State's Attorney Announces Withdrawal of Motion to Vacate Judgement in Adnan Syed Case

Baltimore, Md. (February 25, 2025) - Today, Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates announced the withdrawal of the Motion to Vacate Judgment in the case of Adnan Syed, filed by the previous administration. The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City continues to support Mr. Syed’s Juvenile Resentencing Act motion.

Links are provided at the bottom of this page to read the Executive Summary and Public Filing. 

“After a thorough review of the Motion to Vacate Judgment filed by the previous administration in the case of Adnan Syed, my office has determined that it contains false and misleading statements that undermine the integrity of the judicial process. As prosecutors, our duty is to seek justice and ensure that all legal proceedings are conducted transparently, accurately, and fairly.

“While I did not ask for this task, it was remanded to my office by the Supreme Court of Maryland; thus, we have a duty as Maryland-barred attorneys, prosecutors tasked with pursuing justice, and officers of the Court to address false and misleading statements in the State's legal filings - a duty that we take extremely seriously. As such, we cannot adopt the falsehoods and misleading statements in the Motion to Vacate Judgment nor fail to bring them to the Court's attention.

“For these reasons, I formally withdrew the Motion to Vacate Judgment. I did not make this decision lightly, but it is necessary to preserve the credibility of our office and maintain public trust in the justice system. My administration remains fully committed to reviewing cases where wrongful convictions or miscarriages of justice may have occurred. However, we will do so with the highest standards of integrity and a commitment to truth.

“I recognize the complexity and sensitivity of this case. I hope this comprehensive review and my ultimate decision bring closure to all parties involved,” said State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates

Read the Executive Summary here.

Read the Public Filing here.