The widespread attention his case received as part of a popular podcast was not enough to secure one Maryland convict a new trial.

According to KFYR, Adnan Syed will remain behind bars to serve a life sentence despite the fact that the state’s court of appeals agreed his legal team presented a deficient defense during trial.

The court upheld a lower court’s decision that Syed’s legal advice was substandard but did not find that it resulted in prejudice against the defendant at the time, dismissing his claim that he received insufficient counsel.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Syed — whose case was the focus of the first season of the “Serial” podcast — was granted a new trial just under a year ago, about 14 years after his conviction.

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Syed was found guilty of killing Hae Min Lee, his high school girlfriend, and burying her remains in a shallow grave at a park in Baltimore.

The podcast took a critical look at the evidence used to convict him, ultimately questioning whether he was actually responsible.

At the time of the previous ruling, defense attorney C. Justin Brown said he looked forward to presenting the facts in a new trial.

“If the state is so confident in their case, and if they’re so confident that Syed is guilty, they should just try the case,” he said. “We’re ready to try the case.”

The ruling this week reversed the earlier Baltimore Circuit Court decision granting him a new trial.

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[Featured Image: Adnan Syed, Barbara Haddock Taylor/The Baltimore Sun via AP]