After being jailed for more than 40 years, a Centre County man, who is convicted of first-degree murder, is “one step closer” to getting a new trial.
But officials say he’ll have to wait until next year for the outcome of his latest appeal.
Subramanyam Vedam left the Centre County courthouse more than 30 years ago after a hearing and has been jailed ever since.
Now, a new judge’s order will put him back in the courthouse early next year, in February, for a new hearing in the case.
Vedam’s case has stirred more public support recently, which included a gathering of family and friends for a hearing this past July.
Vedam was first convicted in 1983 in the shooting death of his friend, Thomas Kinser.
He was granted a new trial a few years later, but the outcome was the same, another murder conviction.
But after the Centre County district attorney’s office shared evidence from Vedam’s case, his legal counsel found an FBI ballistics report that hadn’t been shared with them previously.
It’s a prime issue in their new appeal because the caliber of bullet that prosecutors say killed Kinser looks to be a different caliber of the bullet hole found in his skull.
The dispute over the bullet hole evidence has led to Centre County President Judge Jonathon Grine issuing a new order and scheduling an appeals hearing for February 6th and 7th, with a conference with attorneys scheduled for January 7th.
When we last talked to Vedam’s legal counsel in July, we were told that he remains optimistic about the new developments in his case.
“I think it’s a complex set of emotions. You’ve had four decades of saying you didn’t do it. It’s hard to prove a negative. It’s hard to prove I didn’t do it. So, I think it’s an incredible rush of hope.”
Vedam has always denied killing Kinser. The new court order stipulates that Vedam is to be transferred to the Centre County courthouse for the February appeals hearing.