Prosecutor needs new trial for ‘Serial’ topic Adnan Syed: report

A state legal professional needs to vacate the conviction of “Serial” podcast topic Adnan Syed and retry the case.

The information was first reported by the Wall Road Journal.

Syed’s conviction for the 1999 homicide of Hae Min Lee in Baltimore grew to become a nationwide obsession within the first season of Sarah Koenig’s podcast “Serial” in 2014. He was convicted of strangling Lee in 2000 and has been serving a life sentence. Regardless of a lot of appeals, he is remained behind bars since.

After a yearlong investigation performed by the state’s legal professional for Baltimore Metropolis and Syed’s attorneys, a brand new trial is being requested after new proof was discovered, together with some that factors to 2 suspects who have been by no means correctly dominated out who might have been concerned collectively.

One of many suspects was allegedly threatened to kill Lee, however that info was by no means given to the protection. Lee’s physique was additionally present in so much behind a home owned by one of many suspect’s relative. That info was additionally not supplied to Syed’s authorized staff.

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Additional, after Syed’s conviction, one of many suspects assaulted a girl in her automotive “with out provocation or excuse” and the opposite was convicted of rape and sexual assault.

No public details about the suspects has been launched as a result of the investigation is ongoing.

“The State not has confidence within the integrity of the conviction,” the workplace of Baltimore State’s Legal professional Marilyn Mosby advised the Journal.

Furthermore, the state’s legal professional requested that Syed be launched on his personal recognition because the investigation is ongoing.

“However after reviewing the proof and the brand new details about different suspects, it’s our obligation to make sure that justice is finished,” Mosby stated. “We consider that protecting him detained as we proceed to analyze the case with every little thing that we all know now, and after we shouldn’t have confidence in outcomes of the primary trial, could be unjust.”

Syed has been near getting a brand new trial earlier than. In 2018, a particular appeals courtroom referred to as for a brand new trial however their choice was reversed a 12 months later by the state Court docket of Appeals, Maryland’s supreme courtroom equal.

Earlier this 12 months, Syed’s attorneys requested the Baltimore’s Sentencing Evaluation Unit to assessment the case towards their consumer.