Adnan Syed, convicted murderer and subject of breakout podcast "Serial," has been granted a new trial, according to the Associated Press.
Syed — sentenced in 2000 to life in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee — and his case were the subject of the first season of the hugely popular true-crime podcast "Serial," hosted by NPR's Sarah Koenig.
Baltimore's Judge Martin Welch handed down the order on Thursday afternoon. He cited the defense team's "ineffective assistance" in failing to "cross-examine the State's cell tower expert" and "contact a potential alibi witness."
"The court finds that trial counsel's performance fell below the standard of reasonable professional judgment when she failed to cross-examine the state's cell tower expert regarding a disclaimer obtained as part of pre-trial discovery," Welch wrote in a statement.
The new trial date has yet to be set. Syed's attorney, C. Justin Brown, celebrated the decision on Twitter and announced a 5:15PM (ET) press conference:
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