State College, Pa. — After more than four decades behind bars for a crime he maintains he did not commit, Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam is one step closer to potentially clearing his name. A recent ruling by Centre County President Judge Jonathan Grine has vacated Vedam’s 1988 murder conviction, opening the door for a new trial.
Judge Grine determined that Vedam had not received a fair trial and referenced evidence that prosecutors had previously withheld. This included details emerging from an FBI report which contested critical aspects of the case against him. Vedam was convicted in connection with the 1980 murder of Tom Kinser, a former roommate at Penn State, largely based on circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime.
At just 19 years old, Vedam was the last person known to have seen Kinser alive. His conviction initially came from a .25 caliber bullet found with Kinser’s remains, despite ongoing disputes regarding the caliber used in the crime. His original conviction was overturned in 1983, leading to a retrial in 1988, where he was found guilty once again.
Years later, new evidence from the FBI report indicated that measurements of the bullet hole in Kinser’s skull were more aligned with a .22 caliber weapon, casting doubt on the prosecution’s narrative that a .25 caliber bullet from Vedam’s pistol was used.
Vedam’s attorney, Gopal Balachandran, expressed his relief and gratitude, stating that the recent ruling confirms their long-held belief in Vedam’s wrongful conviction due to prosecutorial misconduct. “We are thrilled that Judge Grine substantiated what we have argued all along,” Balachandran said, emphasizing the impact of the withheld evidence on the outcome of the original trial. Judge Grine concurred, suggesting that the undisclosed report likely affected the jury’s judgment during the trial.
With the vacated conviction, the prosecution now faces the challenge of determining how to proceed. A retrial presents difficulties, such as the passing of key witnesses and potential loss of evidence over the decades. New testimonies may lack reliability given the significant time elapsed since the original trial.
If the case is not retried, Vedam could be released after 42 years of incarceration, a development his family and attorneys view as a significant stride toward justice and a possible exoneration. The decision marks a pivotal moment in Vedam’s long quest for freedom and vindication, highlighting systemic issues in the judicial process.
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