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HB 6501

Relief/Sidney Holmes/State of Florida

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Doug Bankson and 12 co-sponsors

The bill would pay Sidney Holmes $1,722,000 as compensation for wrongful 34-year incarceration stemming from investigative and identification errors.

Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/SB 10 (Ch. 2025-215)
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Bill Summary · HB 6501

Summary — HB 6501: Relief/Sidney Holmes/State of Florida

Status: Laid on Table (companion CS/SB 10 enacted as Ch. 2025-215)
Introduced: January 24, 2025
Primary sponsor (record): Rep. Harris (committee report references Rep. Gottlieb)

Purpose

HB 6501 is a claims (equitable relief) bill that would authorize payment to Sidney Lamar Holmes to compensate for wrongful incarceration. The bill requests $1,722,000 as just compensation for Holmes’ incarceration of approximately 34 years under a 400‑year sentence.

Key provisions

  • Authorizes state payment of $1,722,000 to Sidney Lamar Holmes as compensation for wrongful incarceration (equitable claim).
  • The committee record (Special Master’s Final Report) documents the factual basis for the claim, describing investigative errors and witness identification issues that led to Holmes’ arrest and long sentence.
  • Because a companion bill (CS/SB 10) was enacted (Ch. 2025‑215), HB 6501 was laid on the table.

Background and findings (from Special Master’s report)

  • Incident: On June 19, 1988, Vincent Wright and Anissia Johnson were robbed at gunpoint in Broward County. No shots were fired and neither victim was physically injured.
  • Identification and investigation issues: The report details that the primary basis for suspecting Holmes was a license-plate identification provided by Milton Wright (the victim’s brother), not direct eyewitness identification of the driver at the scene. One victim (Johnson) consistently failed to identify any perpetrator in multiple photo lineups. Initial investigations did not include Holmes’ photo in a 250‑photo book; subsequent, smaller lineups and depositions followed Holmes’ identification as a suspect. The report notes no fingerprints were taken when the stolen car was recovered.
  • Prior record: Holmes had earlier pled guilty to two armed robberies in 1984; after being identified as the suspect in this 1988 incident he ultimately received the lengthy sentence that led to decades of incarceration.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiary: Sidney Lamar Holmes (the claimant).
  • Fiscal impact: State of Florida (general revenue/taxpayers) — appropriation or payment reduces state funds. The enacted companion bill indicates the relief was processed through the legislative claims process.

Legislative/procedural timeline (selected)

  • Filed: Jan 3, 2025; introduced Jan 24, 2025.
  • Referred to Judiciary, Budget, Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee.
  • Favorable reports in subcommittee and Budget Committee; Committee Substitute (CS) filed April 22, 2025.
  • Laid on Table April 30, 2025 after companion CS/SB 10 passed (Chapter 2025‑215).

Notes: The committee report functions as the Special Master’s final factual account supporting the equitable claim. The bill itself is a specific claims measure rather than a broad policy change.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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