CARACHI: After spending 23 years in prison, for a crime he is categorical that he did not commit, Adnan Syed finally tasted freedom in September of last year. But it was short-lived. Born to Pakistani immigrant parents and living in Baltimore, Syed has lived a double life. For his parents, he was a simple Muslim boy. But to his friends, Syed was a typical American teenager. He played football, smoked weed, and had a secret love life that he hid because he knew his parents wouldn’t approve. And those very things got Adnan Syed convicted of murder.
Accused of murdering his girlfriend Hae Min Lee, Syed spent 23 years in prison while his lawyers fought for his innocence. He also became the subject of the immensely popular podcast called Serial. It appears his legal team won the fight when prosecutors in the case had his conviction overturned after a year-long review of the case found two “alternate suspects”. Baltimore Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn said she was overturning his conviction “in the interest of fairness and justice.” She also added that the state did not share evidence that could have helped her defense at trial.
No exonerated person in the history of this country has been confronted with this. It’s starting to feel like Maryland is deeply invested in persecuting a Muslim for a crime he clearly didn’t commit. https://t.co/gWjqF4QnLP
— rabia O’chaudry (@rabiasquared) March 29, 2023
However, in another twist of the Adnan Syed murder trial, the Maryland Court of Appeals overturned the previous lower court ruling on the grounds that it violated state law by not giving the family de Lee sufficient notice of a hearing to vacate the conviction. According to the Court of Appeals, Lee’s brother, Young Lee, received only one day’s notice for the hearing, which was “insufficient time to reasonably allow Mr. Lee, who lived in California , to attend” in person and, therefore, he had to watch from a distance.
They reinstated Adnan Syed’s conviction on a fucking technicality. The one that has NOTHING to do with the real case.
In fact, I’m shaking because I’m so angry.
Maybe stop playing games with people’s lives and start trying to solve a heinous murder. @MDJudiciary?
— jackie (@jaxinphilly) March 28, 2023
But the decision also suggests that Syed will not remain sentenced for long and that the reinstatement will be temporary until the hearing is repeated.
