Baltimore prosecutors dropped all charges against Adnan Syed who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlf friend and High School mates Hae Min Lee in 1999.
Prosecutors Drop Charges Against Adnan Syed
The case became a sensation after it was featured in the popular podcast ‘Serial’. Adnan spent around 23 years behind bars before he was released from prison last month. On Tuesday, Baltimore City’s State Attorney Marilyn Mosby said that she had instructed the officers to drop all charges against Adnan Syed. The final decision was made after the result of an advanced DNA test was published. The advanced DNA test verified the shoes, skirt, pantyhose, and jacket of Hae Min Lee, who was the victim. The result had nothing that could hold Adnan Syed accountable and he was finally made free of the case.
City’s State Attorney Marilyn Mosby told the press that the items that were chosen for the test were never tested before during the investigation and also that they had used advanced DNA testing technologies that made it clear that Adnan had no role in the homicide. The Attorney also added that the prosecutors will continue to carry out the investigation efficiently to bring out the person behind the murder of 18-year-old Hae Min Lee.
The Attorney said that the responsibility for the conviction belonged to administrators of that time but she did not forget to apologize to everyone who was concerned. She offered her apologies to both the families of Lee and Syed and also to Syed himself. She remembered the pain and trauma of not only the victim’s family but also of Adnan’s family who had to bear with the wrongful conviction of Adnan for almost 23 years.
Adnan Syed was freed from prison last month after his case was vacated without warning by the prosecutors. The state said that it “lacked confidence in the integrity of conviction”. Even though he was released from prison, Adnan was not declared innocent by the authorities. The prosecution waited for another month to decide on a new trial and also for the results of the advanced DNA test.
The case which led to the conviction of Adnan Syed took place in 1999. Hae Min Lee was Syed’s girlfriend and High School mate. She was last seen alive on January 13, 1999. Three weeks later, Lee’s body was found in a city forest. Police arrested Adnan Syed who was only 17 years old at that time. He was accused of charges like robbery, kidnapping, and first-degree murder. He was convicted in 2000 and was sentenced to life in prison by the then authorities.
The podcast ‘Serial’ also has an important role to play in the case of Adnan Syed. Serial is a journalism podcast hosted by journalist Sarah Koeing. The podcast follows a pattern of narrating a nonfiction story over multiple episodes. Season 1 of Serial introduced the case of Adnan Syed. It was one of Syed’s relatives Rabia Chaudry, who contacted journalist Sarah and sought her help in re-investigating the murder case of Hae Min Lee. It was almost ten years after Adnan went to prison.
The podcast was aired in 2014, and each episode tried to track down the details of events that happened the night Hae Min Lee went missing. The podcast had a huge reception among the audience. It was downloaded more than 300 million times and is regarded as one of the most popular podcasts in the world.
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The podcast also helped the case as it granted Syed a new trial based on the evidence which was gathered while making the Serial. It talked about two possible suspects that the detectives knew during the time of investigation and also questioned the integrity of the phone call details and fitness details used to originally convict Adnan.
Syed’s Attorney Erica Suter said that he was long overdue for justice. She expressed her gratitude as justice was served rightfully for a person who completed 23 years of his life behind prison bars for a crime he has not committed. Syed had been wearing an ankle monitor from his day of release which was finally taken off on Tuesday as she dropped off all charges against him. Syed’s Attorney also revealed that Syed is planning to continue his education and is thinking of going to law school but as of now, he is enjoying the freedom to be at his home and in the world, which most of us take for granted.
As for the Lee family, they were not happy about the proceedings as they accused the authorities of not notifying them about the procedures. The family was also not happy about the release of Adnan and her brother stated that they felt betrayed by the state. The prosecutors sympathized with the Lee family for having to go through a trauma that they had made peace with for years. They also gave their word in finding the real culprit behind the act and that justice will be severed for sure.