8 Charged In Teen's Boot Camp Death

In Florida Case That Sparked Closing Of Juvenile Detention Camps

(AP)  Seven former guards at a juvenile boot camp were charged with aggravated manslaughter Tuesday in the videotaped pummeling of a 14-year-old boy who later died — a case that led to the dismantling of Florida's military-style detention system for young offenders.

Also charged was a nurse who can be seen on the tape watching as guards repeatedly kneed and hit Martin Lee Anderson during a 30-minute scuffle on Jan. 5. Guards said the boy was uncooperative and had refused to participate in exercises.

The teen collapsed in the exercise yard at the camp in Panama City and died at a hospital the next day.

The death sparked protests at the state Capitol and led to a shake-up in Florida's criminal justice system and the resignation of Florida's top law enforcement officer.

If convicted, the former guards and the nurse could get up to 30 years in prison. Bail was set at $25,000 each.

Nurse Kristin Anne Schmidt did not show up for an initial appearance Tuesday, and her attorney did not return a phone call from The Associated Press.

Bob Pell, an attorney for former guard Joseph Walsh II, said: "I was hoping cooler heads would prevail, but we will deal with this as it comes down. We understood the political pressure that was brought to bear."

Waylon Graham, attorney for Lt. Charles Helms, the highest-ranking officer charged, said that he had long anticipated charges and that Helms' family has saved money for bail.

Anderson had been sent to the boot camp for violating probation in a theft case. Boot camps often use grueling exercise to instill discipline in juvenile delinquents.

An initial autopsy found Anderson died of complications of sickle cell trait, a usually benign blood disorder. But after an uproar and cries of a cover-up, a second autopsy was conducted by another medical examiner, and it concluded Anderson suffocated because of the actions of guards.

Dr. Vernard Adams, who performed the second autopsy, said the suffocation was caused by hands blocking the boy's mouth, as well as the "forced inhalation of ammonia fumes" that caused his vocal cords to spasm, blocking his airway.

The guards said in an incident report that they used ammonia capsules five times on Anderson to gain his cooperation.

"Today is a good day for me," said Gina Jones, Anderson's mother. "I'm finally getting justice for my baby."

Benjamin Crump, the lawyer for the boy's parents, who have been demanding for months that the guards be charged with murder, said the videotape leaves no doubt the guards are guilty.

"You wouldn't do this to your dog," Crump said. "Stuffing ammonia tablets up his nose, pulling his neck back, covering his mouth."

In April, college students staged a two-day protest in Gov. Jeb Bush's office. The Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton joined the students and Anderson's parents for a march on the Capitol.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement chief Guy Tunnell, who started Bay County's boot camp when he was sheriff there, resigned under criticism after he compared Jackson to Jesse James and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., to Osama bin Laden in an agency meeting.

Bush signed a bill in May to replace Florida's boot camps with programs that offer job training and counseling and prohibit physical discipline.

Anderson's family has sued the state Department of Juvenile Justice, which oversaw the boot camp system, and the Bay County Sheriff's Office, which ran the camp. The family is seeking more than $40 million.

"We also hope that once the process is completed that Martin Lee Anderson's family will have the answers to the questions that they legitimately have," the governor said.

[kjgal]

Oh, and there was no care or love shown to this boy, not by those ***!

[kjgal]

trueprogress

Have you lost your mind? Beating the life out of a boy an accident? It wasn't like someone hit him once, it was several people doing it over and over again! How would you feel if a group of animals did that to you or your child? I doubt you would call it an accident then! No we weren't there, but we may as well been! It's all on tape for the world to see! ACCIDENT????

[trueprogress]

Also money is not the answer. Care and Love is.

[trueprogress]

TIME TO MOVE ON. PUT ASIDE OUR ANGER.


What is wrong with those guards ? We don't know what their background is, what kind of childhood problems, stresses etc could lead them to this act. We were not there. Given that, if they do not have any prior acts of violence, and his was not premeditated, it was probably an accident. They need conselling, help and understading. They probably have families as well, depending on them . I am sure they are repentent, for this terrible tragedy, for all. Punishing them will not bring back this boys life. Is it time to put aside our anger and move on ?
We can learn from this, but it would be wrong to blame an individual when society in total has total responsibility.
What they did was terrible, very bad and there has to be solid message that this is not acceptable.

[ieg5234]

I agree with me4prezz. Some blacks need to quit blaming everything on slavery witch went out over a hundred years ago. Take responsibility for your life and quit blaming all white people for the problems you have caused in your own life.

