Key takeaways:
- Baltimore prosecutors moved to vacate Adnan Syed’s murder conviction in September, citing alternative suspects and unreliable evidence used at trial.
- The victim’s family said they received insufficient notice to attend the September hearing before the judge in person, which violated their right to be “treated with dignity and respect.”
- The Maryland Court of Appeals will now decide whether to hear Syed’s appeal. In the meantime, Syed will remain free.
Adnan Syed, who was convicted of murder in 2000, will remain free while Maryland’s Supreme Court decides whether to hear his appeal. In September, Baltimore prosecutors moved to vacate his conviction, citing alternative suspects and unreliable evidence used at trial.
The state’s highest court issued an order on Thursday that prevents the reinstatement of Syed’s murder conviction by a lower court. This comes after the victim’s family said they received insufficient notice to attend the September hearing before the judge in person, which violated their right to be “treated with dignity and respect.”
Syed was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 2000 and was sentenced to life in prison. His case gained national attention after the podcast “Serial” highlighted the case in 2014. Since then, Syed has been granted a new trial and his conviction was overturned in 2016.
The Maryland Court of Appeals will now decide whether to hear Syed’s appeal. If the court decides to hear the case, it could take months or even years before a decision is made. In the meantime, Syed will remain free.
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