Prosecutors and the attorney for Adnan Syed, the Maryland man at the center of the first season of the "Serial" podcast, have requested new DNA testing that could exonerate him more than 20 years after his murder conviction, according to a new court filing.
Full Answer
Who is Adnan Syed and what did he do?
Maryland’s highest court on Friday reinstated the murder conviction of Adnan Syed, whose case gained fame after the "Serial" podcast examined his cause. Syed was convicted of killing Hae Min Lee, a former girlfriend and Woodlawn High School classmate, in 1999 and then burying her body in Leakin Park in Baltimore.
What's new in Adnan Syed's case?
(CNN) The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office and Adnan Syed, whose case became nationally known in the "Serial" podcast that ran in 2014, have agreed to request "additional forensic testing," including enhanced DNA tests, in the case, the office announced.
Could new DNA testing exonerate Adnan Syed after 20 years?
Prosecutors and the attorney for Adnan Syed, the Maryland man at the center of the first season of the "Serial" podcast, have requested new DNA testing that could exonerate him more than 20 years after his murder conviction, according to a new court filing.
What did Adnan Syed's lawyer say after his conviction was reinstated?
"We are devastated by the Court of Appeals’ decision, but we will not give up," his lawyer said. Maryland’s highest court on Friday reinstated the murder conviction of Adnan Syed, whose case gained fame after the "Serial" podcast examined his cause.
Where is Adnan now?
Adnan Syed, who is serving life in prison in Maryland for the 1999 killing of Hae Min Lee, still insists on his innocence and is seeking a sentence reduction.
Where is Syed now?
He stood trial twice for her murder and was convicted in 2000 and sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years. Syed is incarcerated at the state's Patuxent Institution in Jessup.
What happened to the serial podcast?
The "Serial" podcast popularized Syed's case in 2014, and two years later, he won a new trial in appeals. However, the state appealed that decision. In 2018, an appellate court upheld the ruling for a new trial, but a year later, Maryland's highest court sided with the state.
How long did Adnan Syed get?
On February 25, 2000, the jury found Syed guilty of first degree murder, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and robbery. Syed was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years and Syed's family immediately fired Gutierrez following the verdict.
Can I write to Adnan Syed?
Did you know ANYONE can write a letter of support to Adnan? While he may not have the time a resources to write back to everyone, he does read the letters he receives. Please keep in mind cards and/or postcards are not allowed and will be returned by the facility.
Who is Mr S in serial?
worker Alonzo SellersMaintenance worker Alonzo Sellers, known as “Mr. S” on Serial, claimed he was drinking a 22-ounce Budweiser while driving when he made a pit stop. “I had to go to the bathroom so I pulled over and I went further in the woods so no one could see me,” he said on The Case Against Adnan Syed.
What happened to Joshua from Serial?
Josh was arrested about 10 days later after he ran from police officers responding to a report of a man with a gun, records say. Josh did not have a gun on him, the records say. Josh's problems continued while he was being housed in Cuyahoga County's juvenile detention center.
How old is Adnan Syed?
41 years (May 21, 1981)Adnan Syed / Age
Why was Adnan's first trial a mistrial?
December 15, 1999: Syed's first trial ends in a mistrial. After jurors accidentally overheard an exchange in which the judge called Syed's attorney Cristina Gutierrez “a liar," a mistrial was declared.
What nationality is Adnan?
Adnan (Arabic: عدنان, ʿAdnān) is an Arabic masculine name common in the Muslim world. Its eponymous bearer was Adnan, a legendary figure of both pre-Islamic and Islamic mythology. The etymological meaning of the name is settler, from a semitic root `dn; "to stay, abide".
Why did Adnan and Hae break up?
Both of them, but especially Adnan Syed, were under special pressure at home, and the stress of that spilled over into their relationship. Eventually Hae broke up with Adnan.
When was the call log from Adnan's cell phone?
This is the call log from Adnan's cell phone for January 12 and January 13, 1999. Cell Tower Map. This is a map of the key locations in the story and the cell towers that were triggered by Adnan's cell phone on January 13, 1999. Ja’uan Gordon Interview, April 9, 1999.
What is Asia's second letter to Adnan?
Asia's second letter to Adnan. In this one, she gives him a sense of the mood inside Woodlawn High School and the reaction to his arrest. Asia's Affidavit, March 25, 2000. Asia wrote this affidavit soon after Adnan was convicted, at the request of Rabia Chaudry, a friend of Adnan's family.
What episode of The Outsiders does Asia McClain tell Sarah she remembers seeing Adnan?
Recently we looked at the weather on Jan. 13, 1999 – the day Hae Min Lee went missing. In Episode 1 , Asia McClain, Adnan’s potential alibi witness, tells Sarah she specifically remembers seeing Adnan after school on Jan. 13 at the Woodlawn Public Library. She says she remembers that day because of the snow.
Did Asia McClain testify at Adnan's hearing?
