courts

Adnan Syed’s New Hearing Is Finally Here

Adnan Syed enters Courthouse East in Baltimore prior to a hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016 in Baltimore. The hearing, scheduled to last three days before Baltimore Circuit Judge Martin Welch, is meant to determine whether Syed's conviction will be overturned and case retried. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/The Baltimore Sun via AP) WASHINGTON EXAMINER OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
Syed arriving at his new hearing. Photo: Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun/AP

Adnan Syed’s long campaign for a new trial reached another stage on Tuesday with the start of a hearing related to his 2000 conviction for the murder of ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee — Syed’s first day in court since the first season of Serial made his case a flash point for discussions on racism, memory, and prosecutorial misconduct. The three-day hearing will examine evidence familiar to Serial listeners, including the decision of Syed’s original attorney, the late Cristina Gutierrez, not to investigate potential alibi witness Asia McClain. The hearing is expected to see McClain take the stand for the first time, as well as shed more light on the cell-tower data that was used to convict Syed.

Adnan Syed’s New Hearing Is Finally Here