Adnan Syed, whose murder trial was part of the hit investigative journalism podcast Serial had his murder conviction reinstated by a Maryland Court. He was declared guilty in 2000 of the murder of his girlfriend in 1999. The case drew widespread attention after doubts were raised in the podcast.
An investigation later found discrepancies in the case and on September 19, 2022, a judge at a circuit court vacated Adnan Syed’s conviction for the murder of Lee and released him. He served over two decades in prison.
The judge allowed Adnan Syed’s prosecutors to choose to retry the murder case. They dropped the case. But an appellate court in Maryland on Tuesday ordered a fresh hearing in a verdict. It maintained that the rights of the family of Hae Min Lee had been violated as they were not invited to be part of a vital hearing of the murder case.
The Court Ruling Implies That The Original Conviction And Sentence Against Adnan Syed Stands
The three-member panel ruled that the Court had the obligation and the power to set right those violations. But in doing so they wanted to ensure that it does not violate the doctrine of double jeopardy against Adnan Syed.
The court declared that it was vacating the lower court order to vacate Adnan Syed’s conviction. This means that the original conviction and sentence against Adnan Syed stand.
The panel of judges did not explicitly order Adnan Syed to be again sent to prison. But it allowed a delay of two months in its mandate. This was to allow both parties the time to evaluate future proceedings.
The Lee family welcomed the ruling but said that the family was not vengeful. They said that it was in the interest of both parties that all evidence was made public.
Adnan Syed has consistently maintained his innocence in the killing of Min Lee. She was eighteen years in 1999 when Lee was smothered to death. Her body was discovered concealed in a park in Baltimore.
Syed’s judicial team has said that he for now remains free. H claimed that the ruling was more about court proceedings and not about him.
