Maryland Court of Appeals upholds Adnan Syed’s conviction
Baltimore — Adnan Syed, the subject of the popular podcast "Serial," will not be getting a new trial. The Maryland Court of Appeals reinstated Syed's conviction on Friday afternoon, CBS Baltimore reported.
Syed's attorney, Justin Brown, tweeted after the opinion was released. "We will not give up," he posted.
Syed was convicted in February 2000 of killing his high school ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, who disappeared on January 13, 1999. Her body was found several weeks later in Leakin Park in West Baltimore. An autopsy report stated Lee had died from manual strangulation.
At the time, Syed and Lee were students at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, Maryland. Syed was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to 30 years.
In 2014, the "Serial" podcast brought more light to Syed's case. "This American Life" producer and former Baltimore Sun reporter Sarah Koenig narrated the story over multiple episodes.
The podcast raised questions around Syed's conviction that was mostly based on cellphone tower data at the time that could have been a Brady violation. It also discussed how a key witness, Asia McClain, never testified at trial.
In July 2016, Judge Martin P. Welch vacated Syed's conviction and ordered a new trial.
The new trial would have allowed for McClain's testimony to be heard in a court of law. According to McClain, she saw Syed the day prosecutors says he murdered Lee. McClain's timeline would corroborate Syed's claim he was at a library nearby.
After the decision Friday, McClain tweeted, "No words."
HBO is set to release a docu-series on Syed's case called "The Case Against Adnan Syed." It premieres this Sunday.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
