Judge formally sentences Adnan Syed to time served in 'Serial' podcast case

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A Maryland justice formally sentenced Adnan Syed connected Friday to the clip he's already served successful prison, appearing to yet bring to a adjacent a long-running lawsuit with galore ineligible twists and turns that received worldwide attraction from the true-crime podcast “Serial.”

Judge Jennifer Schiffer had already decided that Syed would stay escaped successful a written ruling past week, adjacent though his condemnation successful the execution of his ex-girlfriend successful 1999 erstwhile they were successful precocious schoolhouse inactive stands.

Syed's condemnation was modified nether a comparatively caller authorities instrumentality that provides a pathway to merchandise for radical convicted of crimes committed erstwhile they were minors. The modified condemnation includes 5 years of supervised probation.

At a little proceeding successful Baltimore, Schiffer modified his probationary conditions somewhat to alteration him to question to Washington, D.C., and Virginia, without seeking circumstantial support from a probation agent. Syed, 43, has a occupation astatine Georgetown University’s Prisons and Justice Initiative. He besides has household successful Virginia.

Syed's attorney, Erica Suter, requested unsupervised probation astatine the hearing, but the justice decided not to spell that far.

“I americium mindful that Mr. Syed requested unsupervised probation, but fixed the alleviation that this tribunal has already granted connected these extraordinarily superior and tragic charges, I judge I’ve shown much information to him than anyone could person expected," Schiffer said.

The judge’s ruling followed a February proceeding that included affectional grounds from Syed and relatives of the victim, Hae Min Lee, who was strangled and buried successful a shallow sedate successful a Baltimore park.

Both prosecutors and defence attorneys told Schiffer that Syed doesn’t airs a hazard to nationalist safety. The justice reminded Syed, who watched Friday's proceedings online, that his suspended condemnation inactive perchance looms implicit him. He was sentenced successful 2000 to beingness successful situation positive 30 years for first-degree execution and different charges.

“I anticipation Mr. Syed, and I trust, that this volition beryllium the past clip we spot each other," Schiffer said. "Otherwise, I don’t person to archer you the magnitude of clip that’s hanging implicit your head.”

Syed, who was 17 erstwhile Lee was killed and has maintained his innocence, was released from situation successful 2022 aft Baltimore prosecutors said they had uncovered problems with the lawsuit and moved to vacate his conviction, which was aboriginal reinstated connected appeal.

Lee’s household and their lawyer said aged wounds were ripped unfastened erstwhile Syed’s condemnation was vacated by a erstwhile state's attorney. The household aboriginal succeeded successful getting the condemnation reinstated aft challenging the ruling connected procedural grounds, arguing they didn’t person due announcement to be the proceeding that freed Syed from prison, wherever they participated lone done a video connection.

David Sanford, an lawyer for Lee's family, said Friday's proceeding “brings to a adjacent the agelong saga of Adnan Syed.” He said the household was grateful to the tribunal for giving them "due respect passim these proceedings, allowing america to afloat reason to the tribunal the victim’s position.

“The household is besides thankful to the Maryland Supreme Court for its historical determination successful this case, which grants victims peculiar rights antecedently enshrined mostly successful the Maryland State Constitution,” Sanford said. "As a result, victims present person the close to beryllium heard, the close to beryllium present, and the close to meaningfully enactment successful transgression justness proceedings.”

The existent Baltimore state’s attorney, Ivan Bates, who publically raised doubts astir the integrity of the condemnation earlier becoming the city’s apical prosecutor, said past period that his bureau believes successful the jury’s verdict and has nary plans to proceed investigating the case.