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Adnan Syed, 42, was convicted of the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee over 20 years ago, with his case gaining notoriety again in 2014 after being featured on the popular podcast "Serial", which raised doubts about several key pieces of evidence that disrupt the integrity of the conviction, according to State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
Lee was found strangled to death and buried in a park back in 1999, with Syed becoming a main suspect, and eventually convicted of her killing.
New evidence brought forward in the case suggests alternative suspects who have a history of previous sexual assault acts toward women. The motion filed to vacate Syed's conviction follows a year-long investigation into the new information.
Some of the new information includes the two alternative suspects, as well as unreliable cell phone tower data.
“We believe that keeping Mr. Syed detained as we continue to investigate the case with everything that we know now, when we do not have confidence in results of the first trial, would be unjust,” stated Mosby.
While officials have asked Syed to be released during the investigation, they want to reiterate that they are not asserting that Syed is innocent, but that the "State lacks confidence in the integrity of the conviction", and wish to afford Syed a new trial.
The two new suspects brought forward may or may not have been involved together in the crime, the State's Attorney's office said.
The new information showed that one of the two suspects was convicted of serial rape and assault, and the other was convicted of attacking a woman in her vehicle.
Syed has spent over two decades in prison following his conviction of the strangling death of Lee.
The State has asked for Syed to be released on his own recognizance or bail while the investigation remains active.
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