Adnan Syed, the centre of the case which was documented on the first season of hit podcast Serial, has been released from prison after 23 years.
As reported in Deadline, a Maryland judge overturned Syed’s murder conviction, which was delivered in 2000. He was prosecuted for the 1999 murder of ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, but scepticism over his conviction heightened following increased exposure.
In 2014, journalist Sarah Koenig examined the case on her podcast Serial, with a HBO miniseries, The Case Against Adnan Syed, following in 2019.
What to Read Next
Related: First look at White Lotus and Captain Marvel star's true crime show
Syed’s first trial began in December 1999, but was promptly ended after just three days following an argument between the defence attorney and the presiding judge.
After his 2000 conviction, which resulted in a life sentence, Syed unsuccessfully appealed the verdict in 2003 and 2010, before being granted a new trial in 2016. This decision was upheld in 2018, before being reversed a year later.
Koenig was present at the latest hearing, which came after state prosecutors filed a motion to overturn Syed's conviction last week.
Related: Are we right to have an obsession with true crime?
In a statement, they said they worked with the defendant's legal team over the past year, uncovering two potential suspects whilst also identifying "significant reliability issues regarding the most critical pieces of evidence at trial".
Serial has since tweeted following the verdict, writing that a new episode of the podcast is coming on Tuesday (September 20).
The podcast, which is owned by The New York Times, won a Peabody Award in 2015, with its innovation in long-form non-fiction storytelling being recognised.
The second season focused on Bowe Bergdahl, an American soldier who was charged with desertion following his capture by the Taliban, while the third season investigated the wider criminal justice system.
Best Entertainment and Tech Deals
Coronation Street X Joanie - Gilroy Retro Newton And Ridley Sweatshirt
Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
