Man given 400-year sentence found innocent after 34 years in prison, awarded $1.7 million

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Man given 400-year sentence found innocent after 34 years in prison, awarded $1.7 million

A man, Sidney Holmes, wrongfully imprisoned for 34 years, has received $1.7 million in compensation after being exonerated in 2023.

Holmes was convicted in 1989 in Florida for allegedly driving a getaway car in a robbery. Despite weak evidence, he was sentenced to 400 years in prison.

New evidence proved his innocence, leading to his release. The state approved compensation under its wrongful conviction statute.

Now 58, Holmes is focused on justice reform, speaking out against wrongful convictions and flaws in the legal system.

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

WATCH VIDEO:

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