The Maryland appeals court on Tuesday reversed Adnan Syed’s release due to a procedural error. The man, who spent 23 years in prison for the murder of his then girlfriend, was released at the end of last year, thanks in part to the popular podcast ‘Serial’.
In September, the Baltimore district attorney filed a request to overturn the 2000 verdict that had sentenced Adnan Syed to life in prison for the murder of his former girlfriend. According to the prosecutor, two other potential suspects had been found in the meantime, who were featured in the podcast ‘Serial’. After she filed her request for the verdict to be overturned, the prosecution did not file a new case, leaving Syed a free man.
However, an appeals court in Maryland has now ruled that there was a procedural error and that the rights of the victim’s brother, Young Lee, were not respected. According to the court, he was not informed in time of the hearing where a decision was taken on the annulment of the verdict.
New hearing
As a result, the court overturned the trial court’s decision to drop the case against Syed and reinstated the original verdict and sentence imposed. There will now be a new hearing, at which the possible reversal of the verdict will be discussed again. It is still unclear whether Syed will have to go to prison again.
Adnan Syed was charged with the murder of his then-girlfriend Hae Min Lee (18) in 1999. The prosecution suspected the then 17-year-old Syed of acting out of jealousy because his girlfriend would have had plans to leave him for another man. Syed has always denied the allegations.
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