Adnan Syed's murder conviction will stand as he seeks sentence reduction in new hearing

Adnan Syed's murder conviction will remain in place after Baltimore City prosecutors withdrew a motion to vacate the conviction Tuesday.

Adnan Syed's murder conviction will remain in place after Baltimore City prosecutors withdrew a motion to vacate the conviction Tuesday.

The motion contained "false and misleading statements and unsubstantiated conclusions" that prosecutors allegedly failed to turn over evidence favorable to the defense at trial, known as a Brady violation, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates said.

"As prosecutors, our duty is to seek justice and ensure that all legal proceedings are conducted transparently, accurately, and fairly," Bates said. "I did not make this decision lightly, but it is necessary to preserve the credibility of our office and maintain public trust in the justice system."

Syed, now 43, was back in court Wednesday morning for a hearing where a judge will consider a reduced sentence. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years after being convicted of killing his high school ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, in 1999. He was freed in October 2022 after a Baltimore judge vacated the conviction at the urging of prosecutors.

But that conviction was reinstated by the state appeals court over problems with notifying Lee's family of the hearing. Since then, Syed's attorneys have been trying to get the conviction overturned and are also seeking to have the sentence reduced.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/adnan-syed-sentence-reduction-rcna193763

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