Supreme Court declines to hear Serial subject Adnan Syed's appeal for a new trial
True crime podcast subject Adnan Syed's appeal to the Supreme Court for a new trial has just been rejected.
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear Syed's appeal, leaving in place a ruling from the Maryland Court of Appeals denying him a new trial, The Associated Press reports. Convicted to life in prison in 2000 for the murder of ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, Syed has maintained his innocence, as covered on the true crime sensation Serial in 2014.
In 2016, a Maryland court ordered a new trial, a decision that was upheld by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, NPR reports. Syed's lawyer during his trial didn't contact a witness who claims she saw him at the library when prosecutors say he murdered Lee, and so his lawyers argued his right to competent legal representation was violated, AP notes. But the decision that Syed therefore deserves a new trial was reversed in 2018 by Maryland's highest court, and that ruling now remains in place.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Syed's attorney on Monday said he was "extremely disappointed" by this outcome while adding that "we won't give up."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Mall World: why are people dreaming about a shopping centre?Under The Radar Thousands of strangers are dreaming about the same thing and no one sure why
-
Why scientists are attempting nuclear fusionThe Explainer Harnessing the reaction that powers the stars could offer a potentially unlimited source of carbon-free energy, and the race is hotting up
-
Crossword: October 27, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
ABC News to pay $15M in Trump defamation suitSpeed Read The lawsuit stemmed from George Stephanopoulos' on-air assertion that Trump was found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll
-
Judge blocks Louisiana 10 Commandments lawSpeed Read U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled that a law ordering schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was unconstitutional
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security lawSpeed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitutionspeed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
-
Texas executes man despite contested evidenceSpeed Read Texas rejected calls for a rehearing of Ivan Cantu's case amid recanted testimony and allegations of suppressed exculpatory evidence
-
Supreme Court wary of state social media regulationsSpeed Read A majority of justices appeared skeptical that Texas and Florida were lawfully protecting the free speech rights of users
-
Greece legalizes same-sex marriageSpeed Read Greece becomes the first Orthodox Christian country to enshrine marriage equality in law
