Guest Commentary published in The Baltimore Sun on Nov. 27, 2023
Adnan Syed case: Maryland Supreme Court must allow unconstitutional convictions to be overturned
By Miriam Aroni Krinsky and Leigh Goodmark
"A little over a year ago, Adnan Syed walked out of prison — 22 years after he was sentenced to life for the murder of his former girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, and eight years after the podcast “Serial” drew international attention to problems with his conviction. The argument that finally secured his release came from a surprising source: the prosecutor’s office that originally tried and convicted him.
But his future is now uncertain. In October, the Maryland Supreme Court heard arguments that could lead to its ruling, any day now, to reinstate his conviction — not because of new evidence, but because of a procedural notification issue with his release. The outcome could have far-reaching implications for efforts to overturn unconstitutional and wrongful convictions across Maryland and the nation..."
Leigh Goodmark is the Marjorie Cook Professor of Law and director of the Clinical Law Program.