Highlights:
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Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam spent 43 years in prison due to a wrongful murder Conviction in Pennsylvania.
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The murder Conviction from 1983 was overturned in August 2025 after new forensic and FBI evidence emerged.
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Vedam came to the United States as a nine-month-old and lived in Pennsylvania before his arrest.
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He was convicted without eyewitnesses or physical evidence linking him to the crime.
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Vedam also received a short sentence for a minor drug Conviction in the early 1980s.
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After release on October 3, 2025, ICE detained him in Louisiana for deportation based on the old drug Conviction.
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A Pennsylvania district court and an immigration court halted deportation proceedings.
US courts have stopped the deportation of Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, an Indian-origin man who spent 43 years in prison for a Conviction that was later overturned. Vedam, now 64, was released in October 2025 after a Pennsylvania court ruled that his murder Conviction was wrongful. However, shortly after his release, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained him based on an older drug Conviction, initiating removal proceedings. Two courts have now intervened to allow him to remain in the country while his immigration case is reviewed.
Early Life and Wrongful Murder Conviction
Vedam came to the United States as an infant at nine months old. He grew up in Pennsylvania, where in 1982 he was arrested in connection with the disappearance and death of his 19-year-old friend, Thomas Kinser. Kinser went missing in December 1980, and his body was discovered months later in a wooded location. Vedam was reportedly the last person seen with Kinser, which led authorities to focus on him despite the absence of eyewitness accounts or physical evidence linking him to the crime.
In 1983, a Pennsylvania court sentenced Vedam to life imprisonment without parole for murder. Alongside the murder Conviction, Vedam received a short sentence for a minor drug charge. He remained in custody for more than four decades based on the murder Conviction, which later came under scrutiny due to new forensic findings and evidence that had not been considered at trial.
Suppressed Evidence and Overturned Conviction
In August 2025, new ballistics evidence and previously suppressed FBI reports came to light. These records, which were not shared during the original proceedings, cast substantial doubt on the prosecution’s case. The Pennsylvania court ruled that the withheld information contributed to a wrongful murder Conviction, calling it a serious miscarriage of justice. As a result, Vedam’s murder Conviction was overturned, clearing the path for his release from prison after 43 years.
The court’s findings emphasized that the suppression of forensic and investigative materials affected the fairness of the original trial. With the Conviction voided, the court ordered Vedam’s release on October 3, 2025.
Education, Family Loss, and Advocacy During Prison Term
During his incarceration, Vedam purused education and completed three college degrees. He also taught other inmates and participated in mentorship programs as part of his effort to support rehabilitation initiatives within the prison system.
Vedam’s legal struggle lasted decades. His parents continuously advocated for his innocence but died in 2009 and 2016 before seeing his Conviction overturned. His family remains active in supporting him as he navigates the post-release legal process.
ICE Detention and Immigration Proceedings After Overturned Conviction
Immediately following his release, Vedam was taken into custody by ICE and moved to a Louisiana detention center used for deportation cases. ICE cited his minor drug Conviction from the early 1980s as grounds for removal, despite the reversal of his murder Conviction and the circumstances surrounding his incarceration.
Last week, a Pennsylvania district court and an immigration court both issued rulings to halt deportation proceedings temporarily. These decisions allow Vedam to remain in the United States while the Board of Immigration Appeals reviews his case. The appeals process could take several months to conclude.
Legal Arguments Against Deportation Despite Old Conviction
Vedam’s legal team has challenged the deportation effort, arguing that his decades-long wrongful imprisonment significantly outweighs the past drug Conviction. His lawyers have said that deporting him now, after a wrongful murder Conviction and more than 40 years in prison, would cause further harm, stating it would be “an act of cruelty.”
His sister continues to advocate for his permanent freedom and stability in the United States. She has stated that the family hopes he can finally experience the peace he was denied for 43 years, saying that they want him to live “the peaceful life he was denied for 43 years.”
Next Steps Following Overturned Conviction
With the murder Conviction overturned and deportation paused, Vedam awaits further rulings from immigration authorities. While his legal status remains unresolved, the recent court decisions ensure he will not be removed from the country until the appeals process concludes.
The case highlights legal and procedural issues surrounding wrongful Conviction cases and their overlap with immigration law. It also raises broader questions about post-release rights for individuals whose Conviction is overturned after extensive imprisonment.
Vedam’s situation remains ongoing as the courts continue to consider the implications of his overturned Conviction and past immigration-related concerns.
