch , to the Baltimore Sun in a statement. “The file in this case was made available to the defense on multiple occasions.” Josh Marcus20 September 2022 04:30 1663641037
Is America too addicted to true crime stories?
Maybe you’ve seen The Thing About Pam, NBC’s recent dark comedy starring Renee Zellwegger as convicted murderer Pam Hupp – and devoured it in a binge. Or maybe you watched it from week to week, reading reviews about how much time Zellwegger spent in the makeup chair. But you probably didn’t know that a detective who worked on the real Hupp case found the show “despicable,” misleading about the case, the witnesses, the investigation, and everything else. The true crime phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down – as documentaries, podcasts, dramatizations and all manner of content continue to explode across platforms – and this Detective Hupp’s reaction is not unusual. Armchair sleuths may spend countless hours poring over the lives of crime victims while devising their own theories, but family members, investigators, the victims themselves and even the perpetrators often cringe when they see depictions of their own lives . Sheila Flynn has this look at the hidden effects of America’s true crime obsession.
True crime is a guilty pleasure. Victims, families and killers have words of caution
From podcasts to primetime, true crime content has been exploding exponentially for nearly a decade as streaming services diversify and lockdown habits increase consumption. But everyone from victims’ relatives to serial killers themselves is asking one question: Is it harmful? Sheila Flynn reports Josh Marcus20 September 2022 03:30 1663637437
Adnan Syed is raising money to get back to life outside of prison
Adnan Syed was just released from prison after spending 23 years behind bars after his conviction for the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, a former high school girlfriend, was vacated on Monday. However, his journey is not over. Officials now have 30 days to decide whether to bring new charges against Mr Syed or alternative suspects who have been identified since he was jailed. Meanwhile, Mr. Syed, 41, is fundraising for his life outside prison, seeking $50,000, which his team says is for legal fees and to support his reintegration. Josh Marcus20 September 2022 02:30 1663634737
Looking back at the podcast that made Adnan Syed famous
Adnan Syed’s story has not always been high-profile. It took Serial, a spinoff from the This American Life podcast, to bring new attention to the case Clémence Michallon has this look at how an unassuming show played on US public radio stations helped shed new light on a muddled police investigation.
