On Wednesday, the 15th of January our group was honored to have Fernando Bermudez visit us at Middle School Meeting. Fernando Bermudez was wrongfully incarcerated for a murder he did not commit in 1991. He was imprisoned for 18 years, until in 2009, with the help of the Innocence Project and Karen Wagner he was found not guilty.

Fernando told the school about how he wanted to make a better life for himself. He had made mistakes before, and now he wanted to redeem himself and go to college. But in August of 1991, he was charged with shooting Raymond Blount, a 16 year old in the Greenwich Village. Efraim Lopez, a teenager which had been punched by the victim gave false evidence, saying that Bermudez was the one who shot Blount. Even though Fernando’s friends testified that he was with them the whole time the shooting took place.

Yet the Police were also at fault for the wrongful conviction of Fernando Bermudez. They showed prosecution witnesses Fernando’s mugshot, so they testified against him. Even though the shooter seen was shorter and heavier that Bermudez.

None the less, Fernando Bermudez, was wrongfully incarcerated. he was kept in solitary confinement (sometimes he shared with others) in a cell that was 6ft by 9 ft. He was fed terrible food and put through the horrors of prison. Yet he didn’t give up. He created a study group in which he studied for college. He got a PhD and refused to be part of any gang. But no matter how hard he tried, he would still not prove his innocence. He met a preacher who had seen him on TV and married her.

He contacted the Innocence Project and with the help of Karen Wagner ( an LREI parent) his case was put up again. Yet now the people which had testified against him had taken back what they had said. So in the final ruling he was pronounced free.

But his battle was not over. He now had to come home to a family he had rarely seen. He had to adjust to life outside prison. And also to the new times. He sued the City and State of NY for 30 million dollars, but still “has not received a dime” as he puts it. He travels around the world spreading the word about the wrongful incarceration and has told thousands of people his story.

To meet him and to hear a first hand account of what it was like to be in prison for a crime one did not commit was truly humbling. We will hopefully continue to contact Fernando and maybe find places for him to speak at.

It was a wonderful experience and out group really learned a lot from him and his story.