why was adnan syed's lawyer disbarred

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Who was Adnan Syed’s first lawyer?

Who Was Adnan Syed's First Lawyer, Cristina Gutierrez? In 2014, Adnan Syed 's controversial case became a national sensation when Serial was released—fourteen years after he was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, and sentenced to life in prison.

What happened to Adnan Syed?

In 2014, Adnan Syed 's controversial case became a national sensation when Serial was released—fourteen years after he was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, and sentenced to life in prison. His story is now being re-examined in HBO's The Case Against Adnan Syed, which picks up where the immensely popular 2014 podcast left off.

What happened to Adnan Syed's first attorney Cristina Gutierrez?

What Happened To Adnan Syed's First Attorney, Cristina Gutierrez? Adnan Syed might not be getting a new trial, but even the courts agree Cristina Gutierrez didn't give him effective legal counsel. Oxygen Insider Exclusive! Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more!

Did Adnan Syed kill Hae Min Lee?

After the 2014 podcast Serial became a worldwide sensation, many were left doubting that convicted murderer Adnan Syed was guilty of killing former high school girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, when Syed was 17.

Who is Adnan syeds lawyer?

Syed is serving a life sentence after a jury convicted him in 2000 of strangling his former girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, whose body was found in Baltimore. Syed's lawyer, Justin Brown, said on Monday he was "extremely disappointed" by the Supreme Court's decision.

How did Cristina Gutierrez fail Adnan?

Two Maryland courts found that Syed deserved a new trial. His lawyer during his first trial, Cristina Gutierrez, failed to contact a woman who said she saw Syed at a library at the time prosecutors say he strangled his ex-girlfriend in 1999. Gutierrez has since died.

Was Cristina Gutierrez disbarred?

She was disbarred by consent. Gutierrez was reportedly "disbarred by consent" in May 2001, and none of the negligent client claims were investigated because she willingly signed the disbarment. That was a year after she represented Syed.

When was Cristina Gutierrez disbarred?

May 2001In May 2001, just one year after Syed's sentencing, Gutierrez was disbarred after numerous former clients filed complaints about her conduct with the Attorney Grievance Commission.

Who is Rabia Why is she involved in the case Serial?

Rabia Chaudry is an attorney, advocate, and author of the New York Times bestselling book "Adnan's Story" and Executive Producer of a four-part HBO documentary "The Case Against Adnan Syed."

Why was Adnan's first trial a mistrial?

December 15, 1999: Syed's first trial ends in a mistrial. After jurors accidentally overheard an exchange in which the judge called Syed's attorney Cristina Gutierrez “a liar," a mistrial was declared.

Why did Christina Gutierrez get disbarred?

She was the first Latina to be counsel of record in a case before the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2001, Gutierrez was disbarred, with her consent, following multiple complaints from clients who paid her for legal work she failed to perform.

Why is the Nisha call so important?

The Nisha Call is one of the strongest pieces of evidence suggesting that Adnan isn't innocent. But that isn't saying much. It's a 3:32 pm call on January 13, 1999, on Adnan's cell phone records to Nisha, a friend of his who did not know Jay. Nisha testified in trial that she spoke to both Jay and Adnan.

Who is Jay in Serial?

Jay Wilds, the main witness in a case that put then-18-year-old Adnan Syed into jail for the murder of his ex girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, has done an interview with The Intercept and changed his story.

What is the meaning of disbarment?

Disbarment is the disciplinary withdrawal of an attorney's privilege to practice law by sanctioning the attorney's license to practice law. It is the most severe sanction for attorney misconduct.

Who is Asia McClain?

Asia McClain was a typical student at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore, Maryland on January 13, 1999. She would later recall seeing a classmate, Adnan Syed, in the library that afternoon, and chatting briefly with him about his recent breakup.

Who saw Adnan in the library?

'Serial' Witness Asia McClain on the Last Time She Saw Adnan Syed: 'He Didn't Seem to Be Jealous' Asia McClain says there's a very simple reason Adnan Syed couldn't have killed his former high school girlfriend, Hae Lee, 20 years ago: “I know it's physically impossible for people to be in two places at one time.”

Who is the lawyer for Adnan Syed?

Although Syed's lawyer Cristina Gutierrez didn't make an appearance on the first season of “Serial,” which questioned whether Syed was wrongfully convicted for Lee's murder all those years ago, Gutierrez's voice was heard over and over as host Sarah Koenig played back tapes of Syed's original court case, questioning Gutierrez's job performance. Now, HBO’s four-part docuseries “The Case Against Adnan Syed” which premiered on March 10, two days after Syed's conviction was upheld, picks up right where “Serial” left off. Much like the podcast, the Amy Berg-directed film also reexamines Gutierrez's role in Syed's original conviction. So, in the midst of all this speculation over her handling of the case, where is Gutierrez now?

When did the case against Adnan Syed air?

Now, HBO’s four-part docuseries “The Case Against Adnan Syed” which premiered on March 10, two days after Syed's conviction was upheld, picks up right where “Serial” left off. Much like the podcast, the Amy Berg-directed film also reexamines Gutierrez's role in Syed's original conviction.

