Juvenile Boot Camp Murderers
Expert: Beating Is What Killed Boy
The mother of a 14-year-old boy who was beaten and kicked in a Panama City juvenile boot camp said Tuesday she wants justice now that a second autopsy showed that he did not die from a blood disorder as a medical examiner initially ruled.
A noted pathologist who observed Monday's 12-hour autopsy on behalf of the family said it was clear that Martin Lee Anderson did not die from sickle cell trait, as the medical examiner in Bay County had determined, or any other natural causes.
Prosecutors confirmed that assertion by Dr. Michael Baden, but declined to comment further on the case except to say it will be "months" before the investigation is complete.
"My opinion is that he died because of what you see in the videotape," said Baden, referring to a surveillance video showing the guards kicking and punching Anderson's limp body shortly after he arrived at the Bay County Sheriff's Office boot camp Jan. 5. He died at a hospital early the next day.
Anderson's mother, Gina Jones, said she wants to see action now.
"I'm just glad the truth is out," she said. "But I already knew what the truth was. Now the truth is out, and I want justice. I want the guards and the nurse to be arrested."
His father, Robert Anderson, said the new findings gave him some solace.
"I feel at ease," he said. "Maybe my son can get his rest now and get some justice."
The body was returned to Panama City from Tampa late Friday and Anderson was reburied following a brief ceremony attended by dozens friends and family members, Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, and Florida NAACP State Conference President Adori Obi Nweze.
Hill said that the Florida Conference of Black State Legislators is scheduled to meet with Gov. Jeb Bush next week and that the Anderson case will be at the top of their agenda.
He repeated calls for the arrests of nine boot camp guards videotaped hitting, kicking and dragging Anderson and for the arrest of the camp nurse who watched the 30-minute ordeal but did not intervene.
The sheriff's office has said the guards were trying to get Anderson to participate after he became uncooperative.
"We will continue to mount whatever legal strategies that we can do from the legislative perspective," he said. "Throughout our 60-day session in Tallahassee, we will stay focused and we will not let this die. We will bring some type of justice for this young man who we are here to day to put back in the ground."
Baden said it will be several weeks before Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Vernard Adams can determine the exact cause of death because tissue samples must be analyzed and other evidence considered.
Widely considered to be one of the nation's top forensic pathologists, Baden noted that he had investigated thousands of deaths of people in custody over the past 30 years and not one was caused by sickle cell trait.
Dr. Charles Siebert, medical examiner for the district that includes Bay County, had ruled that Anderson died of sickle cell trait, a usually benign blood disorder many blacks have, rather than the beating.
After questions arose, Ober was appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush to investigate the case, which led to the second autopsy by Adams. Ober said no one from his office will talk about the autopsy until the investigation is complete.
Siebert also was present at the second autopsy, Baden said. Siebert's office said Tuesday he will not comment until the investigation in Tampa is complete. A spokeswoman for the Bay County Sheriff's Office, which operated the boot camp, also declined to comment.
"I think (Siebert) made a mistake," Baden said.
Appearing on NBC's "Today" show, Jones said she thinks the guards targeted her son because he had long hair.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Tallahassee and the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division also have opened an investigation into Anderson's death. No guards have been arrested or fired. The camp has been closed.
Civil rights leaders who rallied to support Anderson's parents said they hoped the case would lead to reforms.
"He was a microcosm of many young Andersons sitting in boot camps and detention centers across the state of Florida, said Sevell C. Brown, state president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Anderson entered the camp for a probation violation for trespassing at a school after he and his cousins were charged with stealing their grandmother's car from a church parking lot.
Rev. Russell Wright of Panama City's Full Gospel Methodist Church led Tuesday evening's burial services. Wright said he was hopeful the second autopsy would lead to arrests of those responsible for Anderson's death and answer the questions of many in his congregation.
Pointing to a group of young teens gathered at the small neighborhood cemetery, Wright said that Anderson's death has been especially difficult for the youth in the community.
"People say children don't comprehend death, but I think it's overwhelming for them and now they are having to relive it by coming out here again," he said.
Later, about 350 Panama City residents gathered for candlelight prayer vigil outside the boot camp and sang "We shall overcome."
