TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida lawmakers came together this week to right a wrong after a Broward County man was wrongly imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, and spent 34 years in prison.
When Sidney Holmes stood, every Florida state senator, and in the House, every representative, faced him to cheer.
Holmes was initially released two years ago.
“I know this day was going to come sooner or later and today is the day,” he said at the time.
He was 23 years old in 1989 when he was convicted of an armed robbery that occurred outside a Fort Lauderdale convenience store and was sentenced to 400 years in prison.
He was convicted despite a lack of physical evidence, despite his alibi and despite maintaining that he was innocent.
“Unfortunately, no one believed him,” said Seth Miller, Executive Director of the Innocence Project of Florida.
No one believed him until in 2023 when the Broward State Attorney’s Office conviction review unit reached a different conclusion.
“Ultimately, all of us came to the same conclusion -- that this man was wrongfully convicted, that this man shouldn’t have been in prison and we needed to get him out right now,” said Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor.
At 57 years old, after living behind bars for 34 of those years, Holmes was free.
Earlier this week, the state compensated him for its life-altering error.
Passing the Florida House and Senate unanimously was a $1.7 million claims bill for Holmes.
“I want to apologize and say in so far as we can offer you this slightest of gestures for your liberty. The least we can do is push a green button and thank you for your patience in this process,” said State Sen. Jason Pizzo.
The state has also agreed to pay for Holmes’ tuition if he decides to go to college or for any career training.
