Subramanyam "Subu" Vedam, a State College man who has spent most of his life behind bars, could get a new trial after the Centre County Court of Common Pleas ruled to overturn his conviction.
Vedam is accused of shooting and killing his friend and former roommate, 19-year-old Tom Kinser.
In Februrary, Judge Jonathan Grine heard two days of arguments both for and against a new trial. Vedam's defense attorneys presented new evidence relating to the 1982 homicide case and claimed Vedam did not get a fair trial.
Thursday, Grine agreed the state had suppressed evidence and ruled to overturn Vedam's conviction. In that order, he also said Vedam is entitled to a new trial.
“We are thrilled that Judge Grine substantiated what we have argued all along–that Subu was wrongfully convicted when prosecutors in his original trial withheld key information and failed to correct false testimony, inflicting 42 years of injustice on him," said Gopal Balachandran, Vedam's lead attorney. "While this DA’s office was not involved in Subu’s original prosecution, they have a moral responsibility to correct this injustice immediately.”
A new trial is scheduled for sometime in December, pending a decision by Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna on whether to appeal the ruling.
