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.

[diverinnl]

What a shame. This poor kid did nothing to deserve to be tortured to death. My condolences to his family. At least there will be some heads rolling for the responsible people.

[ladyephesus1]

May he rest in peace. NO matter how bad a kid is or how hardheaded they may seem, DEATH is certainly not the answer.

[AgentGGG]

Where is the outcry and the sympathy for the family? I am ashamed that it took 11 months and a new governor for this indictment to be filed.

I agree he did not deserve to die, no matter what he did or did wrong, kids will be kids, they are not adults training for war.

[joecsteelers]

I wonder how many other cases there are like this. If it wasn't videotaped, I wonder if there would even be a case. Thank god for videotape.

[tonnie45]

Agnim

Why does this have to be about race. I agree that the child's death was needless, but the things you said in your comment were horrible, and then you wonder why the white people act the way they do. Stop and think about it. You really said some harsh things.

Just to let everyone know, I feel terrible for this child's parents and family. It was a senseless death that very well could have been avoided. Please don't sterotype and assume that all white people are the same. Not everyone is evil and bad, just because a few are bad (in every race), does not mean everyone is.

[agnim]

"... the things you said in your comment were horrible, and then you wonder why the white people act the way they do."

tonnie45 at 01:12 PM : Nov 28, 2006

Ha ha!
LOL
LMAO

Tonnie, you are comical.

Do you really think anyone need to make so-called 'horrible comments' for "the white people act the way they do"? Really?

Tell us then, Tonnie: What the Africans "said" or even did why they were invaded, colonized, kidnapped across seas, and enslaved by your 'white people'?

Please, pretty please, tell us what the Africans went to Europe and "said" to your 'white man' back then to cause them to "act the way they do"?

Tonnie, evil DOES NOT need an external impetus or trigger.

Evil acts depravedly from within its OWN DIABOLICAL NATURE!

And yes that boy's killing IS about race!

After knowing the history of the US well, it is pointless and foolish to exclude race in such repeated acts of senseless brutality.

When racism ends in America, then and only then will alert mind eliminate it as an ongoing causative factor in these circumstances.

[politikz]

And don't be surprised that I used that word. I'll bet it gets tossed around 'PIG' headquarters alot. I wouldn't be surprised if old Kramer from Seinfeld used to be a 'PIG' himself!!!

[huskerarmy]

"Why does this have to be about race... the things you said in your comment were horrible, and then you wonder why the white people act the way they do."

Why does this have to be about race? Didn't you just answer your own question?

[aeasus]

This is such a sad story.

This really should open America's eyes to their domestic needs. He arrived the camp as a juvenile offender in need of help. Apparently he only found neglect and torture. At 14 Y.O. he didn't need a forced hand,he needed guiding one.

He sounds like another victim of improper staffing possibly due to budget cut backs. This is just gross negligence of the Department of Juvenile Justice. The complete lack of qualified leadership,training,screening,and communication is obvious.

Put an end to Bush's war and put our money back into America!!! Where we need it!!!

[jdb43-2009]

If anyone remembers the video, there were black officers involved as well so race isn't the issue, Abuse of power and downright cruelty are.

[pakaal]

Almost 15 years ago, Japan had a scandal similar to this one - and outlawed excessive punishment in the same sort of 'boot camp' schools after a number of kids were killed. My question is, when has it EVER been proven that busting up a kid is an effective way of motivating them to be a better person? Even the US military has toned down the methods used on recruits. Research shows that punishment is rarely the best motivator, and often perpetrates the behavior. Beaten kids end up adults who beat their kids. Stop beating your children! It doesn't help!

[radiob-2009]

Has anyone seen the video? I have not,this is the first that I have heard of this tragedy.It is a tragedy that a 14 year old child dies in a camp that is supposed to help him become a better human being.People who are invoking race have in other cases clear evidence to support their claims.Rodney King comes to mind.Here it is not known and anyone rushing to a decision about it is doing humanity an injustice.It is long past time for people throughout the world to rid itself of labeling individuals based on race,religion or nationality.Atrocities against mankind occur daily throughout the world for these very reasons until humanity can evolve beyond the bounderies of profiling individuals based upon race,religion,sexual orientation and nationality they will continue to occur.My heart goes out to this childs family as should every heart that beats.

[aeasus]

video link

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2212650n

[politikz]

Of course my heart goes out to this kid and his family. What bugs me are the people who think they have the luxury of just waving off race. Until you are on the other side of the fence, you don't know! Have you ever had police jump out of squad cars and point guns at you, simply for walking at night? Have you ever been slammed, face down on extremely hot car hood for just being out with friends? Pulled over for no reason? Feel free to stop me! I am an upstanding citizen, who happens to be a black man. I never, ever been in trouble with the law and yet I had to experience these injustices like many other blacks. Racism still does exist. You can stay in your own little world and act like it doesn't. We can join hands and sing til the cows come home, and that won't change a *** thing! I don't know if it played a part in this or not, but whenever I hear about a story on police brutality and excessive force, I can fill in the blanks with my eyes closed. Simple as that.

