A judge has granted a motion to reduce Adnan Syed's sentence to time served, followed by five years of supervised probation.
Judge Jennifer Schiffer said in her 14-page opinion that, "[a]fter considering the entire record, the court concludes that the Defendant is not a danger to the public and that the interests of justice will be better served by a reduced."
VIDEO: Adnan Syed "grateful" he does not have to return to prison
This comes just a little over a week after the judge heard arguments on the Juvenile Restoration Act motion.
That hearing featured many character witness statements for Syed, but also showcased the emotional testimony form Hae Min Lee's mother.
"To me, such a thing is unthinkable. I had no will to live, and I did not even know why I had to live, having seen what had happened," she said on the brink of tears, "He was of an age where he could think. But that America released him for the sake of his age, that is too much - it is too much."
Also at that hearing - law professor Doug Colbert, of the University of Maryland, Carey School of Law, who was Syed's first lawyer during his bail hearing just after his arrest.
"When legislators passed this law to review juvenile sentences, they were thinking about prisoners like Adnan Syed who in 23 and a half years did not have a single infraction while in prison which is unheard of for anyone familiar with prison protocol," Colbert said.
A statement from Syed's lawyer shared that he was grateful for the ruling of a reduced sentence.
"Today, we are focused on the joy and relief of this decision. 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."
- Erica Suter, counsel for Adnan Syed
The attorney for Hae Min Lee's family released the following statement Thursday afternoon, following the release of the opinion:
“The State of Maryland just last week acknowledged that it had presented “false and misleading” information to the court in support of Mr. Syed’s release more than two years ago. We now know there was never any new information that called into question Adnan Syed’s guilty verdict. Absolutely nothing changes the fact that Mr. Syed remains convicted of first-degree premeditated murder due to overwhelming direct and circumstantial evidence. We hope that one day Mr. Syed can summon the courage to take responsibility for his crime and express sincere remorse.”
-From David Sanford, Chairman, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, counsel for family of Hae Min Lee
WMAR-2 News has covered this case since Lee's murder, and aired a half-hour special ahead of Supreme Court arguments in October 2023.
Syed's conviction had been vacated in 2022, but Young Lee, Hae Min Lee's brother, argued his victim's rights were violated.
That case came all the way through to the state's supreme court, where a new vacatur hearing was ordered.
However, State's Attorney Ivan Bates withdrew the vacatur motion last week, just before the motion to reduce Syed's sentence was heard, meaning his conviction will continue to stand.
State's Attorney Ivan Bates also released a statement, calling this a "just outcome. "
“Today, the Court granted Mr. Syed’s motion under the Juvenile Restoration Act. My office’s decision to withdraw the Motion to Vacate, coupled with Judge Schiffer’s re-sentencing to Life, suspending all but the time served with five years of supervised probation, was a just outcome for a tragedy that took the life of a young woman whose family is forever altered. I hope the Lee family can find peace and healing in the aftermath of this challenging experience. My office is here to support them whenever they may need it.”
- Ivan J. Bates, State’s Attorney
The opinion also states that there will be a Zoom hearing to discuss the imposition of the sentence within the next two weeks.
