After reversing his conviction for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, a case which was the subject of the popular podcast Serial, a judge in Baltimore on Monday ordered the release of Adnan Syed.
Judge Melissa Phinn of the circuit court ruled that the state had broken the law by failing to provide Syed’s defense with exculpatory evidence, and she ordered that Syed be placed under home detention with GPS tracking. Additionally, Phinn granted the state 30 days to decide whether to ask for a new trial or to throw the case out. Phinn concluded the hearing by saying that all right, Mr. Syed, you are free to join your family. Syed grinned as he was taken through a sea of photographers and jubilant spectators outside and into an SUV.
Lee was murdered after being strangled at the age of 18. In February 1999, her buried remains were discovered in Baltimore’s Leakin Park. Syed’s initial trial ended in a mistrial in December 1999. He was found guilty of murder and given a life sentence at his second trial in February 2000. He has been imprisoned for more than 20 years and is now 41. He has always insisted on being innocent. He was handcuffed and led into the crowded courtroom on Monday. He sat next to his lawyer while sporting a white shirt and tie. The state attorney, Marilyn Mosby, as well as his mother and other family members, were there.
When the first season of Serial cast doubt on some of the evidence utilized, the case first attracted significant media attention in 2014. Sarah Koenig, a radio producer and former Baltimore Sun reporter who spent more than a year investigating the case and reporting her discoveries in hour-long chunks, created the 12-part true-crime series. The Peabody Award-winning podcast significantly increased the popularity of the format. A Maryland judge recommended that Syed be given a second trial in 2016, citing concerns with the cellphone evidence that had been used to condemn him.
Then, activist and lawyer Rabia Chaudry stated: “Adnan is like a brother to me as well as my younger brother’s best friend. He has maintained his innocence ever since being removed from his bed in the early morning hours of February 26, 1999, and I, along with my family, have believed him. Every piece of forensic evidence gathered, according to Chaudry, led to Adnan’s innocence. The hairs that were discovered on Lee’s body did not match Adnan, and dozens of soil samples obtained from his clothes, shoes, vehicle, and room did not match soil from Leakin Park.
The family of Lee stated at the time that it was still difficult to witness so many people defend someone who had committed a terrible crime, ruined their family, and refused to take responsibility when so few people were willing to speak out for Hae. Additionally, the family stated that, unlike others who read about this case online, they sat and watched every day of both trials – so many witnesses, so much evidence. The retrial order was appealed by the state. Syed was ultimately refused a retrial by the Maryland Supreme Court. The case was not taken up for review by the US Supreme Court. Prosecutors submitted a request last week claiming that new information was found during a protracted inquiry with the defense that might cast doubt on Syed’s conviction.
The inquiry, according to Mosby’s office, found unreported and freshly produced material on two alternate suspects, as well as faulty cellular tower data. Prosecutors said the suspects were known individuals at the time of the initial investigation but were not adequately ruled out or provided to the defense. They declined to provide further details on the suspects because the investigation is still underway. Becky Feldman, an assistant state attorney, detailed factors that cast doubt on the conviction, such as questionable witness testimony and a possibly biased detective.
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I recognize how challenging this is, but we must make sure the right person is held accountable, Feldman added. Inquiries made on Monday went unanswered by Lee’s family. Mosby said that police were awaiting the results of a ‘DNA test’ before determining whether to ask for a new trial, throw the case out of court, or ‘certify Syed’s innocence.’ She went on to say that seeking justice was always worthwhile.
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