‘Serial’ murderer’s retrial blocked by attorney general

MARYLAND’S attorney general plans to fight a judge’s order granting a new trial to a convicted murderer whose case was featured in the popular podcast Serial.

A judge granted a retrial to Adnan Syed last month following a long-running campaign that argued his legal representation had been inadequate and a key alibi witness ignored.

The Baltimore Sun reports that the attorney general’s office formally notified the court of its intentions in the case of Syed last week and asks that any new trial proceedings be halted during the process. The office has until Monday to file the actual appeal.

Syed, 35, was convicted of killing his high school girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999 and burying her in a park. He was sentenced to life in prison.

The case was highlighted by the podcast Serial, which began in 2014 and raised questions about Syed’s guilt.

The podcast became the most successful ever and in February Syed appeared before a court for the first time in a decade in an attempt to have the case reopened.