How did Gutierrez die?

Gutierrez is not around to defend herself, however, because she passed away a few years after the case. Her 2004 death was a result of a heart attack , according to her obituary. She was 52. Gutierrez had been suffering from multiple sclerosis, which some speculate may have impacted her performance on Syed's case.

Why was Gutierrez disbarred?

However, in 2001, a year after Syed’s conviction, Gutierrez was disbarred following allegations she drained a trust account containing client funds , according to The Baltimore Sun. She died three years later.

When was Syed's murder conviction upheld?

However, Syed saw his murder conviction upheld on Friday, March 8 after Maryland's highest court disagreed that Gutierrez prejudiced the case during the original trial proceedings.

Did Gutierrez mishandle his case?

Syed has long maintained that Gutierrez mishandled his case over her failure to investigate his alibi Asia McClain, who claimed she saw Syed in her high school library at the time of the murder. Syed claimed Gutierrez told him at the time that she had investigated the alibi, but “nothing came of it.”.

Who defended everyone from allegedly corrupt city officials to accused kid killers to serial child molesters to teachers?

Gutierrez defended everyone from allegedly corrupt city officials to accused kid killers to serial child molesters to teachers charged with sexually assaulting their students. “ [Gutierrez] had a tremendous reputation,” Petit told Oxygen.com.

What happened to Adnan Syed?

In 2014, Adnan Syed 's controversial case became a national sensation when Serial was released-some fourteen years after he was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, and sentenced to life in prison. His story is now being re-examined in HBO's The Case Against Adnan Syed, which picks up where the immensely popular 2014 podcast left off.

What was Syed's appeal based on?

Syed's appeal was based on a similar claim of omission.

Why was Matt Lauer fired?

Matt Lauer was fired due to a complaint of "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace" on Nov. 29, 2017

When did Syed get his murder conviction reinstated?

On Friday, 8 March , Syed's murder conviction was reinstated by the Maryland Court of Appeals. The court reinstated Syed’s conviction Friday, agreeing that while his defense was deficient, it “did not prejudice” the case. He will not get a new trial.

Will Syed get a new trial?

The court reinstated Syed’s conviction Friday, agreeing that while his defense was deficient, it “did not prejudice” the case. He will not get a new trial.

Did LSU pull Brian Kelly out of Notre Dame?

LSU football pulling Brian Kelly out of Notre Dame one-upped USC's hiring of Lincoln Riley in a manner that should be shocking for college football.

Did Gutierrez sign a disbarment?

Gutierrez was reportedly "disbarred by consent" in May 2001, and none of the negligent client claims were investigated because she willingly signed the disbarment. That was a year after she represented Syed.

Who did McClain write to after Syed was arrested?

Syed had given the letters to his original defense attorney, Cristina Gutierrez. But Gutierrez never contacted McClain and she never got to testify at his trial that she was with him until about 2:40 p.m. the day Lee disappeared.

What is the book Adnan's Story about?

She now has written a book, Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial, in which she questions the innocence of Don Clinedinst, Lee’s boyfriend at the time of her death, and lays out new details that she believes exonerate Syed.

Why was Clinedinst cleared?

Early in the investigation, Clinedinst was quickly cleared by police because he had an alibi – he was working his job at LensCrafters, filling in for a lab technician at a different store location. Chaudry tells PEOPLE that Lee told a classmate she was to see Clinedinst after school the day she disappeared.

Why didn't Chaudry do DNA testing?

Chaudry suspects they didn’t do this and other DNA testing because the results would show Syed had no involvement with Lee’s murder.

How long did it take for Chaudry to write an affidavit?

Chaudry asked McClain to write an affidavit describing what happened. It took 16 years before McClain testified in court.

Did the judge grant Syed a new trial?

While the judge did not grant Syed’s new trial due to McClain’s testimony at the post-conviction hearing, Chaudry believes McClain will still help his case when there is a retrial and a jury hears that McClain was with Syed during the time the state argues Lee was killed.

Who killed Hae Min Lee?

Image. Credit: Eric Ogden. After the 2014 podcast Serial became a worldwide sensation, many were left doubting that convicted murderer Adnan Syed was guilty of killing former high school girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, when Syed was 17. The Syed family friend who brought the case to the attention of Serial producer Sarah Koenig is certain they got ...

Why do prosecutors have to plead guilty?

Once charged, defendants are encouraged to plead guilty in part to avoid a “trial penalty” — a longer sentence after a trial, often a much longer one. And 95 percent of them do just that.

What was the unstructured presentation of the facts in Serial?

The unstructured presentation of the facts in “Serial” obscured a strong case for the prosecution. A former classmate who was cross-examined for five days testified that Mr. Syed confessed to the killing, as he enlisted his help in burying the body.

What is first degree murder in Maryland?

