AFTER SPENDING 43 YEARS IN PRISON FOR MURDER, 64-YEAR-OLD SUBRAMANYAM VEDAM WAS SET FREE BY A PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE IN AUGUST.

HIS CONVICTION WAS OVERTURNED WHEN THE COURT FOUND PROSECUTORS HAD FAILED TO TURN OVER KEY EVIDENCE THAT THE SIZE OF THE BULLET WOUND DIDN’T MATCH THE TYPE OF GUN POLICE SAID HE USED. BUT JUST MOMENTS AFTER HIS RELEASE... VEDAM WAS DETAINED BY IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.

VEDAM LAWFULLY CAME FROM INDIA TO THE U.S. WITH HIS FAMILY AS AN INFANT SO HIS FATHER COULD TEACH AT PENN STATE. BUT AT AGE 20, HE WAS CHARGED IN THE DEATH OF THOMAS KINSER, A FRIEND WHO WENT MISSING IN 1980, AFTER VEDAM HAD ASKED HIM FOR A RIDE TO GO BUY DRUGS.

SOUNDBITE (English) Saraswathi Vedam, Subramanyam’s sister:

“You’d think that somebody like that, it would be understandable for someone to be bitter or angry. But he turned his life into… he never gave up the hope that the truth would come out. And he maintained his innocence. He was offered plea bargains. He was offered different sentences. He said, ‘why would I say that? All I have left now is my dignity and my honor.’”

VEDAM, WHO ALSO GOES BY 'SUBU,' WAS REWARDED IN 2023 FOR HIS RESOLVE WHEN LAWYERS FOUND THE NEW BALLISTICS EVIDENCE IN PROSECUTION FILES. THE COUNTY PROSECUTOR, AFTER THE JUDGE'S RULING, CHOSE NOT TO RETRY THE CASE.

SOUNDBITE (English) Gopal Balachandran, Subramanyam’s lawyer:

“Subu was not only wrongfully convicted [but] has always maintained his innocence…Considering his unbelievable record in state prison… they chose to both not appeal the decision and to dismiss the charges… they they don’t view him as any kind of danger to the community and he had an outstanding record."

DURING HIS TIME IN PRISON, VEDAM EARNED MULTIPLE DEGREES AND TUTORED OTHER INMATES.

SOUNDBITE (English) Saraswathi Vedam, Subramanyam’s sister:

“He’s helped so many other people complete their GEDs and their degrees, and as he got older helped them navigate the system and was really in service.”

IN A STATEMENT TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ASSISTANT SECRETARY TRICIA MCLAUGHLIN SAID QUOTE: ‘HAVING A SINGLE CONVICTION VACATED WHEN YOU HAVE A LAUNDRY LIST WILL NOT STOP ICE’S ENFORCEMENT OF THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW.’ FOLLOWING HIS RELEASE, HE WAS DETAINED BY IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS OVER A 1999 DEPORTATION ORDER THAT CITED BOTH THE MURDER CASE AND AN EARLY 1980S DRUG CONVICTION. THEY ALSO REFERENCED ACCUSATIONS OF THEFT AND GUN VIOLATIONS THAT CAME UP IN HIS MURDER TRIAL. HIS DEFENSE TEAM IS FIGHTING THE DEPORTATION ORDER, NOTING THAT VEDAM IS A LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT. THEY SAY THE DRUG CONVICTION SHOULD BE BALANCED AGAINST THE FOUR DECADES HE WRONGLY SPENT IN PRISON.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Saraswathi Vedam, Subramanyam’s sister:

“He’s reminding us that his name is clear… he’s a calm person and a patient person. And he, more than anybody else, knows that sometimes things don’t make sense… You have to just stay the course and keep hoping that truth and justice and compassion and kindness will win.”