It is an unexpected turnaround. Adnan Syed is now a free man, having spent 23 years behind bars. A court in Maryland overturned his conviction on Monday, September 19. Adnan Syed was convicted in 1999 for killing his former schoolmate and high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee.

Judge Melissa M. Phinn vacated the case to administer justice and fairness to Adnan Syed because discrepancies were found in how evidence was originally presented. Prosecutors allegedly withheld critical information that was in favor of Syed. Significant evidence was later discovered that could have impacted the case’s outcome.

The prosecutors have 30 days to start a new trial or drop all charges against Syed. Meanwhile,  Syed will be under home detention for 30 days. Prosecutors have discovered two possible suspects who haven’t been charged or mentioned in public.

After delivering her judgment, Judge Phinn said, “At the moment, we will remove the shackles from Mr. Syed.” The smiling Syed made his way into the courtroom as supporters applauded. Soon after, he entered a waiting SUV without saying anything to the inquisitive press reporters.

Syed, now 41-years-old, was charged with strangling and killing his former schoolmate and girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, in 1998, after she allegedly had a relationship with another person. The two were students at Woodlawn High school in Baltimore County.

Syed maintained his innocence, raising concerns about whether he was charged fairly. In 2014, a popular podcast, “Serial,” explored thorough inquiries into the case.

However, the podcast isn’t the reason behind the decision to release Syed. Instead, prosecutors claim they had no confidence in the conviction’s integrity. At a motion in Baltimore Circuit Court last Wednesday, prosecutors pointed out details of a one-year investigation by Syed’s lawyer. New evidence uncovered two murder suspects. In the report, it was presented that prosecutors may have withheld key evidence that could have acted in favor of Syed.

There were also reliability issues in the evidence used against Mr. Syed, notably cellphone tower data. However, prosecutors say that they aren’t asserting Syed’s innocence. The state’s attorney’s office is waiting for DNA analysis results to decide between a dismissal or a new trial.

On the Lee family side, the release of Syed didn’t go down well. One prosecutor, Becky Feldman, said the investigation had denied justice to Ms. Lee’s family. 

Lee’s family raised concerns that prosecutors didn’t give adequate notice about their decision to vacate the case. Their lawyer requested the court postpone the hearing, which Judge Phinn turned down.

After joining the motion in the Zoom meeting, Lee’s brother expressed frustration and called the case a nightmare eating him and his mother alive. He felt betrayed and overwhelmed by the motion and the case proceedings over the last two decades.

Syed, through his lawyer Erica J. Suter, expressed his joy after walking out of prison, having spent most of his life there. The joy was not surprisingly inexpressible and overwhelming.