American sentenced to life in prison in ‘podcast murder’ case
A US judge has overturned a life sentence for a high-profile murder after more than 20 years. Adnan Syed, 41, was convicted in 2000 for the murder of his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend, The New York Times reports about the case that received a lot of attention in the US crime podcast ‘Serial’.
The Baltimore judge ordered his release after prosecutors presented two new suspects and said they were no longer convinced of Sayed’s guilt and the evidence at trial. He is placed under house arrest pending a possible new trial. The judge gave prosecutors 30 days to make a decision.
Syed was a 17-year-old high school student when he was arrested in 1999 for the murder of his ex-girlfriend and former classmate. He has always claimed to be innocent of the murder of his ex, who was found strangled and buried in a Baltimore park. The man had been trying to get a new trial for some time. The victim’s brother said during the hearing that he felt betrayed by wanting the decision of the Public Prosecution Service of the conviction.