• After serving more than three decades of a 400-year sentence, Florida man Sidney Holmes was acquitted and released from prison Monday night.
  • The now 57-year-old man was convicted in April 1989 of being the getaway driver for a June 1988 armed robbery outside a convenience store near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
  • He spent 34 years in prison before being released.
  • The review unit determined that Holmes had a plausible claim of innocence and conducted further investigations.
  • The non-profit South Florida OIC will assist him with reintegration services, vocational training and placement.

After serving more than three decades of a 400-year sentence, Florida man Sidney Holmes was acquitted and released from prison Monday night.

The now 57-year-old man was convicted in April 1989 of being the getaway driver for a June 1988 armed robbery outside a convenience store near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

However, a review committee re-examined the facts of the case and determined that Holmes was “very likely” misidentified. He spent 34 years in prison before being released.

“I never lost hope and always knew this day would come,” Sidney Holmes, now 57, said when he heard he would walk free. “I can’t wait to hug my mother in the free world for the first time in over 34 years.”

“I knew this day would come. Sooner or later,” Holmes told reporters. “Today is the day.”

His family welcomed Holmes when he walked free from prison. CBS Miami reported that he first asked for something to eat.

Holmes filed in 2020 to have his case reviewed by the Broward State Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit, claiming factual innocence.

The review unit determined that Holmes had a plausible claim of innocence and conducted further investigations.

During the review, they determined that the identification of Holmes by eyewitnesses during the initial investigation was likely incorrect and that there was no evidence linking Holmes to the robbery beyond the flawed identification.

In addition, an investigation initiated by the brother of one of the victims found that Holmes’s car was likely misidentified at the time. The main differences between his Oldsmobile and that of the robbers were overlooked.

Based on the review, five of the six independent panelists voted that Holmes was innocent and that his conviction should be immediately dismissed.

The victims in the case said they believed Holmes should be released, and deputies involved in the original investigation were shocked that Holmes was serving 34 years in prison and was sentenced to 400 years.

The non-profit South Florida OIC will assist him with reintegration services, vocational training and placement.

The case highlights the importance of reviewing potentially wrongful convictions, as even minor errors in eyewitness identification and evidence gathering can lead to wrongful convictions.

The Broward State Attorney’s Office has stated that their only agenda is to promote public safety in their communities and ensure that justice is served.

They praised the victims, witnesses and law enforcement for their candor and assistance in re-investigating a crime from more than 34 years ago.

Holmes’ story is a reminder that wrongful convictions can happen to anyone and that the criminal justice system must continue to strive for fairness and accuracy in all cases.