I'm Bruce, and I am committed to fighting against injustice and championing causes like the abolition of the death penalty in all its forms. Driven by personal experience, a fundamental sense of justice and human rights, and my own journey of self-healing, my mission is deeply personal.
I am a survivor of wrongful conviction, and endured 26 years of wrongful imprisonment before proving my innocence and being freed in August 2009.
On March 10, 1983, my life changed forever. At just 17 years old, I discovered my mother brutally attacked and left for dead on the floor of our family home. I called for help, administered first aid, and did everything I could to save her. Tragically, she succumbed to her massive injuries and died later that day.
The Los Angeles Police Department rushed to judgment, framing me for her murder. Convicted and sentenced to life in prison, I was stripped of the most basic human liberties and the ability to pursue my creative passions, including photography.
For over 26 years, I fought an uphill battle through endless court proceedings, inadequate legal representation, and countless disappointments. Despite these challenges, I never lost hope. On August 13, 2009, after 9,653 days of wrongful imprisonment, I was finally exonerated and released.
The subjects of my photographic work are a testament to my resilience and hope. These images are my private magic, the dreams that sustained me, offering a glimpse of sanity and truth beyond the high walls and electrified fences of my confinement.
Each photograph, from giant redwoods to windblown beaches, adorable pets to rolling hills dotted with majestic oaks, represents the sparks of my life-sustaining daydreams. These heartfelt images are what kept me fighting for the day when I could walk free, as I deserved. Even in the darkest moments, my passionate daydreams kept hope alive, allowing me to survive with my love, compassion, and humanity intact.
I hope you'll enjoy these pieces as much as I have cherished creating them.