Maryland v. Syed

Brief of Amicus Curiae National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Support of Respondent/Cross Petitioner’s Motion for Reconsideration

Brief filed: 04/08/2019

Documents

Maryland v. Syed

Court of Appeals of Maryland; Case No. Sept. Term 2018, No. 24

Prior Decision

Appeal from the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, Sept. Terms 2013, 2016, Case Nos. 1396, 2519

Argument(s)

The majority opinion is out of step with other jurisdictions in the United States, which uniformly have found trial counsel’s failure to investigate and introduce testimony from a credible, neutral alibi witness to be prejudicial. By creating a split on an issue where the courts are otherwise uniform, the majority opinion risks cascading consequences for habeas claims around the nation.

Author(s)

Jessica Ring Amunson, Lindsay C. Harrison, and Caroline C. Cease, Jenner & Block LLP, Washington, DC; Elizabeth A. Franklin-Best, Blume Franklin-Best & Young, LLC, Columbia, SC.