This is why we fight.
I get asked the question all the time. Why do you represent criminal defendants? Sometimes I ask myself. But this is why. I have sat in prison visiting booths with inmates serving life sentences whom I believed were innocent. I have stood side by side with guilty defendants who were better human beings than the…
When Finality Trumps Common Sense: Brendan Dassey Denied
This week the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the legality of Brendan Dassey’s confession to the 2005 killing of Teresa Halbach, finding that it was voluntary and could be used against him at trial. To many of the millions of people who watched video of the confession in the Netflix documentary series “Making a…
Syed’s Final Appellate Filing
Adnan Syed today filed his final written brief leading up to the oral arguments scheduled for June 8 before the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. Read the filing here: REPLY BRIEF The oral arguments are open to the public, although seating may be limited….
Syed Files Motion for Bail
Adnan Syed today filed a Motion seeking to be released on bail while the State’s appeal is pending and while he awaits a new trial. The Motion was prepared by Brown & Nieto and Hogan Lovells, and was filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court. The full Motion is available here: Motion for Release Pending Appeal…
National & Local Lawyers File Amicus for Syed
Two prominent criminal defense organizations have moved for leave to file an amicus curiae brief on behalf of Adnan Syed, urging the Maryland Court of Special Appeals to deny the State’s appeal and push the case forward toward a new trial. The brief, drafted by Steven Klepper of Kramon & Graham in Baltimore, does not take a…
Syed’s New Filings: Retry Case
Adnan Syed responded today to the State’s recent filings in which the State seeks (1) an appeal of Judge Welch’s order granting a new trial; and (2) a remand of the case back to the circuit court so the State can introduce the testimony of two impeachment witnesses. Syed’s filings urge the Court of Special Appeals to…
Hogan Lovells to Join Syed Defense Team!
Brown & Nieto is happy to announce that Hogan Lovells will join the Adnan Syed defense team as pro bono co-counsel. Hogan Lovells is a fantastic international firm with great lawyers and deep resources. They are one of the best large firms in the country, and they have deep ties to Baltimore. They are also experienced in innocence…
Syed Files Post-Hearing Motion to Supplement Record
Petitioner Adnan Syed filed a post-hearing Motion today to supplement the post-conviction record with two letters that were sent to the Court. One letter was sent by the State; the other was sent by University of Maryland Law School professor Michael Millemann. Here is the filing, with letters attached, by link: FILING and embedded: https://cjbrownlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/FILING.pdf…
Justin Brown named “50 Most Influential Marylander”
C. Justin Brown was named as one of the the 50 most influential Marylanders for 2016. The winners were selected by the Maryland Daily Record editorial board. In the past year Mr. Brown has litigated some the state’s most important criminal matters, including an allegation of misconduct by the Maryland Transportation Authority K-9 unit; the Baltimore…
State Files Consolidated Syed Response
The State has filed its response to Syed’s Motion to Reopen Postconviction Proceedings: State’s Consolidated Response. Here are the State’s Exhibits:…
Syed Files Reply Brief — Upload Here
Adnan Syed today filed his Reply brief in his Motion to Re-Open Post-Conviction Proceedings in the Circuit Court of Baltimore City. The brief: Exhibits:…
Syed Files Supplement Re: CELL TOWER EVIDENCE
Here is today’s filing regarding cell tower evidence: Supp. to Mot. to Reopen FINAL And here is Exhibit 1: Exhibit 1 (AT&T fax) 404…
Syed Files Motion to Re-Open Post-Conviction
Today we filed Syed’s Motion to Re-Open Post-Conviction. This is in response to the Remand Order issued by the Court of Special Appeals on May 18, 2015. Here is a link to the filing: Motion-to-Reopen-As-Filed-w-Exs.-optimized…
