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THE US SUPREME Court has rejected a Maryland man’s bid for a new trial based on information uncovered by the hit podcast Serial.
The justices left a 4-3 ruling in place in Maryland’s highest court that denied a new trial to Adnan Syed, who was convicted of strangling a high school classmate he had once dated.
Syed is serving a life sentence after he was convicted in 2000 of killing 17-year-old Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a Baltimore park.
Prosecutors said during his trial that Syed killed Min Lee after she broke off their relationship.
Syed’s lawyers had argued that his trial lawyer’s failure to investigate an alibi witness violated his right to competent legal representation.
“We are deeply disappointed by the Supreme Court but by no means is this the end of Adnan Syed,” defence lawyer C Justin Brown told Associated Press.
“There are other legal options and we are exploring each and every one of them.”
Millions of people learned about Syed when the hit podcast Serial dedicated its entire first season to the case in 2014.
The show shattered podcast-streaming and downloading records, shining a spotlight that led to renewed court proceedings.
Two Maryland courts found that Syed deserved a new trial.
His lawyer during his first trial, Cristina Gutierrez, failed to contact a woman who said she saw Syed at a library at the time prosecutors say he strangled his ex-girlfriend in 1999.
Gutierrez has since died. In 2018, the Maryland Court of Appeals denied Syed a new trial, even though it agreed his trial lawyer’s work was lacking.
The state high court said there was little chance the outcome would have been different had Ms Gutierrez done what she should have.
Rabia Chaudry, a lawyer and friend of Syed’s family who first brought his case to the attention of This American Life, which developed the podcast, said that the Supreme Court’s decision “was fully expected”.
She said his defence team has been preparing to file either a habeas petition in federal court or go back to the state court.
“We were just waiting. It was just a technicality. Now it’s done, so we can move forward,” she said of the high court’s move,” said Chaudry.
“He is doing fine. He is hanging in there. He knows that none of us are basically giving up. He was a great legal team. He was a lot of public support and walking away is not an option.”
There’s needs to be more articles relating to the impact of restrictions. This is but the tip of the iceberg.
@Kieran Hayes:
Eating disorders have been there long before restrictions and will be there long after.
@Digdeepradioucc: true but the incidence is markedly increased. Along with abuse and neglect. But aside from these the very nature of lockdowns and social isolation reduces life expectancy… https://youtu.be/ptIecdCZ3dg
@Digdeepradioucc: I wonder could some be suffering from the after effects of the virus. Many have complained of loss of smell and taste. That it actually puts them off eating. These after effects could last for weeks/months.
@Eileen Roche: Ah here….
@Eileen Roche: I hope you have the excuse of being drunk…
@Eileen Roche: Eileen, speaking as someone who is living with an eating disorder, I would suggest that you read up, even just a little, on the causation of EDs. Your suggestion is far removed from why and how they actually develop in connection with someone mental well-being.
@Digdeepradioucc: The point is that it appears (and this article could give some more data) that hospitalisations and greatly increased since the pandemic. And you could guess why, but more reporting and more research is needed because there are a lot of negative health impacts caused by lockdowns.
@Eileen Roche:
Isolation,lack of support, reduced medical support and treatment, lack of human contact, loss of employment, social restrictions, covid anxiety.
All of the above, and probably more, will lead to increases in mental health issues, eating disorders, alcohol and drug use and abuse, suicides and more. Also, will likely lead to people who already had these issues and were doing OK regressing and relapsing.
Nothing to do with smell and taste being temporarily lost.
The government should have been preaching preventative measures that help mitigate Covid 19 effects. A healthy diet, Vitamin D, regular excercise etc.
Battering people over the head with statistics of infection and death without giving much needed advice for people to help themselves is a disgrace.
@Mike Ryan: Thank god someone is seeing sense. The nation’s health should be our primary focus. The ‘stay at home’ message is dangerous is many other ways and our government are offering no advice is this regard.
@Mike Ryan: This is the main issue I have with the current approach, it’s full on negative and against basic health needs. Too many people not seeing the bigger picture.
@Mike Ryan: is there evidence for Vitamin D and exercise? Not being smart I’m genuinely wondering. Thanks.
@Maalouf: Firstly, a healthy diet and regular exercise is recommended for everyone. And there is proof that this will generally make for healthier people and stronger people, both physically stronger and a stronger immune system. Which will help fight illness and disease.
The Vit D thing I’m not a hundred per cent on. Early on it was reported in the USA that most Covid infections were in people who were vitamin D deficient. Could be something could be coincidence. For example in Ireland virtually everyone is low on Vitamin D. So most covid patients will be as well.
I personally started taking Vitamin D supplements as there are general benefits to it.
@Jim Lingk: interesting thank you
@Maalouf: vitamin D boost your immune system, as does Vit C and Zinc. Getting your Vit D outside in the daylight is best, it’s a real mood booster
This is a silent epidemic that’s doing so much damage to our population
There’s probably alot of people who would have preferred to take their chances with covid, but hey, government knows best.
@Joe ryan: the hospitals are nearly full at the moment and we are in lockdown. Imagine if everyone was let take there chances and not enough doctors or beds to treat them. They would just die at home slowly sufficating. I don’t agree with all the restrictions at the same time. People’s mental health is really suffering.
Well done for putting an advertisement for Burger King in the middle of the article.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh:
My Google searches for the last 10 or so days were related to art,music,sport,and architecture!
@Kenneth Hayden: Your phone is listening to you!
@Kenneth Hayden: ….. and Burger King. You’ve been outed. Get help for your eating disorder. You are in denial.
Ireland won’t be satisfied until everyone is dead of everything other than Covid… kind of entertaining to watch the madness.
have your say