Supreme Court Declines To Review Murder Case Of Adnan Syed, Subject Of ‘Serial’ Podcast

The conviction of Adnan Syed became a major topic after it was the subject of the first season popular podcast, Serial. Following the release of the podcast, many people were following the case, and Syed’s lawyers petitioned fr the case to be reopened. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case and let a lower court ruling stand.

Syed and his girlfriend Hae Min Lee were students at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County in when Lee went missing in 1999. Her body was later discovered, strangled and in a forest three weeks later. Syed was convicted of first-degree murder as well as robbery, kidnapping and false imprisonment on February 25, 2000, resulting in a life sentence in prison.

Lawyers for Syed had petitioned the high court to review the case in August. The petition asked the nine justices to reverse a March ruling that refused to grant Syed a new trial. The lawyers stated that it was necessary for the Supreme Court to take the case due to the “straightforward legal issue” of ineffective counsel from Syed’s trail attorney, Cristina Gutierrez, who has since passed away.

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“The Maryland Court of Appeals departed from the majority approach and found no prejudice despite the failure of Syed’s counsel to present an alibi witness for the exact time that the State says he committed murder. There are no vehicle problems to reaching the question at issue, which has been briefed and argued throughout three state courts. Syed should have the opportunity to present his alibi to a jury, and the jury – not the Maryland Court of Appeals – should decide its worth,” the petition states.