Adnan Syed’s murder conviction featured in ‘Serial’ podcast should be vacated, say prosecutors

Adnan Syed’s conviction for the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, which was featured in the hit Serial podcast, should be vacated, say Baltimore prosecutors.

Following a year-long investigation conducted alongside his defence team, the state’s attorney for Baltimore City says that new evidence has emerged, including the possible involvement of two alternative suspects.

In the court filing, prosecutors say there is evidence that two suspects may have been involved, either together or separately.

Prosecutors state that the suspects were known to investigators during the first probe but were not properly ruled out.

In a motion filed on Wednesday, prosecutors are asking for Mr Syed to receive a fresh trial, while not stating that they believe him to be innocent, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“However, for all the reasons set forth below, the State no longer has confidence in the integrity of the conviction,” stated the office of Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby in the court filing.

Prosecutors are recommending that Mr Syed is released from prison on his own recognisance as the investigation continues, says the newspaper.

Mr Syed, who has strongly maintained his innocence, was serving a life sentence following his conviction in 2000 for the strangling of his ex-girlfriend. He was 17 at the time of her killing and was tried as an adult.

The 2014 Serial podcast and a subsequent HBO documentary have raised questions about his conviction, and in 2018 he was granted a new trial by a special appeals court.

But in 2019 that decision was thrown out by Maryland’s Court of Appeals, the highest one in the state.