Subramanyam Vedam, previously convicted in a friend's 1980 murder and wrongfully imprisoned for over four decades, was finally exonerated after new evidence surfaced that led a judge to dismiss his conviction. However, awaiting his return home, Vedam was instead taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to a longstanding deportation order dating back to 1999.
Vedam's case began when he was just 19 years old. Despite having no direct evidence linking him to the crime, he was twice convicted of murder based primarily on circumstantial evidence. After a lengthy legal battle, new ballistics evidence, which had previously gone undisclosed by prosecutors, led to a successful motion for exoneration.
As Vedam's family prepared for his return on October 3, the unexpected detention has highlighted the complexities and cruelties within the U.S. immigration system, especially for those who have faced significant injustices in the criminal justice system.
“He was someone who has suffered a profound injustice,” said Ava Benach, Vedam's immigration lawyer. She emphasized that the time Vedam spent in prison should outweigh the drug conviction he had in the 1980s, suggesting that the system must take into account his 43 years of wrongful incarceration.
Despite the immense challenges ahead, Vedam's family and legal team remain hopeful. They argue that he should not be deported given his experience and the years of his life lost to wrongful imprisonment.
Saraswathi Vedam, Subramanyam's sister, expressed her heartbreak over the situation but remains optimistic about justice prevailing. “You have to just stay the course and keep hoping that truth and justice and compassion and kindness will win,” she stated.
