Judge Rules Against Deporting Man Freed After 44 Years in Prison for Overturned Murder Conviction
A US immigration judge has cleared the path for the potential release of Subramanyam Vedam, a 64-year-old Indian citizen, after his Pennsylvania murder conviction was overturned following four decades of imprisonment. The decision came after a four-hour hearing where Vedam, participating remotely from the Moshannon Valley processing center in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, insisted he did not fatally shoot Thomas Kinser in 1980.
Legal Battle and Rehabilitation Evidence
Adam Panopoulos, the US immigration judge, stated that Vedam demonstrated genuine rehabilitation and posed no danger to the public. He highlighted Vedam's efforts to improve literacy among inmates and his strong family ties, including nieces who have never known him as a free man. "Vedam has grown as a person and began to dedicate himself to enriching other people's lives through academic study," the judge remarked on Thursday.
Despite this, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lawyer argued that Vedam could still be deported based on unrelated drug distribution convictions. In an emailed statement, DHS emphasized, "having a single conviction vacated will not stop ICE's enforcement of federal immigration law." The DHS has one month to appeal the ruling.
Background and Case Details
Vedam, known as Subu, was born in Mumbai, India, and brought to the US as a baby in 1962. He grew up in State College, Pennsylvania, where his father was a physics professor. A legal permanent resident, he was days away from naturalization when arrested. Vedam has been incarcerated since March 31, 1982, after two trials resulted in first-degree murder convictions for Kinser's death.
Kinser, a high school friend of Vedam, disappeared in December 1980 at age 19. His remains were found months later in a sinkhole, with a gunshot wound to the head. The gun was never recovered. Jurors were not informed that an FBI report suggested the head wound was too small for the .25-caliber bullets Vedam was accused of purchasing.
Late last year, Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna declined to retry Vedam, citing undisclosed ballistics evidence and noting that "44 years is a sufficient sentence for a murder committed by someone who was nineteen years old." However, Vedam's no-contest pleas to LSD distribution charges placed him at risk of deportation.
Hearing Testimony and Future Plans
During the hearing, DHS lawyer Tammy Dusharm questioned Vedam about past arrests, including driving under the influence and theft, arguing he did not deserve to stay in the US. Vedam maintained his innocence, stating, "I never stopped saying I was innocent of this charge."
Vedam's lawyer, Ava Benach, plans to seek his release on bond. Vedam hopes to live with a relative in Sacramento, California, and has been offered a spot in Oregon State University's doctoral program in applied anthropology. The case underscores ongoing debates over immigration enforcement and justice for wrongfully convicted individuals.
