Adnan Syed Will Not Be Getting a New Trial

The Maryland Court of Appeals reinstated Adnan Syed’s conviction on March 8, meaning that he will not get the opportunity to try his case again.

Syed was the subject of the incredibly successful first season of the Serial podcast, and on March 10, HBO will release a new documentary about Syed and the 1999 death of Hae Min Lee. Lee was Syed’s former girlfriend, and in 2000, he was convicted of her murder.

Serial raised questions about the legitimacy of the conviction, including a key witness who never testified and questionable cell phone tower data.

In 2016, a Maryland judge annulled the original conviction and ordered a new trial. However, in a 4-3 decision the Court of Appeals ruled “that although Syed’s first trial was “deficit” it was not enough to overturn his conviction,” according to CBS 13 Baltimore.

Justin Brown, Syed’s attorney, tweeted “We will not give up” in the wake of the ruling.

Asia McClain Chapman, a witness who claims she saw Syed in a library during the time of the murder, did not testify at Syed’s first trial, leading attorneys to petition for a new trial that would allow for her testimony. But two former classmates filed statements with the court saying she had reason to “make up a lie” in order to help Syed.

McClain Chapman tweeted that there were “No words” in response to the appeals court decision: