Adnan Syed, who spent over two decades in prison for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, was released on Monday after new evidence emerged. The case gained international attention through the podcast Serial, which investigated inconsistencies in Syed's conviction and helped create a new genre of true crime journalism.
Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old high school student, was last seen on 13 January 1999. Her body was found four weeks later in Leakin Park, Baltimore; she had been strangled. Syed, then 17, was arrested on 1 March and charged as an adult with first-degree murder. Prosecutors argued he killed Lee after she began dating someone else. Syed pleaded not guilty, but was convicted in February 2000 and sentenced to life plus 30 years.
The 2014 podcast Serial, hosted by Sarah Koenig, re-examined the case across 12 episodes. Koenig found scant forensic evidence linking Syed to the murder and noted that key witness Jay Wilds had changed his story. The podcast did not conclude Syed's guilt or innocence, but Koenig stated she would have acquitted him as a juror. Serial was downloaded over 68 million times and won a Peabody award.
Rabia Chaudry, who first contacted Koenig about the case, later criticised Serial for allegedly omitting information. Syed's release follows a motion from prosecutors citing newly discovered evidence, though the case remains under review.
