Closing Arguments Begin In Boot Camp Trial

A 14-year-old boy died after seven Florida juvenile boot camp guards and a nurse decided to use force against him rather than calling for medical help, a prosecutor told jurors in closing arguments Friday.

Mike Sinacore said the eight defendants charged with manslaughter ignored common sense and good judgment in the 30-minute videotaped altercation with Martin Lee Anderson. The guards repeatedly hit, kneed and dragged the limp boy around after he collapsed while running laps on his first day in the military-style camp. The nurse stood by watching.

"This case is about the failure of caregivers to provide Martin Lee Anderson with the care that any prudent person would deem necessary and essential to the well being of a child," Sinacore said.

The eight former employees of the now-closed military-style camp face as many as 30 years in prison if convicted of aggravated manslaughter of child. Jurors could decide to acquit them of manslaughter, but convict them of lesser charges including child neglect or culpable negligence.

Anderson died Jan. 6, 2006, a day after his altercation with the guards when he was taken off life support. The case sparked widespread outrage and prompted Florida lawmakers to shut down all such youth offender camps in the state.

Prosecutors say the guards suffocated Anderson by repeatedly covering his mouth and making him inhale ammonia. They also say the defendants, as Anderson's legal guardians, failed to provide reasonable care and neglected him.

Each of the defendants testified that ammonia capsules were used to try to revive the boy. But Sinacore said they actually used the capsules to try to force Anderson to comply with their demands that he continue exercising.

Sinacore told jurors that 16 minutes into the video, the men continued to apply ammonia and use physical force on Anderson as he became increasingly limp. Their actions continue for another 10 minutes, he said.

"Physical force is applied in between and during the ammonia applications even though (Anderson) clearly wants you stop," he said. "Finally medically action is taken when Martin Lee Anderson is in a coma."

Defense attorneys say the boy died of natural complications of undiagnosed sickle cell trait, a usually harmless blood disorder found in one in eight African-Americans. The trait can hinder cells carrying oxygen during physical stress.

"This case is not about sickle cell trait causing a child to die, this case is about the neglect of a child that happen to have sickle cell trait who died," Sinacore said.

Sinacore also dismissed the idea that sickle cell trait alone killed Anderson saying that 3 million Americans have the trait.

"People with sickle cell trait do not have physical limitations, they can excel at athletics," he said. "They play in the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball."

Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet began Thursday's session by announcing that one of the jurors had become ill and had been dismissed from jury panel.

Before court began, Overstreet agreed to allow Robert Anderson, the boy's father, to remain in the courtroom. On Wednesday, Overstreet banned Anderson and others with him from the courtroom after he said there had been complaints about the group making noises during testimony.

Also Thursday, one of the defendants, guard Joseph Walsh II, was not in court. The judge said Walsh was ill. Defense attorneys said Walsh had been taken to the hospital Wednesday night because of stress.

This case has spurred action from a House panel that began looking into charges of child abuse and neglect at residential treatment facilities.

Testimony came from parents whose children have died in boot-camp programs. The lawmakers will consider whether the privately run facilities should fall under federal regulation.