A Baltimore judge on Monday ordered the release of Adnan Syed after overturning Syed’s conviction for the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee – a case that was chronicled in the hit podcast Serial.
Circuit court judge Melissa Phinn ordered that Syed’s conviction be vacated and approved the release of the now 41-year-old who has spent more than two decades behind bars.
Syed, who has always maintained his innocence, received widespread attention in 2014 when the debut season of Serial focused on Lee’s killing and raised doubts about some of the evidence prosecutors had used, inspiring countless dinner table debates about Syed’s innocence or guilt.
Last week, prosecutors filed a motion saying that a lengthy investigation conducted with the defense had uncovered new evidence that could undermine the 2000 conviction of Syed, Lee’s ex-boyfriend.