Fernando Bermudez
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.
Topics
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 has two children, Carissa, 23, and Fernando, 18, and lives in New York. 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 Art forJustice 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 Raft, encompasses challenges against PTSD and efforts at real estate investing while creating art to enhance his storytelling after years of homeschooling his son Fernando.
His recent venues include University of Chicago, Tennessee Community College, Northeastern Law School, Unity Urban Ministerial School, and Wofford College with Today Show host, Craig Melvin '01, who interviewed Fernando.
