The deportation of Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, an Indian-origin man who spent an astonishing 43 years in U.S. prisons before his murder conviction was invalidated, has been temporarily halted by federal courts. Vedam, who legally immigrated to the U.S. as an infant, was being detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, following his release from prison.
A significant development occurred when an immigration judge granted a stay on his deportation, awaiting a decision from the Board of Immigration Appeals regarding his case. This process is expected to take several months. Complementing this action, a district court in Pennsylvania also issued an order to block his removal, offering him crucial legal breathing room.
Vedam’s legal troubles began in 1982 with his arrest for the murder of his friend, Thomas Kinser, whose body was discovered in 1981. As the last person seen with Kinser, Vedam became the primary suspect. Around the same period, he also faced detention for drug-related offenses, a record that ICE is now leveraging for deportation.
Convicted in 1983 for murder and sentenced to life, Vedam’s defense maintained the conviction lacked solid evidence, relying instead on circumstantial factors. While incarcerated, Vedam pursued higher education, earning three degrees, and actively mentored other inmates. His family’s long fight for his exoneration continued for decades, sadly without his parents living to see it.
In August, a Pennsylvania court finally overturned his conviction after suppressed ballistic evidence, kept hidden by prosecutors for years, came to light. He was released on October 3, but ICE detained him immediately, seeking his deportation based on the prior drug conviction. Vedam’s sister and legal team argue that the immense injustice of his 43-year wrongful imprisonment should prevent his deportation for a minor offense, calling his continued detention unfair.