Fernando Bermudez

Access to EducationRacial JusticeExoneration and InnocenceArt Music and WritingMental Health

Nov 12

Written By Gary Ricke

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Fernando, wrongfully convicted of murder and imprisoned for over 18 years, was exonerated in 2009, becoming the first Latin-American male in New York to be cleared on actual innocence grounds, and has since transformed his life into a powerful advocacy and public speaking career while pursuing his creative passions.
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About Fernando

Fernando Bermudez lost over 18 years in New York State maximum security prisons following his wrongful conviction of murder in the shooting death of Raymond Blount in 1991. Proven innocent in late 2009 with help from pro bono attorneys in Washington, D.C., New Jersey and New York, Mr. Bermudez’s exoneration makes him the first Latin-American male in NY-state legal history exonerated on “actual innocence”grounds. The sole evidence against him involved mistaken and coerced eyewitness identification by five teenagers, who later recanted their testimony.

Mr. Bermudez is married with three children and three grandkids living in North Carolina. In 2012, he completed his bachelor’s degree in behavioral science (Summa cum Laude) and helped abolish CT’s death penalty with Connecticut legislators. He has also developed a distinguished public speaking career of over 300 lectures at venues including Columbia, Cornell, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth and Harvard and both New Haven and Hartford Federal District Courts in CT in addition to the U.S Department of Justice.

Internationally, he has accomplished lecture tours throughout Italy, Germany, Japan and France with authorship in several publications from Columbia University’s School of Law publishing his essay “Stolen Happiness” to Pruno, Ramen and a Side of Hope featuring essays by Mr. Bermudez and daughter Carissa.

A 2020 ArtforJustice grant recipient, Mr. Bermudez is currently completing a book and film about his hard won legal fight and adventures as an infamous NYC graffiti artist. His final chapter, The Rib of Revelation, encompasses challenges against PTSD and efforts at real estate investing while creating art to enhance his story telling after years of homeschooling his son Fernando.

(His recent venues include University of Chicago, Tennessee Community College, Northeastern Law School and Unity Urban Ministerial School in Missouri).

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New York

Gary Ricke http://GaryRicke.com

Fernando Bermudez

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About Fernando

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