ANNAPOLIS, Md. (DC News Now) — Adnan Syed’s murder conviction still stands. On Friday, Maryland’s highest court ordered a redo of the hearing that freed him.
It’s been 24 years since he was initially convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend in a case widely publicized on the hit podcast “Serial.”
Maryland’s Supreme Court said the family of Hae Min Lee didn’t receive adequate notice to attend the hearing in person where a judge initially vacated Syed’s conviction.
Syed spent more than 20 years in prison, convicted for the 1999 murder of his high school ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee.
Almost two years ago in September 2022, a Baltimore judge vacated his conviction after prosecutors said they found flaws in the evidence.
“There was no evidence presented in court and no one, including the family of Hae Min Lee had an opportunity to comment,” said David Sanford, an attorney representing the family of Hae Min Lee with Sanford Heisler Sharp.
Friday, Maryland’s Supreme Court ruled that Hae Min Lee’s brother Young Lee Wasn’t given reasonable notice of the hearing that freed Syed.
A 4-3 ruling upheld an appellate court decision that reinstated Syed’s conviction last year.
“What we’ve been asking for is transparency in the system. A right to be heard. A meaningful participation in the process. And now we’re going to get that,” Sanford said.
Syed’s attorney Erica Suter said in a statement that Adnan is innocent.
“This appeal was about the process for the vacatur, it did not challenge the substance of the vacatur – that there was a Brady violation, that the other evidence supporting his conviction has been debunked, and that subsequent DNA testing excluded Adnan. The weight Hae Min Lee’s family must bear is not lost on us. As this appeal was not about Adnan’s innocence, it was also never a challenge to the suffering that the Lee family has endured. Wrongful convictions devastate the wrongly accused, their family, and the family of the victim. Reinstating Adnan’s wrongful conviction does not provide Hae Min Lee’s family with justice or closure, and it takes a tremendous emotional toll on Adnan’s family, who already lost a son and brother for more than two decades.”
Erica Suter, attorney for Adnan Syed
In a dissenting opinion, Justice Michele Hotten argued the issue was moot because the underlying charges no longer exist, writing, “This case exists as a procedural zombie. It has been reanimated, despite its expiration. The doctrine of mootness was designed to prevent such judicial necromancy.”
“The Maryland Supreme Court got it right. Crime victims in Maryland have a right to be treated with dignity and respect and sensitivity,” Sanford said.
As for his innocence, Sanford said the family believes he committed the crime.
“I don’t believe there’s any evidence to show that Adnan Syed is, in fact, innocent. If there is evidence, I would love to see it and I would be the first one, along with the family of Hae Min Lee, to announce that we support Adnan Syed,” Sanford said.
Syed will remain free as the case heads to a new lower court judge to consider whether his conviction should be tossed. That’s expected to happen this fall.
Syed is currently employed through Georgetown University with the Georgetown Prison and Justice Initiative.
