HBO Documentary Films announced Wednesday that it will produce a follow-up episode to the 2019 four-part docuseries “The Case Against Adnan Syed” from director Amy Berg.
The episode, currently in production, will feature exclusive access to Syed leading up to and following his release from prison. The Berg-directed episode will debut 2023.
“We knew the end of ‘The Case Against Adnan Syed’ was not the end of this story, and we’ve been closely following every twist and turn in the case since the series premiered in March 2019,” Berg said in HBO’s release. It’s gratifying to see many of the questions and issues probed in the original episodes come to bear on the events of this week.”
Berg has been filming the follow-up episode in Maryland since early 2021. Most recently, Berg was present in the courthouse when Baltimore City Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn approved the motion to vacate Syed’s murder conviction. The investigation from the original series was referenced as evidence in the hearing.
Syed served more than 20 years in prison on murder charges before his wrongful conviction was vacated on Monday. His case attracted major publicity because of its spotlight on the hit true-crime podcast “Serial.”
According to NPR, Phinn’s decision relied on an extensive review of Syed’s case by prosecutors in Maryland, which revealed that authorities knew of at least two alternative suspects to Syed in the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999.
According to The Associated Press, Phinn ruled that the state violated its legal obligation to share exculpatory evidence with Syed’s defense. She ordered him released from custody and placed on home detention with GPS location monitoring. Per her ruling, the state has 30 days to decide whether to seek a new trial or dismiss the case.
Syed did not comment to reporters who asked him, “How does it feel?” as he was escorted to his car, but he did wave and acknowledge the throng gathered to celebrate his release.