About
Muslim-American who had been serving a life sentence, since he was 17, after being convicted in 2000 of strangling his high school classmate and ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in Maryland. After being chronicled in the first season of the hit podcast Serial, and then on an HBO series, "The Case Against Adnan Syed." In September 2022, a judge essentially freed him, giving prosecutors 30 days to proceed with a new trial or drop the case.
Before Fame
As a student at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, he had had an on-again, off-again relationship with Lee. He was a popular, straight-A student. He was the homecoming king and played on the varsity football team and worked part-time for a paramedic service.
Trivia
Rabia Chaudry, a childhood friend of Syed, was the first person to take his case to radio producer and host Sarah Koenig, who centered Serial on his conviction. Chaudry also wrote a book about his case called Adnan's Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial, which became a New York Times best seller.
Family Life
He was born in Baltimore, Maryland to conservative Muslim parents. He was the middle child and one of three sons.
Associated With
Unless he is recharged, he will join Damien Echols, Steven Avery, Rubin Carter, and the Central Park Five as some of the country's most famous wrongfully convicted.