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006203150336&source=email
The mother of a 14-year-old boy who was beaten and kicked in a Panama City juvenile boot camp said Tuesday she wants justice now that a second autopsy showed that he did not die from a blood disorder as a medical examiner initially ruled.
A noted pathologist who observed Monday's 12-hour autopsy on behalf of the family said it was clear that Martin Lee Anderson did not die from sickle cell trait, as the medical examiner in Bay County had determined, or any other natural causes.
Prosecutors confirmed that assertion by Dr. Michael Baden, but declined to comment further on the case except to say it will be "months" before the investigation is complete.
"My opinion is that he died because of what you see in the videotape," said Baden, referring to a surveillance video showing the guards kicking and punching Anderson's limp body shortly after he arrived at the Bay County Sheriff's Office boot camp Jan. 5. He died at a hospital early the next day.
Anderson's mother, Gina Jones, said she wants to see action now.
"I'm just glad the truth is out," she said. "But I already knew what the truth was. Now the truth is out, and I want justice. I want the guards and the nurse to be arrested."
His father, Robert Anderson, said the new findings gave him some solace.
"I feel at ease," he said. "Maybe my son can get his rest now and get some justice."
The body was returned to Panama City from Tampa late Friday and Anderson was reburied following a brief ceremony attended by dozens friends and family members, Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, and Florida NAACP State Conference President Adori Obi Nweze.
Hill said that the Florida Conference of Black State Legislators is scheduled to meet with Gov. Jeb Bush next week and that the Anderson case will be at the top of their agenda.
He repeated calls for the arrests of nine boot camp guards videotaped hitting, kicking and dragging Anderson and for the arrest of the camp nurse who watched the 30-minute ordeal but did not intervene.
The sheriff's office has said the guards were trying to get Anderson to participate after he became uncooperative.
"We will continue to mount whatever legal strategies that we can do from the legislative perspective," he said. "Throughout our 60-day session in Tallahassee, we will stay focused and we will not let this die. We will bring some type of justice for this young man who we are here to day to put back in the ground."
Baden said it will be several weeks before Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Vernard Adams can determine the exact cause of death because tissue samples must be analyzed and other evidence considered.
Widely considered to be one of the nation's top forensic pathologists, Baden noted that he had investigated thousands of deaths of people in custody over the past 30 years and not one was caused by sickle cell trait.
Dr. Charles Siebert, medical examiner for the district that includes Bay County, had ruled that Anderson died of sickle cell trait, a usually benign blood disorder many blacks have, rather than the beating.
After questions arose, Ober was appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush to investigate the case, which led to the second autopsy by Adams. Ober said no one from his office will talk about the autopsy until the investigation is complete.
Siebert also was present at the second autopsy, Baden said. Siebert's office said Tuesday he will not comment until the investigation in Tampa is complete. A spokeswoman for the Bay County Sheriff's Office, which operated the boot camp, also declined to comment.
"I think (Siebert) made a mistake," Baden said.
Appearing on NBC's "Today" show, Jones said she thinks the guards targeted her son because he had long hair.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Tallahassee and the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division also have opened an investigation into Anderson's death. No guards have been arrested or fired. The camp has been closed.
Civil rights leaders who rallied to support Anderson's parents said they hoped the case would lead to reforms.
"He was a microcosm of many young Andersons sitting in boot camps and detention centers across the state of Florida, said Sevell C. Brown, state president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Anderson entered the camp for a probation violation for trespassing at a school after he and his cousins were charged with stealing their grandmother's car from a church parking lot.
Rev. Russell Wright of Panama City's Full Gospel Methodist Church led Tuesday evening's burial services. Wright said he was hopeful the second autopsy would lead to arrests of those responsible for Anderson's death and answer the questions of many in his congregation.
Pointing to a group of young teens gathered at the small neighborhood cemetery, Wright said that Anderson's death has been especially difficult for the youth in the community.
"People say children don't comprehend death, but I think it's overwhelming for them and now they are having to relive it by coming out here again," he said.
Later, about 350 Panama City residents gathered for candlelight prayer vigil outside the boot camp and sang "We shall overcome."
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006203150336&source=email
posted by R7 at 3:15 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home