[radiob-2009]

Aeasus Thanks I just finished watching the video and although the ethnicity of some of the officers are easily discernible,others are not due to the poor quality of the video.I would like to see a better video of this as it is difficult to determine what is actually occurring.That may be due to it being displayed on the web or just poor quality of the video itself.This would be in its current form a video that one would have to watch, freeze frame multiple times to ascertain what is going on and who is doing what.Thanks though.

[agnim]

jdb43 at 02:16 PM : Nov 28, 2006

You are either a deliberate deceiver or one in denial, which?

Why are your kind so intent on burying the racism under ground for it to continue multiplying?

What Black "officers"?

Are Blacks the ones who set up those devilish and sadistic white supremacist institutions, and hire the thugs?

Do you really believe that tossing in a Black face here and there will deceive any alert mind as to whom is exactly responsible for those hell holes and the behavior of the ignorant thugs who man them?

[blondmadison]

This is about abuse of power. This is also about being ego-maniacal with a badge of authority on. If the Ego wins even if it has to kill to do so--then the ego is out of whack and grotesquely inappropriate.

Abusive policemen have huge egos. This needs to be acknowledged and addressed. Small weenies and huge egos do not create the public to be safe. It actually creates the public to be in danger.

[radiob-2009]

politikz Is that any differnet than being in uniform in a war zone that the enemy does not always wear uniforms and not knowing who be it a child, mother or elderly old man shoot or lob a grenade at you simply because you were there trying to liberate the people? Or driving through a certain state with long hair and being pulled over and thrown to the ground. Or how about the curfews that were imposed in the sixties on all citizens in certain cities. I remember them well and the unpleasantness of being detained walking home after the curfew.Ignorance against individuals rights no matter what the source or who is the victim is unacceptable.Do you think I still hold a grudge?

[gramto7]

I don't think race played a factor here as much as lack of caring and training in the guards at that camp. Also the nurse that watched needed to refresh his/her memory on what a person with sickle cell anemia goes through when they are in crisis. This child was already in a sickle crisis when they thought he was just not cooperating. The stress they then put him through deepened the crisis and eventually caused his death. The only way race factors in is that sickle cell disease is known to be primarily inherited by people whose ancestors come from Africa, India, or Saudi Arabia.
These people definitely do need to be punished for what they did to this child. There was no call for them to have attacked him like they did.
For the record, I am neither a sickler nor am I black, though I have worked in an ER with sicklers in crisis enough to know they go through hell without it being exacerbated by creeps like these guards.

[aeasus]

I don't believe this story has anything to do with racism. I believe it's a story about "thugs" with badges. It's about an unqualified staff in a mismanaged public facility. Apparently they had no concern for their actions on camera. This can only lead me to believe the staff was accustom and secure about their actions. Meaning they have been getting away with this type of action for a long time.

[missyx21]

You may not notice this because you're white but racism still exist. It will never go away.

I have very nice and well educated white, black and Mexican friends (I'm Asian). But the one thing my white friends don't understand or see is that racism still exist. They think that racism is all done and over with, like it's a fashion trend that comes and goes but racism is here and it's here to stay. And you know what makes me so made, when white people say minorities are being racist towards them. You know why, because we're so d@amn tired of always being picked on and when we stand up for ourselves, it's us being racist against white. Gosh

It's not about the color of the officers. We know that they shouldn't of done what they did. The fault is in the government who took so long to bring this family justice.

[gramto7]

Where is the outcry and the sympathy for the family? I am ashamed that it took 11 months and a new governor for this indictment to be filed.
Posted by AgentG1967

I don't understand what you are talking about. This was in the news for a long time. And as far as I know, Jeb is still the governor of FL.

[politikz]

Radio, I'm not holding a grudge. I know I might come off as hostile, but I'm just tired of this and people acting so nonchalant about it. I don't hate anyone, I hate the system.

[radiob-2009]

politikz That is good that you are not holding a grudge.The question is how does everyone move forward? From the senseless death of this child to Darfur, Iraq and host of other problems that all go back to my original premise of the world getting beyond the stereotyping of individuals.This is one of the many challeges that face the world today.Some people cannot see the similarities of all these problems.JFK asked over 40 years ago Ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country, today Kennedy would have asked Ask not what the world can do for you but what you can do for the world.These problems go beyond the borders of this country.

[adstamp]

Agnim.....
I'm not sure where you get your historical facts...But it was a black man that sold the black man to the white s### heads. And in history there is not one race that has not been treated like dogs........If you want to go back that far...The English loved to treat the scotts and the irish like dogs....Oh and how we like to forget how the indians where treated....Please give me a break. Today... please focus on the here and now! It seems to me the only time I think race is when a ####head like you bring *** like this to the table. Both of my superior at work are black, I have no problem working for them. Their good men...no matter what color they are. And by the way the Black man was able to vote before a woman could and I'm not screaming or ranting about the injustice I think Women go thru everyday. Stop...think a few minutes about the *** you say...or at least go do some history classes before you get on the high horse again.

