Baltimore SAO reacts to leaked legal note from Adnan Syed murder case
BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office reacted on Tuesday to a leaked legal note that it used to help clear Adnan Syed of murder charges earlier this year.
The Baltimore Banner made public a redacted version of the handwritten note, which was scribbled onto a notepad by a lawyer during an interview about the murder of Hae Min Lee earlier in the day.
Syed was convicted of killing Lee and served over two decades of a life sentence in prison. He was released from prison in September pending the results of a DNA test on items worn by Lee when her body was recovered from Leakin Park.
Before Lee disappeared in 1999. She and Syed had dated while they were students at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County.
Lee's body was found at Leakin Park in Southwest Baltimore. An autopsy determined she died of strangulation.
In October, the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office announced that it found no DNA evidence proving that Syed was connected to Lee's murder.
Syed, 41, has always maintained his innocence in the killing of his ex-girlfriend, and the prosecution of the case gained nationwide attention in 2014 through the podcast "Serial."
Ever since a judge overturned Syed's conviction, there has been a public push-and-push between Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and the state's top prosecutor, Marilyn Mosby, over whether Lee's family was treated properly during the legal process.
The State's Attorney's Office indicated in its statement that Kevin Urick, who once served as a trial prosecutor, had something to do with the leak of the note.
The office maintains that the legal note "has only been in the possession of the SAO and the Attorney General's office."
"It is rather unfortunate that prior prosecutors who have severely mishandled this case continue to try to save face, further traumatizing the victim's family and Mr. Syed due to their misdeeds," the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office said in the statement. "Once again, our office stands by our year-long investigation and our ultimate finding that there is no credible evidence that Mr. Syed was involved in the death of Ms. Lee."
The Baltimore Banner did not say where it obtained the legal note.
Baltimore prosecutors used the note to support their work, citing it as newly discovered evidence that proved there was another murder suspect.
But Urick was referring to Syed in the note, according to the Baltimore Banner.
"It makes absolutely no sense to believe that Kevin Urick, who has now re-created an alleged transcript of an exculpatory call, is now attributing the threats to Adnan Syed. Urick is the same prosecutor that engaged in prior Brady violations and questionable behavior in this case, which included withholding exculpatory hair evidence; attempting to prevent inconsistent statements of a witness from being disclosed to the defense; and attempting to hide from defense a very favorable plea deal given to the primary witness," the SAO statement reads. "Clearly, Urick has serious credibility issues."
The Baltimore Banner's reporters said in their story that Urick verified his handwriting but declined to comment.
