Maryland’s highest court will review an appeals court panel’s ruling to uphold Adnan Syed’s murder conviction.
The decision by the Maryland Supreme Court on Wednesday gave rise to hope that Syed – whose case was covered on the “Serial” podcast – would once more have his conviction overturned, according to The Washington Post.
Syed’s attorney Erica Suter, an assistant public defender, expressed her gratitude to the Maryland Supreme Court for recognizing the significance of examining the legal questions brought up by the appellate court’s ruling.
“We are optimistic that we will prevail,” Suter said, The Post reported. “The legal team and Adnan’s family are also grateful that the Court extended the stay so we can be assured that Adnan will remain free while this appeal is pending.”
Senior Justice Shirley Watts ordered Wednesday that she would hear arguments on Oct. 5, and briefs outlining each side’s arguments were due in the months prior.
Syed was arrested at 17 and charged with the murder of a young woman he had dated, 18-year-old Hae Min Lee. He was found guilty of murder in 2000 and given a life sentence.
In September, Syed was freed: A Maryland circuit court judge overturned his conviction after discovering issues with how defense lawyers received evidence decades earlier. However, the appellate court panel reinstated the conviction in a 2-1 decision after concluding that a hearing was conducted in a manner that infringed on the rights of Lee’s brother, Young Lee.
Syed might still be able to live in freedom if he loses before the Maryland Supreme Court. The appellate court panel only ordered a redo of the hearing at which Syed’s conviction was overturned, with more consideration given to Young Lee’s rights. The outcome of a second hearing could be the same.
Young Lee claimed in his appeal of the circuit court judge’s ruling that vacated the conviction that he did not have enough notice to attend that hearing and spoke via Zoom. While the appeals court agreed, he also argued against a part of the ruling he’d lost, maintaining that he should have more freedom to object to the prosecution’s case in a rehearing. Likewise, the Supreme Court consented to examine that element.
“The State of Maryland supports victims and their families with rights acknowledged by Maryland’s own state constitution and statutory scheme,” said Lee family attorney David Sanford, according to The Post.
“We will urge the Maryland Supreme Court to recognize those rights,” he added, “by allowing Young Lee and his family the opportunity to challenge the state’s evidence, to the extent it has any evidence, suggesting Adnan Syed did not murder Young Lee’s sister 23 years ago.”
Prosecutors had sought to vacate Syed’s conviction under the tenure of then-Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who has since departed the role. Ivan Bates, her replacement, has not yet shared what stance he will take regarding Syed’s conviction.
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