Adnan Syed 'Serial' Case: Why Did the Judge Overturn Murder Conviction?

Adnan Syed, who spent 23 years contesting his conviction for allegedly killing his former high school sweetheart and whose case was featured in the first season of the popular podcast 'Serial,' was released from prison on Monday in a stunning turn of events.

Judge Melissa Phinn of Baltimore City Circuit Court overturned the conviction in the interests of justice and fairness, concluding that the prosecution had withheld information that could have aided Syed at trial and had uncovered fresh information that might have changed the course of his case.

Adnan Syed Released From Prison After Judge Overturns Conviction

Adnan Syed was given till then to serve house detention after being charged. Even though neither of these people has been identified officially or accused of any crimes, prosecutors claimed that an inquiry had pointed to two potential alternative suspects.

After being found guilty of murdering his high school classmate and former girlfriend Hae Min Lee, whose body was discovered buried in a Baltimore park in 1999, Syed, 41, was given a life sentence, as per New York Times.

Adnan Syed, who has a full beard, showed up in court sporting a traditional Muslim skull cap, a long-sleeved white dress shirt, and a dark tie. Syed's supporters in the courtroom cheered when Phinn told guards to release his handcuffs.

The state was given 30 days by Judge Phinn to decide whether to ask for a fresh trial or possibly drop the case. Marilyn Mosby, the state's attorney for Baltimore City, was applauding the judge's decision outside the court as Syed entered, to loud applause. He was then led into an oncoming automobile and driven away.

The victim's family was shocked when Maryland prosecutors requested for Syed's conviction to be overturned last week. Young Lee, Lee's brother, sobbed throughout his Monday virtual court hearing as he pondered how this sequence of events came about, according to NBC News.

What's Next For Adnan Syed?

Syed was given a life term in jail plus 30 years in 2000 after a case accessory stated he had killed Lee and had shown him she remains in his car. Syed has consistently defended his innocence in the matter and previously declined the chance of an early release on the condition that he enter a guilty plea.

After it was discovered that Cristina Gutierrez, Syed's defense attorney in the initial case, had failed to speak with an alibi witness on his side and rendered inadequate counsel, his initial conviction was overturned in 2016. However, because of the refusal of several higher courts, including the US Supreme Court, to hear the case, Syed was left in limbo until Phinn's ruling on Monday.

Even so, Syed was given a GPS tracking device and allowed to return home. His independence might only be momentary, though. A retrial in the case is currently scheduled for Syed, in which he would potentially be provided with new legal representation to defend himself against the state and the now 22-year-old evidence against him.

It would be another court case in a line of appeals that has lasted for years, and it would appear to be a repetition of previously considered evidence. The Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution, which forbids someone from being tried twice for the same crime, would often protect defendants in such a case. But if Syed were to face a second trial, it would likely be for a crime for which he has not yet been found guilty.

Syed's involvement in Lee's killing might be reduced to being an accessory to the crime or some other minor offense, which would be viewed as a different crime than the one for which he was initially charged (and found guilty), News Week reported.