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U.S. NEWS Friday 6 OctOber 2023
Maryland Supreme Court weighs victims' rights in case of Adnan

Syed from 'Serial' podcast

By Brian White and Lea Lee’s brother, Young Lee,
Skene were violated because he
Associated Press was unable to substantively
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — participate in the process,
Maryland’s highest court which Rubin called extraor-
is considering whether the dinary “in that it aligns the
rights of a murder victim’s interests of the defendant
family were violated when and the state.” He argued
Adnan Syed ’s conviction victims and their attorneys
in the killing was vacated should fulfill an adversarial
last fall, years after his case role. But several justices ex-
gained national attention pressed skepticism about
through the hit podcast whether state law expressly
“Serial.” spells out a victim’s right to
The case has been fraught be heard in such hearings
with legal twists and di- where a conviction is va-
vided court rulings for de- cated.
cades. And the oral ar- Some justices also ques-
guments that took place tioned why the hearing that
Thursday before the Mary- vacated Syed’s conviction
land Supreme Court were was scheduled so hast-
no exception. ily. Prosecutors told Young
Among the issues discussed Adnan Syed and his mother Shamim Rahman arrive at Maryland's Supreme Court in Annapolis, Lee about the hearing on
was the extent to which Md., Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, to hear arguments in an appeal by Syed, whose conviction for killing a Friday and scheduled it
Maryland crime victims his ex-girlfriend more than 20 years ago was chronicled in the hit podcast "Serial." for the following Monday,
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
have a right to participate leaving him no reasonable
in hearings where a con- prison for life if subsequent grave in 1999. “We be- viction. City prosecutors opportunity to travel to Bal-
viction could be vacated. developments in the case lieve very strongly in trying had dropped all charges timore from his California
The panel of seven judges, don’t fall in his favor. to find justice for Hae and after finding flaws in the home and attend in per-
who will release their ruling Outside the Annapolis her family,” he told report- evidence. son. Instead, he ended up
in the coming months, is courthouse after the hear- ers. “And we’re hoping also Syed appealed his convic- addressing the court via
also weighing whether to ing, Syed said he was look- that we’re able to find jus- tion's reinstatement, and video call.
uphold a lower appellate ing forward to the decision. tice for us, too.” the Lee family also ap- Justice Shirley Watts said
court ruling that found in While maintaining his inno- He attended the hearing pealed to the state’s high- the outcome of the hearing
favor of the victim’s family cence from the start, Syed flanked by family mem- est court, contending that seemed predetermined, in-
and reinstated Syed’s 2000 has often expressed con- bers, including his mother crime victims should be cluding Syed’s immediate
murder conviction. cern for the family of Hae and younger brother. given a larger role in the release from custody. And
Ultimately, Syed’s freedom Min Lee, his high school Syed, 42, was released process of vacating a con- Justice Lynne Battaglia
hangs in the balance. ex-girlfriend who was found from prison in September viction. spoke about properly bal-
While unlikely, he could strangled to death and 2022, when a Baltimore He said the issue at hand ancing the rights of victims
eventually be sent back to buried in an unmarked judge overturned his con- was whether the rights of and defendants.q

A man seeking Wisconsin’s governor

illegally brought guns to the state

Capitol — twice in one day

By Scott Bauer Warrick said. The 43-year- which is against the law,
Associated Press old man said “he would not Warrick said. Weapons can
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A leave until he saw Gover- be brought into the Capi-
man illegally brought a nor Evers” so he could talk tol if they are concealed
loaded handgun into the about “domestic abuse and the person has a valid
Wisconsin Capitol, de- towards men,” Capitol po- permit. The man arrested
manding to see Gov. Tony lice said in a bulletin sent to did not have a concealed
Evers, and returned at night lawmakers and their staffs. carry permit, Warrick said.
with an assault rifle after Evers was not in the building The man posted cellphone Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers speaks at a campaign
posting bail, police said at the time, Warrick said. video of his arrest on his stop, Oct. 27, 2022, in Milwaukee.
Thursday. A Capitol police officer sits Facebook page, which (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
The man, who was shirt- at a desk outside of a suite one of his Facebook friends people who he says police tol, the man says, “I will ad-
less and had a holstered of rooms that includes the downloaded and provided won’t protect him from. mit that I broke that law.”
handgun, approached the governor's office, confer- to The Associated Press. In “I am not a threat,” the Warrick said she was not
governor's office on the first ence room and offices for the footage, the man tells man tells police. His dog is aware of the video and
floor of the Capitol around the attorney general. police as they speak to him with him. could not comment on it.
2 p.m. Wednesday, state The man was taken into outside of the governor’s When told by officers that The man was booked into
Department of Administra- custody for openly carry- office that he is armed it’s illegal for him to openly the Dane County Jail but
tion spokesperson Tatyana ing a firearm in the Capitol, “to defend myself” from carry a firearm in the Capi- later posted bail. q