Hae Min Lee’s Family Emotional Over Adnan Syed’s Vacated Murder Conviction

“Serial” is a popular true crime podcast that first came out in 2014. The first season focused on the murder trial of Adnan Syed, a 17-year-old who was found guilty of murdering his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee back in 2000. The podcast listeners were given all the facts available at the time. This way, they would be able to weigh the circumstances of whether or not Syed was guilty.

Then on September 19, 2022, Syed was vacated of his murder conviction. He was released after being sentenced to life in prison.

Judge Melissa Phinn of the Baltimore Circuit Court ruled that the prosecution withheld evidence that could have helped prove his innocence from his defense team. Her loved ones had hoped to attend the hearing that led to Syed’s release, but it was held too quickly for them to be present at the time.

Young Lee, the victim’s brother, even reached out via Zoom asking for a postponement. He said, “This is not a podcast for me. It’s real life that will never end — it’s been 20-plus years. It’s a nightmare… This is killing us.”

Unfortunately, his request was denied.

Steve Kelly, the family’s lawyer, spoke on their behalf after the ruling.
“We are disappointed that today’s hearing happened so quickly with, unfortunately, no notice and that the court acted the way it did and that the prosecutor’s office made the recommendation the way that they did. This family is interested in the pursuit of justice. They want to know more than anybody who it was that killed Hae Min Lee.”

Kelly also released a statement from the Lee family:
“For more than 20 years, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office has told the family of Hae Min Lee that their beloved daughter and sister was murdered by Adnan Syed. One week ago, for the first time, the family was informed that, through a year-long investigation that is apparently still ongoing, the state had uncovered new facts and would be filing a motion to vacate Mr. Syed’s conviction. For more than 20 years, no one has wanted to know the truth about who killed Hae Min Lee more than her family.”

Syed had been in prison since 2000 and was sentenced to life when he allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Just last week, he got out. At the time of the crime, he was only seventeen years old, but he has always said he is not guilty.

The Maryland State Attorney’s Office asked for Syed’s conviction to be thrown out because the evidence presented at trial didn’t convince them.

Kelly said Hae Min Lee’s brother believed Syed was the one who murdered his sister until Syed’s conviction was overturned.

Now two other suspects, whose identities are being withheld for the investigation, have been linked to Lee’s death. In March, prosecutors announced they were testing DNA evidence connected to the case.

However, the prosecutor’s office maintained that it contacted the Lee family “over a week ago to offer counseling services and discussed the motion to vacate the conviction.”

Young Lee received an email from the prosecutor’s office stating that a motion to dismiss Syed’s conviction would be filed. According to Kelly, Lee did not fully grasp the implications of this at the time.