Asia's Notes From a Call With the Prosecutor, 2010. Asia McClain didn’t testify about her alibi affidavit in Adnan’s first post-conviction hearing in 2010.
What are the similarities between Sarah Adnan and Adnan?
Sarah learned about another case with striking similarities to Adnan’s: a key witness, cell records, young people, drugs. So she called up the defense attorney on that case looking for insight, and got much more than she bargained for.
How long did it take Sarah Adnan to drive to Best Buy?
Adnan once issued a challenge to Sarah: Recreate the state’s timeline of the murder by driving from Woodlawn High School to Best Buy in 21 minutes. It can’t be done, he said. So, we tried.
Who was Syed's lawyer?
The Maryland Court of Appeals found that Syed received a “deficient performance” from his defense lawyer, the late Cristina Gutierrez, but the weight of the evidence still pointed toward guilt.
Is the case against Adnan Syed on HBO?
An HBO docuseries, "The Case Against Adnan Syed" debuts on Sunday. Hae Min Lee and Adnan Syed at Junior Prom. HBO. Prosecutors asked for the conviction of Syed, now 38, to be reinstated, and Maryland’s high court found in favor of the state.
Was there an alibi witness in the Adnan case?
"There was a credible alibi witness who was with Adnan at the precise time of the murder and now the Court of Appeals has said that witness would not have affected the outcome of the proceeding," according to Brown's statement. "We think just the opposite is true. From the perspective of the defendant, there is no stronger evidence than an alibi witness."
Who is Adnan Syed's lawyer?
One of Syed's lawyers, Justin Brown, took to Twitter shortly after the court denied his new trial in March, vowing to carry on. "We will not give up. #FreeAdnan," he wrote. "We are devastated by the Court of Appeals’ decision but we will not give up on Adnan Syed," he added on his website.
Who was the podcast host who was involved in the murder of Hae Min Lee?
This included podcast host and investigator Sarah Koenig. McClain gave her testimony, stating that she had been talking with Syed at the library at the exact time prosecutors claimed he was committing the murder of Hae Min Lee. prev next.
How long did the Syed case last?
Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin Welch ordered that Syed's appeal for a new trial be re-opened, "in the interests of justice for all parties." The hearing lasted for five days instead of the intended two, and many people attended after hearing about Syed's case.
When did Syed make his first appeal?
2014 Appeal. (Photo: Syed family/HBO) Syed made his first appeal in 2003, which was denied. In 2010, he made an appeal for post-conviction relief based on much of the evidence in Serial — including the new information around cell phone tower tracking as well as the testimony of witness Asia McClain.
Who is Asia McClain's lawyer?
In Serial, McClain revealed that she had a strong alibi for Syed, but his lawyer, Cristina Gutierrez, ...
Did Gutierrez deny bail for Syed?
He also vacated Syed's conviction. However, he denied bail for Syed, ordering him to stay in prison as he awaited his new trial. prev next.
Did Judge Welch overturn Syed's conviction?
However, the state asked the court to review Judge Welch's decision to overturn Syed's conviction. In July, the Court of Appeals agreed to hear arguments from both the state, who wanted Syed's conviction upheld, and Syed's representatives, who did not.
Where is Adnan Syed?
The facility is operated by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. It is broadly in Cresaptown, in the unincorporated Allegany County. Check out his official record here. Born on May 21, 1980, Adnan Syed recently turned 40.
How long was Adnan in jail?
He was sentenced to life in prison and an additional 30 years. He appealed the conviction in 2003 to no avail.
When did Syed get a new trial?
On June 30, 2016, Syed’s request was granted, and the judge vacated his conviction. On March 29, 2018, the second-highest court in the state, Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals deemed that Syed deserved a new trial. The Maryland Court of Appeals reversed the lower appellate court’s ruling on March 8, 2019. They denied the new trial.
When did Syed appeal his conviction?
He appealed the conviction in 2003 to no avail. Syed also moved for post-conviction relief in 2010. He claimed that his defense attorney didn’t represent him adequately, not questioning a possibly vital witness who’d stated she was talking to Syed in the library when Lee was attacked.
When was the case of Syed denied?
Initially, the appeal was denied in 2014, but in February 2015, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals approved the application and remanded the case to the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Judge Martin Welch ordered the post-conviction relief proceedings to see if Syed was eligible for a new trial.
When did serial come out?
When ‘ Serial ‘ first came out in 2014, it quickly became a phenomenon. The podcast brought to light the case of Adnan Masud Syed, who was accused and convicted for the murder of Hae Min Lee, a Korean-American high school student, and Syed’s ex-girlfriend. The murder took place in 1999 in Baltimore County, Maryland, ...
Where was Syed killed?
The murder took place in 1999 in Baltimore County, Maryland, and ‘Serial’ brought it to international attention. Since then, questions have arisen about Syed’s imprisonment, and there have been attempts to get him out of prison. Naturally, you might be wondering about where he is at present. Here’s everything we know.
