A Baltimore judge ruled Thursday that convicted killer Adnan Syed will not serve additional prison time for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. Syed, now 43, was sentenced to life in prison in 2000 but was released in 2022 after his conviction was vacated.
Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer reduced Syed’s sentence under the Juvenile Restoration Act, which allows offenders convicted as minors to seek modifications after serving 20 years. Schiffer stated that the “interests of justice will be better served by a reduced sentence” and that Syed “is not a danger to the public.”
Syed was 17 when he was convicted of kidnapping and strangling Lee to death. His case gained national attention through the Serial podcast in 2014, which questioned his conviction. His attorney at the time, Christina Gutierrez, failed to interview witnesses who claimed Syed was at a library when the crime occurred.
Legal battles ensued for years, with Syed’s conviction vacated in 2016, reinstated in 2019, and ultimately overturned again in 2022 after DNA evidence excluded him as a suspect. However, Lee’s family successfully appealed the ruling, leading the Maryland Supreme Court to reinstate his conviction in 2024.
Despite this, Syed’s defense sought sentence modification under the Juvenile Restoration Act. With prosecutors recently withdrawing a motion to vacate his conviction, Thursday’s ruling ensures Syed remains free.
Following the decision, Syed’s attorney Erica Suter expressed gratitude: “Adnan is committed to continuing to be a productive member of his community and living a life centered around his family.”
