When it was finally over, he said, the guilty verdict meant his sister “could finally rest in peace.” Learning of the state’s efforts to throw out Syed’s conviction left him in shock, wondering if prosecutors were still on the family’s side, he said through tears.
During a hearing that lasted several hours on Wednesday, the court heard emotional testimony addressing all sides of the case, including from character witnesses who described Syed as having an even temper, strong communication skills, loving relationships and an impressive ability to remain hopeful during 23 years behind bars.
Syed, now 43, was released after Baltimore prosecutors uncovered problems with the case and asked a judge to overturn his murder conviction in the 1999 slaying of his high school ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, who was found strangled to death and buried in a makeshift grave.
More than a decade after Adnan Syed’s murder case attracted massive interest through the hit podcast “Serial,” a Baltimore judge was weighing testimony Wednesday for and against his request to reduce his sentence to the time he’s served.
The court then heard from the victim’s family and their attorney, who urged the judge to honor Syed’s conviction and uphold his sentence.
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