Victims’ Rights & Compliance v. Enforcement: An Analysis of the Adnan Syed Case
No directly quoted material may be used in this project paper.
For this Project, you are to assume you are a judge for the Supreme Court of Maryland. You recently heard oral argument for the case of Adnan Syed v. Young Lee, as Victim’s Representative, et al. You were provided with the following multiple sources for background on the case by both sides:
Timeline—The Adnan Syed Case (New York Times)
Adnan Syed Ask Appeals Court to Deny Request from Victim’s Family (ABC News)
Adnan Syed Case: Brief Seeks to Uphold Ruling (WBALTV)
Adnan Syed’s Murder Conviction (WBALTV)
You have also reviewed the lower court’s decision causing this case to arise to the Supreme Court.
Required Analysis:
You have been asked to write a court opinion addressing the following legal questions about the Adnan Syed case:
Provide a brief overview of the facts of the case that was the subject of the Serial Podcast.
Was reasonable notice given to Mr. Lee (Haw Min Lee’s brother) by the Baltimore City prosecutor? If yes, why? If not, what would reasonable notice look like?
How does reasonable notice impact a victims’ ability to be present at a trial or hearing?
How does presence impact a victims’ ability to be heard?
Did the prosecutor in this case comply with Article 47 of the Maryland Constitution requiring, “A victim of crime shall be treated by agents of the State with dignity, respect, and sensitivity during all phases of the criminal justice process.” Why or why not?
What processes could have been established by the prosecutor’s office to ensure there was no question that Mr. Lee had been afforded all of his rights under Maryland law?
Who is ultimately responsible for the delays in this case resolving, the victim or the government? Explain your analysis here.
How has this cased illustrated the general public’s lack of understanding of the difference between compliance of victims’ rights (the concept that those obligated to afford the rights under the law do so) v. enforcement of the rights (the ability to seek redress through the courts when rights are violated)?
Required Support: You must cite to course materials to support your analysis in your memo. Your memo should include a References Page with at least 4 resources from the course using the American Psychological Association (APA) formatting standards. Refer to the APA information found in Content -> Course Overview -> Course Resources.
Required Formatting:
While it may be possible to adequately cover the material in under 4 pages, that is the minimum length recommended to ensure you fully answer the questions asked.
Paper must be double spaced, Times-New Roman, 12-point font and 1” margins all around.
All APA 7th edition format requirements must be followed (cover page, in text citations, references page). Refer to the APA information found in Content -> Course Overview -> Course Resources.
You must have at least 4 resources to support your thoughts/opinions/information. These must be cited both in text as well as at the end of the document. Your paper should not contain direct quotes, sourced material must be paraphrased