Subramanyam Vedam Faces Deportation After Long Fight for Exoneration

Subramanyam Vedam, after spending over four decades in prison for the wrongful conviction of a 1980 murder, finally saw his case overturned. However, what was supposed to be a long-awaited freedom has turned into a new legal struggle as he now faces deportation from the United States.

Having been the last person seen with his friend Thomas Kinser before Kinser’s disappearance, Vedam was charged and convicted of murder despite no substantial evidence or motive. In a significant turn earlier this month, a judge dismissed his conviction based on newly discovered ballistics evidence that had been withheld during his trial.

But just as hope arose, Vedam, now 64, was taken into federal custody and confronted with a deportation order that had been issued in 1999. His immigration status is now a contentious issue. He immigrated from India as a child and has lived in the U.S. for most of his life.

Vedam's sister, Saraswathi Vedam, expressed her sadness over the recent twist in her brother's journey. He has provided no evidence nor argument to show he has been diligent in pursuing his rights as it pertains to his immigration status, stated Katherine B. Frisch, an assistant chief counsel from ICE.

Despite the ordeal, Vedam's attorneys are determined to argue that the years he spent wrongly imprisoned should outweigh his distant past drug conviction from when he was young.

Vedam's struggle echoes larger issues within the immigration system, where a past indiscretion is being held against an individual who has since proven their worth and character over subsequent decades.

“He was someone who’s suffered a profound injustice,” said Ava Benach, his immigration lawyer, emphasizing the need for compassion in Vedam's case.

As the fight continues, Vedam remains hopeful for a positive outcome, believing that truth and justice will prevail in the end.