REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA
Baltimore prosecutors could recommend the release of Adnan Syed, whose case was the subject of season 1 of the “Serial” podcast, after uncovering new evidence that could undermine his murder conviction.
A court hearing has been scheduled for Monday at 2 p.m. ET after prosecutors filed a motion earlier this week asking the judge to vacate Syed’s conviction for the 1999 killing of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee.
The request comes after prosecutors learned of two “alternative suspects,” whose information was known to authorities before Syed’s trial but never shared with his attorney.
Prosecutors believe the withheld information interfered with Syed’s right to a fair trial. In the motion, prosecutors revealed one suspect threatened to kill Lee and make her disappear.
The document noted that the other suspect is now a convicted serial rapist, and both suspects had convictions of violence against women.
Lee’s car was also discovered near the home where one of the suspects lived the year she went missing.
“Since the inception of my administration, my prosecutors have been sworn to not only aggressively advocate on behalf of the victims of crime, but in the pursuit of justice — when the evidence exists — to correct the wrongs of the past where doubt is evident,” State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said on Wednesday in a statement.
While prosecutors have not suggested Syed is innocent, the new evidence no longer supports his conviction.
“The state is not asserting at this time that the defendant is innocent. However, for all the reasons set forth below, the state no longer has confidence in the integrity of the conviction,” the motion stated.
After spending 23 years in prison, Syed could have his conviction overturned as early as Monday. Prosecutors have recommended he be released on his own recognizance or bail.
Maryland law typically gives prosecutors 30 days after a vacated conviction to either retry the case or drop the charges. Mosby’s office said its decision will depend on “ongoing investigative efforts.”
