Cristian Fernandez, the Jacksonville man who garnered national attention for being prosecuted as an adult at age 12 for the death of his half-brother, was released from a state-contracted Department of Juvenile Justice facility on Monday. This release comes after serving time since 2013 following a guilty plea to manslaughter and aggravated battery charges.
Fernandez’s case significantly impacted juvenile prosecution in Duval County and sparked a national debate due to his young age and the decision to try him as an adult. The now 19-year-old was arrested in March 2011 and initially charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 2-year-old half-brother, David Galarraga. Galarraga succumbed to blunt force trauma to the head two days after Fernandez allegedly slammed his head into a bookshelf.
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Public Defender Matt Shirk initially represented Fernandez but later withdrew, allowing a prominent legal team to negotiate a plea deal. Notably, State Attorney Melissa Nelson, who was part of Fernandez’s defense team, later defeated Angela Corey, the prosecutor responsible for charging Fernandez as an adult, in an election.
While Fernandez was released Monday, his probation period, which was scheduled to begin upon release, has been temporarily delayed. His attorneys successfully argued for a suspension of certain probation conditions due to recent developments that rendered them “unrealistic and problematic.”
The specific probation terms under suspension remain unclear, but the original probation order stipulated employment, school enrollment (full or part-time), and restricted contact with family and minors. Fernandez is expected back in court next month to address the suspended conditions and the future of his probation. The duration of the suspension remains undetermined. This ongoing legal process continues to raise questions about the long-term implications of Fernandez’s early involvement with the criminal justice system and the challenges he faces reintegrating into society.