[tonnie45]

Thank you adstamp!!!!! I couldn't have said it better myself!!!

[radiob-2009]

adstamp Civility brings civility attacks against other posters does not.If you disagree with them you can articulate your position in a civil manner.Everyone needs to move towards civility and respect for others.In doing so we can end alot of the problems.If we continue on a path that is agtonizing others then we accomplish nothing but more hostility.

[pudd54]

racist, we are all racists, it is just a matter of degrees

Noticed the reasons for the kid being put in boot camp are not mentioned.

Doesn't matter guards were wrong. Of course being human I wouldn't feel as bad if was he was a murdering rapist put in boot camp just because he was a juvie as opposed to put in boot camp for stealing food for his family.

[pudd54]

I bet at some point in his life even Manson had a cute picture.

[agnim]

pudd54 at 03:35 PM : Nov 28, 2006

The boy was placed in the camp for childishly taking his family's car for a joy ride.

The reason he's in the camp is irrelevant to his sadistic murder.

[ketch65]

I think the guilty parties should be put to death if they have video supporting their guilt and it's beyond a shadow of doubt that they actually killed him with their reckless care.

No sense in caging dogs that maim, cripple and kill, sooner or later they get out and someone gets hurt again or worse.

Forgive the dogs, but put a humane end to them!

If he was an adult, they'd have been "justified" in doing what they did, video or no video.

But in this case it was a kid.

All the more reason to put an end to them so they are out of the way!

[sharncedar]

What they do in Iraq they'll do here.

This is only going to get worse. Talk to some of these rich and elite people who are behind our brutal police state, and you'll see they have no regard for your humanity, just raw greed and competitive urges for their own personal satisfactions and supremacy.

[monireed]

justice is overdue... they murdered a child... their actions were beyond criminal! heartfelt sympathy and support to the Anderson family.

[catt42701]

I am a nurse. There is no way that I would have stood by and watched this happen. The nurse deserves the stiffest penality of all. Lose of her license and a lot of jail time. Exercise ok but the beating is unconsciousable.

[agnim]

"But it was a black man that sold the black man to the white s### heads."

adstamp at 03:24 PM : Nov 28, 2006

That's patented rubbish and the usual racist revisionist history.

Moreover IT WOULD NOT BE your 'selling' of Blacks that was the problem.

It was the UNPROVOKED INVASION AND KIDNAPPING ACROSS THE SEAS INTO ENSLAVEMENT!
That was the problem! Get it, little mind?

[vancouverboo]

Another bad, new idea.

[jdb43-2009]

Hey Agnim

What'cha smokin'? Facts are facts, one of the guards being charged is an African-American. If you want to spew hatred go right ahead, you are part of the problem, not the solution. Watch the video! What happened is a travisty. I am from the Panama City and I went to protest with many others, of all races at the Correctional Facility where this happened. My kind? You have no idea about my kind! Until you stop YOUR hater mongering...I would rather you just shutup.

[kjgal]

First of all, this child was physically ill. WHY did his parents put him in this place to begin with if he had sickle cell? A "Boot Camp" is no place for a sick child be it physical or mental. Secondly, I'm a white female, 37 years of age. My BEST friend is a 47 year old black man. He is my 2 year old daughters Godfather. I also have a black girl friend who calls me Sister. I hate racism. I'm not stupid, I know it's out there, and I HATE it. But I think it is WRONG to blame me, because I'm white, for something that happened hundreds of years ago. It's hard for me to understand that. I don't approve of what went on all those years ago, it was wrong, but why am I to blame? That's the feeling I get from people like Agnim. I feel like you hate me for being white. How does that make you any different from a white racist? You have a huge grudge on your shoulder, and although I can't see you when you're posting your comments, I can sense the rage in your words, and it's scary.
The people who did this to this child will have alot to answer for one day. It sickens me. It sickens me to know that my daughter has to grow up in this crazy world.
Some bad things have happened to me, my family and my friends, things beyond comprehension. But I blame the individual(s) who committed the acts, not their mothers, fathers, siblings, cousins or children. Please explain where you're coming from because I don't understand!
God bless Martin Lee Anderson, may he rest in peace.

[agnim]

"one of the guards being charged is an African-American"

jdb43 at 06:57 PM : Nov 28, 2006

One African American is not the same as Black 'officerS'!

And
having a black face or few for feign 'legitimacy' doesn't prevent the incident from being racist.

Merely integrating a black face to not appear completely racist doesn't change the those places, who create them, and the method by which they are run.

[agnim]

"The child, black or white, should not have been there. Where were the parents?"

janem4 at 07:12 PM : Nov 28, 2006

The child being 'there', like MANY other children IS NOT the problem.
Him being murdered (and no other) by a bunch of white supremacist sadists is the problem!

Obviously parents (if and when it is their choice) don't allow their children in those places so that they can be killed by a bunch of thugs.

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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]

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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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!