Adnan Syed Sentence Reduced, Will Not Return to Prison

Adnan Syed, who spent more than two decades in prison while fighting charges that he had killed his former high school girlfriend, will remain free after a judge in Baltimore last week reduced his sentence to time served. The case gained national attention when it was featured in the "Serial" podcast in 2014.

The new sentence imposed was the 20-plus years he has already served for his 2000 conviction, plus five years of probation. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer determined that Syed "is not a danger to the public" and that the "interests of justice will be better served by a reduced sentence." The judge's ruling was made more than a week following Syed's Feb. 26 hearing under the Juvenile Restoration Act, a Maryland law that permits individuals who have served at least 20 years in prison for crimes committed as minors to seek a modified sentence. 

Syed, now 43, has been out of prison since 2022 after his original conviction was vacated. It was later reinstated amid a series of legal challenges.

Syed was convicted in 2000 for the murder of his ex-girlfriend and high school classmate Hae Min Lee. Both Syed and Lee attended Woodlawn High School in Baltimore. Syed was convicted of murder, kidnapping and false imprisonment and was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years. 

In 2014, the true-crime podcast "Serial" explored Syed's case in its first season. The podcast, which had millions of listeners at the time, raised questions about the evidence and witnesses in the trial. The podcast raised doubts about one of the prosecution's key witnesses, a drug dealer named Jay Wilds, who claimed he was the one who helped Syed bury Lee's body. It also explored the effectiveness of Syed's attorney, who was later disbarred. The podcast further questioned why another student, who could have provided an alibi for Syed, was never interviewed by his lawyer or asked to testify. 

Between 2015 and 2024, the case went back and forth between the Maryland State Courts and Appeals Courts after being denied a hearing at the US Supreme Court. By the end of 2024, Syed's attorneys requested a reduced sentence through the Juvenile Restoration Act, which led to last week's final resolution.

"Today, we are focused on the joy and relief of this decision," said Syed's attorney Erica Suter. "Adnan is grateful that the Judge agreed with his motion to reduce his sentence under the Juvenile Restoration Act. Given his accomplishments in prison and his work in the community since release, he was a model candidate for a sentence reduction. Adnan is committed to continuing to be a productive member of his community and living a life centered around his family."