Baltimore prosecutors on Tuesday dismissed their case against a man found guilty of the 1999 killing of his ex-girlfriend in a case that drew national attention after the podcast “Serial” raised doubts about his guilt.
Adnan Syed, 42, served more than 20 years in prison for the slaying of Hae Min Lee. A circuit court judge vacated the murder conviction last month and released him after an investigation identified problems with the case, leaving prosecutors to decide whether to retry him.
On Tuesday, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City Marilyn Mosby said during a news conference that she ordered prosecutors to drop the criminal case against Syed after DNA testing cast doubt on his guilt.
“The criminal justice system should be based on fair and just prosecution and crux of the matter is that we are standing here today because that wasn’t done 23 years ago,” she said, apologizing to the Lee and Syed families. “Today, justice is done.” Mosby said no DNA was recovered from Lee’s skirt or jacket during a touch DNA testing that was re-cently performed for the first time on the evidence. She added that DNA was found on Lee’s shoes, but it was not from Syed.
“Finally, Adnan Syed is able to live as a free man,” Syed’s lawyer, Erica Suter, said in a statement re-leased to local media.—Reuters
