ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) 鈥� The family of the victim in the murder case chronicled in the first season of the 鈥淪erial鈥� podcast has asked Maryland's intermediate appellate court to halt Adnan Syed鈥檚 court case pending the family鈥檚 appeal of a judge鈥檚
Young Lee, the brother of victim Hae Min Lee, asked the Maryland Court of Special Appeals in a six-page motion filed late last month to suspend further proceedings, including an Oct. 18 deadline by which prosecutors must decide whether to drop the charges against Syed or retry him for the killing. He contends that about a court hearing last month over whether Syed鈥檚 conviction should be overturned.
鈥淭he Lee family is not seeking, through this motion or through the appeal, to impact Mr. Syed鈥檚 release from custody,鈥� said the family鈥檚 attorney, Steve Kelly. 鈥淚f the wrong person has been behind bars for 23 years, the Lee family and the rest of the world want to understand what new evidence has led to that conclusion.鈥�
Baltimore Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn overturned Syed鈥檚 conviction on Sept. 19. The Baltimore State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 Office said it found evidence that should have been disclosed to Syed's attorneys.
Prosecutors Syed鈥檚 conviction on Sept. 14. That followed a yearlong investigation and was two days after they notified the Lee family, the family鈥檚 motion says. Then on Sept. 16, Syed鈥檚 attorneys and prosecutors discussed the motion at a meeting in Phinn鈥檚 chambers.
Phinn ordered a new trial, but prosecutors were given 30 days 鈥� until Oct. 18 鈥� in which to dismiss the charges or proceed with a new trial.
Syed has always maintained his innocence. His case captured the attention of millions in 2014 when the debut season of 鈥淪erial鈥� focused on Lee鈥檚 killing and raised doubts about some of the evidence prosecutors had used, inspiring heated debates across dinner tables and water coolers about Syed鈥檚 innocence or guilt.
Syed was serving a life sentence after he was convicted of strangling 18-year-old Lee, whose body was found buried in a Baltimore park.
Prosecutors said a reinvestigation of the case revealed evidence regarding the possible involvement of two other possible suspects. The two suspects may be involved individually or may be involved together, the state鈥檚 attorney鈥檚 office said.
Brian Witte, The Associated Press
