CNN
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Attorneys representing the household of Hae Min Lee, the teenager whose 1999 killing was investigated on the “Serial” podcast, requested an appellate court docket on Thursday to redo a listening to that vacated the homicide conviction of Adnan Syed – and to reinstate Syed’s conviction within the meantime.
Syed was accused of killing {the teenager} and served greater than 20 years in jail earlier than a choose vacated his conviction in a September listening to, resulting in Syed’s launch. Lee’s brother, Younger Lee, requested a redo of that listening to, arguing partly that he didn’t have sufficient discover to attend in particular person.
Attorneys for Younger Lee, who was capable of watch September’s proceedings by Zoom, have alleged in court docket paperwork that prosecutors and the circuit court docket that overturned Syed’s conviction violated the brother’s rights. That occurred, they allege, by failing to provide him enough discover, withholding proof from the household and never giving the brother a correct probability to be heard on the proceedings.
David Sanford, who represents the Lee household, advised Maryland’s appellate court docket on Thursday that the circuit court docket and prosecutors “failed repeatedly” forward of September’s resolution to vacate Syed’s conviction.
“The sufferer, or sufferer’s consultant … has a proper to be heard,” the legal professional stated.
Steve Kelly, one other legal professional for the household, advised a three-judge panel {that a} new listening to could be “in compliance with the legislation.” When a choose requested Kelly if he thought Syed’s conviction needs to be reinstated if a brand new listening to is granted, Kelly responded: “Sure, your honor.”
However Syed’s legal professional, Erica Suter, argued the enchantment needs to be dismissed as moot, saying the prison case towards Syed not exists and claiming prosecutors took steps final yr to “facilitate” Younger Lee’s attendance within the September listening to.
Younger Lee was in court docket Thursday sporting a black face masks. Syed was additionally current, sitting subsequent to a member of the family.
“This court docket’s resolution will neither convey again Hae Min Lee nor restore Adnan’s 23-and-a-half misplaced years,” Suter stated throughout a information convention after Thursday’s listening to. “However what it could actually do is affirm that the decrease court docket’s resolution ought to stand.”
“It’s time, it’s 23 years previous time to let Adnan Syed dwell as a free man,” Syed’s legal professional added. “All of us, collectively, look ahead to the court docket’s ruling.”
Additionally after Thursday’s listening to, Sanford, the Lee household legal professional, advised reporters that their focus was to make sure proceedings have been carried out pretty and the sufferer’s household had a correct alternative to take part.
“We’re not on a marketing campaign to have Adnan Syed put again in jail. That’s not what that is about. That is about respecting victims and their representatives in a really, very troubling course of,” Sanford stated.
A call within the case is anticipated by summer season, Sanford stated.