Baltimore judge rules murderer Adnan Syed to be released on time served after NYT podcast celebrated the killer

A Baltimore judge ruled that convicted killer Adnan Syed will not serve additional prison time for the murder of his ex-girlfriend in 1999. Syed, now 43, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of murder, kidnapping, and false imprisonment in 2000. His defense counsel requested former Baltimore Attorney General Marilyn Mosby review the sentence after the state passed the Juvenile Restoration Act in 2021, which allows individuals convicted of crimes as minors to request a modified sentence after serving at least 20 years in prison.

The case was widely highlighted by the New York Times affiliated true-crime podcast "Serial," which raised questions about his conviction, making him into something of a celebrity, however his murder conviction still stands. 

During a Thursday hearing to review the sentence, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer decided to reduce Syed's punishment, ruling that the "interests of justice will be better served by a reduced sentence." Schiffer also claimed that Syed "is not a danger to the public." 

Syed was 17 when he strangled his ex-girlfriend and high school classmate Hae Min Lee to death in 1999. He served more than 20 years of his life sentence.

The case garnered national attention after it was featured on the "Serial" true-crime podcast in 2014, which raised questions about Syed's conviction. Syed's attorney, Christina Gutierrez, who was later disbarred, reportedly failed to interview witnesses who claimed to have seen Syed in the library at the time Lee was killed.

A motion to appeal the conviction was filed in the Maryland Court of Appeals in 2015. A judge agreed to reopen the case and his conviction was vacated in 2016. Syed was granted a new trial. The state fought the decision and Syed's conviction was reinstated in 2019. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case, CBS News reported.

After the Juvenile Restoration Act passed in 2021, Syed's defense counsel requested former state Attorney General Marilyn Mosby review Syed's sentence. Mosby ordered additional DNA testing with forensic evidence that was not available at the time of the initial trial. The tests found trace levels of DNA underneath the fingertips of Lee that belonged to two unnamed suspects. Further investigation revealed that Lee's vehicle had been parked behind the home of one of the unnamed individuals, according to the motion.

Mosby filed a motion to vacate Syed's murder conviction in 2022. A judge vacated his murder conviction and Syed was released from prison in September 2022, after spending more than 20 years incarcerated. Prosecutors dropped the charges after the DNA evidence excluded Syed.

The family of Hae Min Lee filed an appeal to reverse the decision. Five months after Syed was released from prison, his conviction was reinstated. In 2024, the Maryland Supreme Court upheld Syed's conviction, which was sent back to a lower court. Later that year, Syed's attorneys requested a reduced sentence under the Juvenile Restoration Act. Syed has remained out of prison since his 2022 release.

Baltimore Attorney General Ivan Bates recently withdrew a motion to vacate Syed's conviction.

Following the judge's Thursday decision, Syed's attorney Erica Suter told reporters: "Today, we are focused on the joy and relief of this decision. Adnan is grateful that the judge agreed with his motion to reduce his sentence under the Juvenile Restoration Act. Given his accomplishments in prison and his work in the community since his release, he was a model candidate for a sentence reduction. Adnan is committed to continuing to be a productive member of his community and living a life centered around his family."