Fernando Bermudez
Speaking topics: False ID, Official Misconduct, Race
“As an exoneree, I believe I worked harder for my freedom than I did to enter this world.”
In 1991, Fernando Bermudez, at age 22, was wrongfully convicted of killing a teenager outside of a nightclub in New York City. Mr. Bermudez became a suspect after an eyewitness picked him out in a police photo lineup. In 1992, despite four alibi witnesses and no physical or forensic evidence linking him to the crime, he was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 23 years to life in prison. The following year, all witnesses recanted their testimony of seeing Mr. Bermudez commit the crime. It was not until 2009 that a judge overturned his conviction on “actual innocence” grounds based on police and prosecutorial misconduct. Mr. Bermudez spent 18 years in prison yet managed to start a family and have three children. Now a massive advocate for reform, he has shared his experience and inspiring messages with audiences around the world while completing a book about his ordeal.