MD Court of Special Appeals denies Lee family motion, asks why appeal should move forward

BALTIMORE -- Maryland's second-highest court on Wednesday denied a motion to pause the legal proceedings that set Adnan Syed free, eventually leading to the charges against him being dropped, and asked why an appeal from the family of the victim, Hae Min Lee, should move forward.

Syed became a free man Tuesday after charges related to the 1999 murder of Lee, his ex-girlfriend, were dropped. He served more than 20 years in prison before his murder conviction was vacated last month. 

Representatives for Young Lee, Hae Min Lee's brother, filed a notice of appeal on Sept. 28 arguing Lee's family did not receive enough notice about the hearing to vacate the conviction. Lee's lawyer argued circuit court proceedings should be paused until the appeal is heard.

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals gave Lee's representatives 15 days to say why their appeal should continue in light of the charges against Syed being dropped.    

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh filed a motion last week in support of Lee's argument to stay the case.

In their motion, Frosh and Assistant Attorney General Carrie Williams said Mosby's office only gave the Lee family two days notice of its intention to file a motion calling for Syed's conviction to be thrown out.

They argued Lee should be allowed to make the case Mosby's office violated the Maryland Declaration of Rights' "mandate to treat victims with 'dignity, respect, and sensitivity.'"

The judges also denied a motion from Frosh's office to strike a response from Syed's team.

Frosh's office also received 15 days to reply to a defense motion striking the state's top prosecutor as a party to the appeal.

Hae Min Lee went missing in January 1999, when she was 18 years old. Her body was found weeks later in Baltimore City's Leakin Park.

Both she and Syed were students at Woodlawn High School.

Syed was 17 years old when he was charged in Lee's death.