The court upheld Adnan Syed's conviction for the murder of his ex-girlfriend in Maryland.
The Maryland court determined that Hae Min Lee's family did not receive sufficient notice before Adnan Syed's hearing, which resulted in his release, despite his conviction for her murder.
The Supreme Court of Maryland overturned Adnan Syed's acquittal on Friday, ruling that the 2022 hearing that freed the accused murderer had violated the rights of the victim's family.
The court issued a 4-3 ruling in the case that gained notoriety from the hit 2014 true-crime podcast "Serial" nearly a year after hearing arguments in October.
In 2000, Syed was found guilty of murdering his high school ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, who was discovered strangled in an unmarked grave. He was initially given a life sentence, along with 30 additional years.
In September 2022, Syed's conviction was overturned by a Baltimore court after city prosecutors discovered flaws in their evidence, and he had already served 22 years in prison.
The ruling of the panel of seven judges stated that Lee's family had the right to participate in the 2022 hearing because the victim's brother Young Lee was not given reasonable notice, which resulted in a lack of "dignity, respect, and sensitivity."
The justices wrote in their decision that the prosecutor and the circuit court committed an injustice against Mr. Lee in an attempt to rectify what they perceived as an injustice to Mr. Syed.
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Syed, who was 17 when he was arrested and is now 43, can remain free as the case goes to a new lower court judge to decide if his conviction should be overturned.
The Lee family must be notified of the new hearing in a manner that allows Mr. Lee to attend in person and have the opportunity to speak if he desires.
The Associated Press reported that David Sanford, an attorney representing Lee's family, stated that the higher court's ruling recognizes the right of Hae Min Lee's family to be heard in court.
Erica Suter, Syed's lawyer, contended that the state fulfilled its obligation and invited Young Lee to join the hearing through video conference.
The latest twist in Syed's long legal battle is the ruling, which was issued in 2019, denying the accused killer another trial. In 2015, a lower court had ordered a retrial on the grounds that Syed's attorney, Cristina Gutierrez, did not contact an alibi witness and therefore did not provide effective counsel, according to the AP.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the court's decision.
In 2022, prosecutors decided to vacate Syed's sentence under a Maryland law that applies to "juvenile lifers" because he was under 18 when Hae Min Lee's body was discovered.
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The suspects pointed to by the investigators included one who had threatened Hae and another linked to the address where her car was found.
At the time, prosecutors stated that the state had lost trust in the validity of the verdict.
The AP reports that Syed has consistently claimed his innocence and has frequently shown concern for the victim's family.
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