Bail Denied to 'Serial' Star Adnan Syed

BALTIMORE, MD — A judge has denied the request for bail on behalf of Adnan Syed, whose case was made famous by the popular podcast "Serial."

Syed, who has been in jail since 1999 in connection with the murder of his ex-girlfriend while they were both students at Woodlawn High School, requested to be released as his case moves through the appeals process.

"Syed has now served more than 17 years in prison based on an unconstitutional conviction for a crime he did not commit," his attorneys said in court filings this fall requesting his release.

Judge Martin P. Welch denied the request on Wednesday, citing among other factors, that Syed would be a flight risk given that he would be facing a life sentence for murder if retried.

Read the decision from the circuit court.

Syed was the subject of a podcast called "Serial," which attracted millions of listeners worldwide as it cast doubt on his guilt for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee.

A judge vacated Syed's conviction over the summer when his 2000 trial was brought into question due to unreliable cell phone data used as evidence and an alibi witness who was not called to the stand, information that gained widespread attention through "Serial."

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• Witness Takes Stand in ‘Serial’ Murder Case
• Adnan Syed Has a Long Road in Appeals Process
• Serial’s Adnan Syed Wins Appeal

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