Man Freed After 34 Years in Prison, Awarded $1.7M for Wrongful Conviction

• In 2023, new findings cleared his name, leading to his release and full exoneration. Under Florida’s wrongful conviction statute, the state awarded him $1.7 million in recognition of the years lost.

Sidney Holmes, who spent 34 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, has finally received justice — and $1.7 million in compensation. Convicted in 1989 in Florida for allegedly driving a getaway car during a robbery, Holmes was handed a staggering 400-year sentence despite the case being built on shaky evidence.

In 2023, new findings cleared his name, leading to his release and full exoneration. Under Florida’s wrongful conviction statute, the state awarded him $1.7 million in recognition of the years lost.

Now 58, Holmes is turning his pain into purpose, becoming a vocal advocate for justice reform and raising awareness about the devastating impact of wrongful convictions.

“I refuse to let them take my purpose,” he said.

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Sentenced to 400 years for a crime he didn’t commit, Sidney Holmes lost 34 years of his life behind bars to a wrongful conviction. Now, he’ll receive $1.7M in compensation — but no amount can repay stolen time. Now, he's using that unimaginable pain to advocate for others. Keep… pic.twitter.com/9oQ0spdumy

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) July 16, 2025