'Serial's Adnan Syed Has Spent More Of His Life In Prison Than Outside Of It
Adnan Syed is officially a free man after spending more than two decades in jail for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend. Prosecutors in Baltimore dropped all charges against Adnan in a virtual hearing on Tuesday, according to CNN.
Adnan was released from jail last month after spending 23 years in prison, during which time he maintained his innocence in the 1999 killing of his high school ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, per The New York Times. Adnan’s case was featured and popularized in the podcast Serial, bringing national attention to his story. He was ordered last month to serve home detention until prosecutors decided what to do with his case.
Hae, who was 18 at the time of her death, was found strangled and buried in a Baltimore park in 1999, per the Times. Adnan had been previously been convicted of killing his ex and was serving a life sentence. However, DNA testing was unable to link Adnan to the crime, and he was finally cleared of the charges, the Times says.
“Finally, Adnan Syed is able to live as a free man,” his lawyer, Erica J. Suter, said in a statement to the Times. “The DNA results confirmed what we have already known and what underlies all of the current proceedings: That Adnan is innocent and lost 23 years of his life serving time for a crime he did not commit.”
Adnan’s freedom is a huge topic of conversation right now and it’s understandable to have questions, including wanting to know what he's up to now. Here’s what you need to know.
How old was Adnan when he went to prison in 1999?
Adnan was just 17 years old when Hae Min Lee was killed, according to the Times. In 2000, he was convicted of first-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping, and false imprisonment in her death.
Where was he incarcerated?
Adnan was in jail in Maryland, at the Jessup Correctional Institute. His case became national news after the popular Serial podcast questioned whether he had received a fair trial.
Adnan was convicted after Jay Wilds, a friend of Adnan’s, said in court that he helped Adnan bury Hae Min Lee's body, per the Times. Cell phone records placed Adnan near the park where the body was found.
But a legal review that started last April found alternate suspects, including one person who said, “He would make [Hae] disappear. He would kill her.” One of the suspects was convicted of attacking a woman in her vehicle; another was convicted of serial rape and sexual assault.
The Serial podcast also drew attention to a key alibi in Adnan's story: Asia McClain, who said she was with Adnan at a library when Hae Min Lee was killed, and offered to testify on his behalf. However, Adnan’s lawyer never contacted her for the case.
How old is Adnan Syed now in 2022?
Adnan Syed is currently 41 years old, per the Times. He has now spent more time in prison than outside of it.
Is Adnan married?
Well, that's the big question that lots of people have been asking lately, but the answer is unclear. Rabia Chaudry, who hosts the Undisclosed podcast, said that Adnan married a woman named Kendra when he was in jail, but that he’s now divorced, per Distractify.
According to Rabia, Kendra met Adnan while she was visiting a different prisoner. The two reportedly met in 2008 but divorced two years later. But this account is not confirmed elsewhere, and Adnan has not confirmed it, either.
Where is Adnan Syed now?
Adnan was just released from home detention today, but it’s not clear if he’s still in the Baltimore area or if he has now left.
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