[pearlshole]

We should not be surprised by these actions,we live in a world were being a bully and hurting the weak is excepted,more so if your different,it happens in our schools in the work place and in our goverment,we ca'nt even drive a car without rage,let's face it, we as a race are cruel by nature.we sit back and say how can this happen,there are no answers,tomorrow it will be another child,another death.

[themartyred]

""You wouldn't do this to your dog," Crump said. "Stuffing ammonia tablets up his nose, pulling his neck back, covering his mouth.""

the fact they did this to a boy, and kept kicking him, and kneeing him, and that nurse stood and watched this - shows a total thought process that they believed he was just an

ANIMAL that needed put down.

They're rightfully getting punishment for torturing and murdering a 16 yr old, would you have it any other way? If it was 6 black men who beat a scrawny little white boy with diabetes going into a coma, or something?

[me4prezz]

Akarsno, have you ever considered that these parents are suing because they need to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING, to ease the pain they feel? They just brutally lost a child. That was not their fault. Who know how the child got there. Perhaps they put him there as a last resort hoping it would put him on the right path and stop going down the path that would put him in a harsher world of criminals or perhaps the justice system took it out of their hands and did it themselves. Nevertheless, they never put him there with a death wish or a death sentence and that is what they got. That is the problem. The problem is not how he got there, what he did, who is to blame for the reasons he got there, what color the people were or what nationality the people were who put him there, but the horrible fact that guards were videotaped brutally beating and suffocating a 16-year-old child to death while a nurse looked on. It makes me believe that you have no children of your own or else you would never make that kind of statement.

[me4prezz]

By the way, Agnim, my family is from Scotland and never sold, traded, bought or held slaves. That was long before your time and long before mine. Many people come here from all over the world and many against their will that were not Africans and they etch out a life for themselves through hard work, dedication and a strong personality in believing in themselves. Stop using a crutch in believing we owe you something when we never did anything to YOU and the last time I checked, my state was involved in the fight to free the slaves while my ancestors were in Scotland fighting against their imprisonment from the English.

[me4prezz]

Racism will not end until everyone becomes color blind.

FACTS:
Guards and a nurse were VIDEOTAPED brutally beating and suffocating a 16-year-old child. I don't care if anyone involved was black, white, or purple with pink polka dots. It was wrong. No child...and yes he was a child, deserves to die and especially not in that manner.

For those of you who believe this is the parents' fault, let me give you something to think about: My parents were WONDERFUL parents. They did everything they could. I had an outside experience that changed me forever, outside of my parents control, and I ended up hospitalized twice for trying to commit suicide, self-mutiliation, bulimia, and drug use. I am clean, not bulimic, and not a cutter anymore and I have 3 children of my own. I try my best to always be there for them, but at some point it becomes their choice. You can teach right from wrong, but you can't make them choose right from wrong.

A child was brutally murdered and the videotape shows who did it. What else do you need besides that? Not participating in exercises does not warrant a death sentence.

[kjgal]

Martin Lee Anderson (he has a name!) had a physical illness called sickle cell. He should have NEVER been put in a place like this. So who is to blame, the parents or the system? I'm sure the parents were aware of his illness long before he was placed in a boot camp!
Thank you PEL5000, someone I can finally connect with. I cannot tell you where I would be now without my bestfriend who is black, he literally saved my life. I can't remember EVER hating or even disliking someone for the color of their skin, even as a child.
Agnim, you never answered my questions. Why do you hate me for being white? I never asked to be born white, as you never asked to be born black! I'm sure if you got to know me, and many other white people like me, you might like me! And not blame me for the attrocities that happened before my and your time!
God bless you all!

[pel5000]

To Akarsno
First, I am not sure of the way the detention system works in Florida, but I am not sure his parents SENT him to this place. Secondly, even if they DID send him, they have a right to expect that their child will not be killed! Third, you may want to take some time to educate yourself with some psychology classes. You cannot necessariy blame the parents for their child's behavior! How you can even suggest such without actually knowing what kind of parents they are, I don't understand. It is proven that a child's outside influences from peer pressure can and most often does, have a bigger impact on a child than the influence of their parents! Sometimes a parent does everything right and the child still makes the wrong choices. Fourth, you should be ashamed to suggest blaming the child for his own death!

