'Serial' podcast's Adnan Syed to get new trial after 16 years in prison

Adnan Syed is seen on February 3, 2016, in Baltimore, Maryland.

Syed has been in prison for the past 16 years
for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, for which he received a life sentence plus 30 years.

Syed's lawyers argued that important evidence had been ignored or inaccurate, and that Syed's previous legal representation had been inadequate, and successfully fought to bring his case back for court consideration by focusing on new testimony from an alibi witness as well as a deeper examination of the cell tower data that prosecutors used to put Syed behind bars.

The decision was handed down Thursday afternoon, nearly four-and-a-half months after those issues had been heard at a post-trial hearing. In his order, retired Judge Martin Welch ruled Syed's conviction vacated and ordered a new trial based on the proof of "ineffective assistance" from Syed's trial attorneys with regards to the cell tower evidence.

The judge denied additional motions related to the allegations of "ineffective assistance" from Syed's attorneys with regards to the alibi witness and "alleged prosecutorial misconduct" in regards to the cell tower evidence.

Witnesses to Syed's alibi

Earlier in the trial, an alibi witness testified that she spotted Adnan Syed at a public library on the day prosecutors say he killed Hae Min Lee at a different location.

Asia McClain, now known as Asia Chapman, testified at a hearing earlier this year that she had a conversation with Syed at the library during the time prosecutors say Lee was killed. Chapman has said Syed's defense team never contacted her for her testimony, a fact Syed's current attorneys say amounts to ineffective counsel.

Asia spoke out on Twitter and an an interview about why she's choosing now to come forward.