Media Advisory: Hearing on Motion for Reduction of Sentence Pursuant to the Juvenile Restoration Act for Adnan Syed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2025

Government Relations and Public Affairs
187 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Media Advisory:
Hearing on Motion for Reduction of Sentence Pursuant to the Juvenile Restoration Act for Adnan Syed

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – In a unique court educational program, students will learn about the benefits and consequences of familiar decisions. The program includes a mock traffic stop where students will see in real-time the legal implications of bad decisions. This interactive program allows the students to meet and interact with key players in the legal process, including police officers, K-9 officers, commissioners, assistant public defenders, assistant state’s attorneys, bailiffs, clerks, and judges. In addition, students will hear from people who have been involved with the legal system due to drunk driving, speeding, texting while driving, and other offenses, as they view actual court cases and have an opportunity to engage judges and court personnel in a question-and-answer session regarding the Judiciary.

The program also includes a mental health component targeted to address the impact of this crisis on youth. This portion of the program, conducted along with mental health professionals, is treatment focused and designed to raise awareness of mental health issues. This segment of the program educates students to recognize the signs that someone is in crisis, both for themselves and each other. It will also highlight resources available to the students and provide ways to immediately connect with those resources.

At the discretion of the court, limited reserved seating will be available in the gallery of Courtroom 203M. Courtroom 215M is designated as the overflow courtroom for the media and the public, as needed, and it will have a live closed-circuit, audio-video feed.

Members of the media may request a seat within the courtroom by contacting the court’s media liaisons. The media liaisons will allocate seats based on requests received and will communicate to the Sheriff’s Office the names of media members allotted seats reserved for media. Only those members of the media who have been granted and receive a media credential identification card from the Sheriff’s Office will be permitted in the courtroom during the proceedings. The remaining seats will be made available to the public on a first-come/first-served basis.

Authorized members of the media will be permitted to use electronic equipment only in the designated area, Courtroom 215M, which will provide a workspace for media representatives. However, devices cannot be used for audio or video recording or still photography in any location inside of the courthouse. No media conferences or interviews with attorneys, parties, or witnesses shall be conducted within the courthouse or within 50 feet of any entrance of the courthouse.

Per Maryland Code, Criminal Procedure, § 1-201, the recording or broadcasting of criminal proceedings is prohibited. The use of electronic devices, including cell phones, cameras, and audio-visual equipment is prohibited or limited per the Maryland Judiciary’s policy on Cell Phones, Other Electronic Devices, and Cameras in Court Facilities.

Pursuant to Md. Rule 16-208, no person may use an electronic device to take screen captures, screenshots, photographs, videos, audio recordings or make other electronic recordings within the courthouse, and no person may transmit, publish, or otherwise disseminate any such electronic audio or video recording, except as provided in the court’s Media Protocol Order.

The clerk of the court for the Circuit Court for Baltimore City is the official custodian of the case record. Any orders issued pertaining to the case can be found at the court’s Highlighted Cases web page.

Public Wi-Fi is available at the courthouse. Media representatives may bring their own Wi-Fi connection devices.

There is no designated media parking for the motion hearing. Media representatives must follow local parking ordinances and restrictions. Media representatives must not block pedestrian walkways or sidewalks and cannot restrict any public areas for media use.

Please contact the Maryland Judiciary, Government Relations and Public Affairs, by email at [email protected] or 410-260-1488, if you plan to cover the hearing or have questions.

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