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On September 19, 2022, alleged murderer Adnan Syed was released from prison after serving 23 years, after a Baltimore court decided to overturn his conviction. Syed, now 41, was only 18, when he was charged and convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee.
Lee's body was discovered buried in Baltimore's Leakin Park.
The highly controversial 1999 murder case is back in the news after a Baltimore judge ruled that the legal procedure was violated during Syed's trial in 2000.
ID is slated to re-air an updated version of a special titled Adnan Syed: Overturned following the latest breakthrough and updates in the case. It airs this Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 9 pm ET.
The official press release states that vacating of the sentence has left people wondering what will happen next in the "highly publicized and controversial case."
It further reads:
"The updated version of the special will bring this incredible story full circle by incorporating the breaking news of Syed’s release, offering an in-depth exploration into how expert true-crime journalism can change the entire direction of a case that many had thought to be closed."
Read further to learn more about the 1999 case and the recently overturned conviction of Adnan Syed ahead of the special premiere.
Why was Adnan Syed released from prison after 23 years?
Reportedly, Syed's legal team requested a review of his sentence in accordance with a new Maryland law concerning those with more than 20 years in prison for crimes committed while under the age of 18. Syed was 17 at the time of the murder. The case was reviewed, leading to the discovery of information about a potential new suspect. This information was withheld from his defense during his trial.
The 41-year-old was released from prison after serving nearly 23 years since 2000 earlier this month. Baltimore Judge Melissa Phinn reportedly overturned the conviction, stating that the judgment comes "in the interest of fairness and justice." Phinn claimed that the state failed to share evidence that could have helped Adnan Syed's defense at his trial in 2000. Judge Phinn also announced a retrial.
Although prosecutors have not exonerated Syed as the investigation into the case continues, the release from prison has assured his placement under house arrest. They claim that the incident wasn't properly investigated in 1999 and that they disregarded the law by relying on misleading evidence, this leading to a false conviction.
The Baltimore State Attorney's Office reportedly declared that Syed must be retried. They said that this should happen as their examination of the evidence, and his new defense counsel have found two additional potential suspects who knew the authorities and were connected to the murder.
Prosecutors further claimed that they lacked "confidence in the integrity of the conviction."
Both suspects have a history of abuse against women and have been convicted in connection to such cases long after Syed's trial and conviction in 2000. One of them was previously suspected during the initial stages of the investigation. However, the person was cleared after failing a lie detector test - a procedure that is no longer used in the country's court cases.
A podcast helped in overturning Adnan Syed's murder conviction from 2000
Adnan Syed, a 18-year-old high school senior from Baltimore, Maryland, was found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999. In 2000 a jury convicted him guilty of premeditated murder and three other charges. He was accused of strangling Min Lee before burying her body in Baltimore's Leakin Park using a friend's assistance.
The turning factor in Adnan Syed's conviction was the 2014 season of an acclaimed podcast called Serial. The podcast examined the case closely while attempting to build together a timeline of what transpired the night Lee was killed in each episode. This particular season of the podcast gained worldwide recognition soon after its release, with people coming up with theories of their own.
Every new episode provided unexpected information on the case and probable new suspects, which sparked a movement with numerous discussions online. The debate around Syed's case eventually aided him when his conviction was overturned.
ID's updated special Adnan Syed: Overturned airs this Tuesday, September 27, 2022.
