The Maryland Supreme Court reinstated the 2000 murder conviction of Adnan Syed on August 24, after overturning his conviction on appeal in 2022.
Syed was originally convicted of first degree murder of ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, despite multiple failed appeals.
This ruling is the latest happening in the legal proceedings following the podcast “Serial” and HBO docuseries titled “The Case Against Adnan Syed.” Both series explored the investigation that led to the conviction of Syed for the murder of Lee, his high school ex-girlfriend, on a January afternoon in 1999. Syed was convicted without physical evidence.
Maryland’s highest court agreed with an appeals court's decision that the rights of Lee’s family were violated due to her brother Young Lee receiving inadequate notice of the 2022 release as he was not granted the opportunity to fully participate in the hearing.
“I believe all sides should be investigated, because I think that's true. I hope that ultimately justice can be served, whatever that is,” NHS English teacher Tammy Zukowski said.
The ruling will proceed with the efforts to clear away Syed’s conviction from the point that the 2022 motion to vacate was filed by Maryland's state attorney’s office.
At that time prosecutors said they uncovered evidence related to another suspect in the case.
The reinvestigation of the case revealed evidence of the possible involvement of two other suspects other than Syed. This includes a person who said they would make Lee disappear and that he would kill her, prosecutors have previously said.
“In an effort to remedy what they perceived to be an injustice to Mr. Syed, the prosecutor and the circuit court worked an injustice against Mr. Lee by failing to treat him with dignity, respect, and sensitivity and, in particular, by violating Mr. Lee’s rights as a crime victim’s representative to reasonable notice of the Vacatur Hearing, the right to attend the hearing in person, and the right to be heard on the merits of the Vacatur Motion,” the Maryland Supreme Court said in the 4-3 decision.
Syed’s attorney said he and his legal team were unaware of this information until 2022. The conviction of Syed gained widespread popularity ten years after the “Serial” podcast looked into his case, raising questions about his legal representation and conviction. The podcast reached a large audience and set off further examinations of the case.
In two separate occasions, three members of Maryland's Supreme court conveyed disagreement with the majority's rule to reinstate the conviction.
“I think it's hard to find whether he's innocent or guilty because there is so much indecision and I think that one of the reasons we added the podcast to the curriculum is just that. In terms of an argumentative piece everyone has opinions on the case, hopefully and the last thing we want is to either have an innocent man in prison or b have a guilty man free on the streets,” NHS English teacher Marc Kenney said.
Judge Michele Hotten said that under Maryland law, Young Lee “had no right to be heard at the vacatur hearing.”
Hae Min Lee, 18, was killed by strangulation while a student at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, Md.
Lee disappeared after school in 1999, and her body was found in a park a month later.
Evidence and police investigation led to Syed who dated Lee, he was arrested and pleaded not guilty. He was later convicted in 2000.
“I do not believe that Syed is guilty, from what I can see there is not enough evidence to convict him of this heinous crime and he is innocent until proven guilty,” NHS junior Cali Taylor said.
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