"With the Christian faith that I have, I cannot have hatred": Wrongly convicted, Sidney Holmes is freed after more than 30 years in detention
Sidney Holmes had been arrested in 1988 for an armed robbery, but a thorough re-investigation into the case "raised reasonable doubts as to his guilt".
Sidney Holmes is 57 years old. He left the prison on Monday in which he had been serving a 30-year sentence for more than 400 years. Arrested in 1988 for an armed robbery, a thorough re-investigation into the case "raised reasonable doubts as to his guilt", according to the Broward State's Attorney, Harold F. Pryor.
"I knew this day was going to come sooner or later, and that day is today," he said on Monday, before claiming her faith, "with the Christian faith that I have, I cannot have hatred".
In April 1989, Sidney Holmes was convicted of being the driver of two unidentified men who robbed a couple outside the store. The main evidence against him at trial "was the precarious identification of the eyewitness".
But prosecutors from the Conviction Review Unit and the Innocence Project of Florida have reinvestigated the case. "As a result of this review and co-operative investigation, the CRU has concluded that there is a reasonable doubt as to Holmes' guilt and that it is highly probable that he is in fact innocent of the armed robbery. “, can we read on the site of the prosecutor Harold F. Pryor.
The inquest's findings point to "misidentification" by the eyewitness, probable "misidentification of the vehicle" and lack of evidence against Sidney Holmes.
The reopening of the investigation was made at the request of the two victims, who believed that Holmes should be released from prison.
MC