[akarsno]

And one more thing ... his parents should donate that money if they really thing and believe in god as good christians and give it to a proper society that would help other kids.
And no keep it for themselves ... This is not anopportunity to get rich on your childs death.
Look closely into your hearts to see what you really are fighting and suing for.
Please be honest with your self if you want others to really respect you and feel the pity for your child.
Not do this to get rich and live the life you did not have on his behalf.
On judgement day when we all die we meet our maker and i sure as hell don't want to hide my face when i want to see his for all my sins and lies. So people of this Earth ...please lead an honest life at least try, but don't go around killing people or cheating for your own needs.

[akarsno]

ANd not all law enforces or law people are bad people ... I think in everyone there a good and bad. Please look at yourself first before you put judgemnt on others.
There are bad people in this world that abuse their powers but there are the good guys too. It is not fair because of a few bad apples you blame those that are doing their job properly and I believe .. there is light after all that is said and done.
I hope his soul rest in peace and here is lesson we can learn to make the world a better place.

[pel5000]

I agree with the other comments about Agnim spewing his hatred on here. I did not bring the first slaves over in the 1600s and sell them to the highest bidder! I am active in issues of racism and equality for ALL PEOPLE. My very best friend is a black woman who happens to work in our local school system. She is also very tired of racism being screamed out every time and issue involves blacks and whites. The KKK actually came to my town to demonstrate a few years ago. I took my children to show them what hatred looked like. My black friends and I held hands and stood in solidarity in the face of those IDIOTS! My children could not fathom that these people hated their "Aunt Jacci" because of the color of her skin. My children are not taught hate. They are taught acceptance and that skin color doesn't matter. I know that what happened all those years ago was wrong, and that it has been a terrible, bloody struggle for blacks to achieve any semblance of equality. I know that racism still exists. But that doesn't mean that everything that happens like this is racist. You need to stop blaming every white person alive today for what happened before we were born. JUDGE US AS INDIVIDUALS, Agnim. Don't do this reverse racism *** and blame the whole white race. It seems you have the little mind, as you accused someone else of having on here. Yes, I am white. I can't help it anymore than you can help being black. But I wasn't born full of hatred for another race as you seem to be.

[akarsno]

It is sad that the out come became like this ... But look at the whole picture in the first place! Now ... the parents are suing cause they have lost theirs son. I feel sorry for them but I blame them, cause they made that mistake. I do not care what any of you think but it is a fact, the first blame should be on them and the rest is aswhat happend to that boys life after that.
Any way ... cause of all of this we are all to blame if we do not take care of our kids properly.

[akarsno]

Secondly ... even if he was a disturbed child ... his parent should have had more sense to sent him for counselling which they did not. ANd I blame the way the Correction Facility Officer's who also were very much out of hand in handling the matter and the nurse that stood by and let this happened.
This is not the way fo disciplining someone in any manner.
ALso ... if you look at this whole picture ... everyone is to be blame for all this happening, including the child, the parents, the facility office and the nurse.

[akarsno]

Look you people commenting over here ... First of all this child was a troubled child and a diliquent. His parents knew he was not well and could not control him so what other choice there. First of all they are to blame for his up bringing, or else he would not be that bad a child and now they are sueing the state cause of the way it was handle????
Good one ... blame it on the people who were very wrong in the way they were treating the deliquent child which is the parens fault in the first place. They should have brought him up the proper way than he would not be in that ficility.
I balme them first and second I balme the child cause ... he knew what was right or wrong but still behave in that manner and that's what got him there in the first place.

[tinker3478]

Shock probation and boot camps are sort of like Marine basic training-a lot more recruits than you think wash out, die of accidental causes, or commit suicide. Sad fact is that black people are far more likely to have respiratory illnesses than whites or Hispanics. It doesn't take a great deal of stress to send an asthmatic into acute respiratory distress. I've watched more use of force tapes than you can imagine, some involving deaths. The problem has nothing to do with the race of the victim or the guards. The problem is that guards are not trained to halt a use of force when an ARDS episode is triggered. As a result the person dies.

[pel5000]

I am so tired of everything being turned into an issue of race everytime it involves blacks and whites. How about viewing this as what it is - a case of a bunch of overzealous, abusive, thugs, disguised as guards in a boot camp, who killed an innocent child? It doesn't matter what color their skin is! They were WRONG! The child is dead because of their actions. It doesn't need to be turned into a racial issue! The black race keeps geeting injured everytime someone yells racism when the issue has nothing to do with racism. It is different when it is a blatent case of discrimination and racism, but everytime that a black person is involved in an incident with whites in authority does not make it racism! Come on!