First-degree murder under Maryland law, for a case like Mr. Syed’s, requires that a killing be premeditated or the result of the commission of a felony. The prosecution’s theory was that Mr. Syed strangled Ms. Lee in a 21-minute car-ride after school.

Did Adnan's attorney defend him?

Recently the Maryland Appeals Court has granted Adnan leave to lodge an appeal of his case. The podcast discusses the allegations by some that Adnan’s defense attorney, Christina Gutierrez, did not defend him to the best of her ability. The attorney was actually disbarred after the conclusion of Adnan’s case for dragging out cases longer than necessary in an attempt to make more money from her clients. On top of that, she died a few short years after his conviction so many questions about her trial techniques will assuredly never be answered. Adnan’s attorney, C. Justin Brown recently told The Washington Post, “I think that it (the grant of appeal) shows that the court is interested in the issues that we raised. If they weren’t interested in them they wouldn’t have granted the (application for leave to appeal.

Was Adnan's attorney ineffective?

There are certainly instances in the podcast where it appears to the listener that Adnan’s attorney was ineffective. In one episode the narrator takes us through the evidence of an alibi witness named Asia. Asia was a friend of Adnan and Hae’s when they were teenagers in high school. Asia testified back in 1998, and again today, that she not only spoke to Adnan after his break-up with Hae but that Adnan seemed fine with the breakup and talked openly about it. This directly contradicted the prosecution’s theory of the case which was that Adnan murdered Hae out of revenge for their breakup. On top of that, Asia says she was with Adnan during the time Hae was murdered. Gutierrez never even contacted Asia. Even giving the attorney the benefit of a doubt, as the narrator does, we learn that not only did Guiterrez know of Asia’s existence but she also knew of Asia’s statements as Adnan showed letters to Guiterrez containing this information.

What role did Sarah Koenig play in Syed's arrest?

Before aiming her sights on Gutierrez, Sarah Koenig considered the role that anti-Muslim prejudice may have played in Syed’s arrest and conviction. Syed’s mother confided that she blames racism, a notion Koenig initially doubted. But then she played the audio from the bail hearing, where the prosecutor turned the strong courtroom presence of the local Islamic community—there to support Syed—into a potential threat, weaving in bigoted half-truths, later proved false, that they were “aiders and abettors” that made Syed a flight risk to Pakistan.

Why did Gutierrez's trial collapse?

We’d been told that there were two trials, and as a legal layman, I just assumed the first trial ended because of some spectacular Court TV-level development. Instead, it collapsed because of a relatively petty argument and outburst in which Gutierrez yelled that she wouldn’t stand idly by while the judge called her a liar. The jury heard the exchange, possibly tainting their opinion of the proceedings, so Gutierrez called for a mistrial. The judge agreed.

Did Syed get Gutierrez's A game?

Whether these accounts are true or not, it seems like Syed didn’t get Gutierrez’ A-game when she was defending his life.

Did the murder of Syed happen before 9/11?

The murder and trial, remember, took place before the Sept. 11 attacks. But Koenig paints a picture of casual bigotry that seeps into the proceedings, from a science teacher’s remark that Syed once said he had an uncle who could make people disappear to the way Jay slightly tweaks his testimony to hammer home the point that Syed prayed to Allah. Then she goes a tad too far in that direction, presenting the ignorant commentary of the individual who created the Bodies of Leakin Park website (“…who in their right mind lets their daughter date a man named ‘Adnan Musud Syed’…”) as further evidence of… of… the existence of prejudice in the world? I’m not sure it’s her strongest argument—especially since it seems those words were posted six years ago, years after the trial.

Why was Adnan Syed retried?

A retrial was called in 2016 because of a potential mistrial.

Who testified that Syed borrowed Wilds' car?

Jay Wilds’ Testimony. Jay Wilds , one of Syed’s friends, testified that Syed borrowed Wilds’ car, and when he returned it, he had Lee’s body in the trunk and asked for help. Wilds also testified that Syed told him that he intended on killing Lee.

What did Pusteri testify about seeing Lee's body?

Pusteri testified that Wilds had told her about seeing Lee’s body and Syed confessing to her murder. I mean, if I had just seen a dead body, I feel like I’d tell someone else right away too.

Did McClain testify in the trial?

Her story matched up with Syed’s story and provide an alibi. However, McClain never got to testify, which could have potentially changed the course of the trial.

Did Syed's lawyer tell him about the evidence?

DNA evidence that could have absolved Syed of any guilt was never tested, and Syed’s lawyer Maria Cristina Gutierrez never told him about the evidence despite knowing about it. In addition, McClain wrote letters to Syed when he was in jail.

Did the Supreme Court review Syed's case?

The Supreme Court declined to review Syed’s case. However, there is a lot of support for providing Syed with a fair trial that he did not receive in 1999.

Did Syed ask Gutierrez to reach out to McClain?

In addition, McClain wrote letters to Syed when he was in jail. Syed asked Gutierrez to reach out to McClain to help his case. Gutierrez claimed to have done so and that nothing came of it. It was later revealed to be untrue. She died in 2004, so there is no way of knowing why she never disclosed this information.