March On Florida Capitol Shows Growing Furor Over Boot Camp Death

[seafan]

March On Capitol Shows Growing Furor Over Boot Camp Death

POSTED: 3:39 pm EDT April 21, 2006

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Gov. Jeb Bush and state lawmakers face a rapidly growing furor over the death of a boy at a juvenile boot camp, with about 1,500 demonstrators accusing authorities Friday of a cover-up, and Florida's chief law enforcement officer resigning under fire.
The protesters, including the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, demanded answers in the death of Martin Lee Anderson, who was punched and kicked by guards in a videotaped altercation. A first autopsy found he died from complications of a blood disorder, but the protesters believe the encounter with guards killed him.

While Bush says the protests haven't affected how he's approached the case, the reverends and students think they've brought more change in the past three days than seen in the four months since the teen's death, including the resignation of Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Guy Tunnell.

Students say their protests also got Bush to meet with Anderson's parents, Sharpton and Jackson, and had Bush to look into missing e-mails in the case.

"They would not be talking if you were not marching," Sharpton told the group as they assembled on the Capitol steps after marching roughly four blocks, chanting "Justice delayed is justice denied" and "If you don't act, we will come back."

snip

[seafan]

1. Jeb: 'the reason he hadn't met w/ parents: They never asked to see him.'

Bush met for the first time with Crump and Anderson's parents Thursday, a day after about 30 college students began a sit-in at Bush's office to demand he publicly apologize to mother Gina Jones and father Robert Anderson.
Bush met with them for about an hour, even praying with them, they said. Jones said she was finally relieved after meeting with Bush and believed in his promise to do all he could for her son's case. The sit-in ended that afternoon.

Bush said Wednesday that he asked for the meeting before the sit-in and that the only reason he hadn't met with the parents earlier was because they never asked to see him.

snip

Now, protesters are focused on pressuring Bush to have the guards caught on videotape arrested and on ordering the results of a second autopsy released.
Ober ordered that exam in February after the medical examiner for Bay County ruled Anderson's death was caused by complications from sickle cell trait, a usually benign blood disorder that many black Americans have. But his family said the altercation with the guards caused his death.

In the end, whatever influence they may have exercised, students have captured the nation's attention, Gillum said.
"We came in on Wednesday not knowing exactly what would happen, not knowing what would change," she said. "Walking in on Wednesday, it was just the 30 of us. And by the time we walked out and decided to leave, the hearts and minds of people nationwide understood what we were doing."

[qanda]

2. I used to love Al Sharpton

Until I saw the documentary "Street Fight". What they did to Cory Booker was a sin and a shame. I'm sure Sharpton does some good things, but after watching "Street Fight" I will ALWAYS question his motives.

[Judi Lynn]

18. Maybe you'd be good enough to explain what connection can be

determined between Cory Booker and what happened to this child at the hands of the guards in Florida. Your meaning isn't as clear as you might imagine.

[Toucano]

22. ganda, this isn't ABOUT Al Sharpton.

With all possible respect, I think you have let the media steal your focus from this vital issue.

It happens to us all the time, and we have to resist it.

It isn't about the personality involved - be it Sharpton, Jackson, Fonda or anyone's personal history.

It's about the state beating a child in their custody TO DEATH!

If Rev. Sharpton has a hidden agenda in protesting the state's actions, I don't care. If he gets rich protesting the murder of this child, I don't care. If he just likes to see his name in the paper and see himself on television, I don't care.

Protesting this murder is the RIGHT thing to do. If Karl Rove was down there marching in the streets, I'd praise him for this action, too.

[uppityperson]

3. Good.nt

[seafan]

Pathologist: Beating caused boot-camp death (March 14, 2006)

This is what is being stonewalled and covered up.


MSNBC: Pathologist: Beating caused boot-camp death, March 14, 2006

TAMPA, Fla. - A second autopsy shows that a 14-year-old boy who was punched and kicked by guards at a juvenile boot camp did not die of natural causes as a medical examiner initially ruled, prosecutors confirmed Tuesday.

snip

A noted pathologist who observed Monday’s 12-hour autopsy on behalf of Anderson’s family said it was clear the teen did not die from sickle cell trait, as the medical examiner for Bay County had determined, or from any other natural causes.

snip

“My opinion is that he died because of what you see in the videotape,” said (Dr. Michael) Baden, referring to the surveillance video.

After seeing the videotape, the boy’s parents agreed to have his body exhumed and asked Baden to observe a second autopsy.

“I’m just glad the truth is out,” Anderson’s mother, Gina Jones, said Tuesday. “But I already knew what the truth was. Now that the truth is out, and I want justice. I want the guards and the nurse to be arrested.”

snip

Mari Darr~welch / AP
The body of Martin Lee Anderson, 14, who died after a videotaped beating by guards at a juvenile boot camp, was exhumed Friday for a second autopsy.




RIP, Martin Lee Anderson. We will hold accountable the people who took your life.

[Orsino]

12. I hope that that medical examiner will be considered for arrest...

...as well. "Natural causes," my ass.

I suspect that he was well-paid.

[PassingFair]

4. Yeah! Where are THESE guys when you need 'em?

[Voltaire99]

6. Multiple choice question: In the bottom pic, is that protester...

a) Reenacting a Marcel Marceau "window pane" routine

b) Demonstrating the surprising elasticity of 19th century under garments

c) Doing her own jazzercise tribute to Terry Schiavo

d) All of the above

[Judi Lynn]

20. Oh, yeah! Great point. Thanks for the views.

It's hard to imagine people can be that obnoxious.

[struggle4progress]

5. Death at Florida Boot Camp Draws Thousands of Protesters

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/21/us/21cnd-florida.html

[seafan]

7. It feels like the 60's again. This is gaining tremendous speed.

The people are taking back their rights, and these young people in this crowd are at the forefront. Bless them.

Thanks for this link.

[retread]

8. Anyone doubting the activism and committment of today's college

students should spend some time on the Florida A&M campus.

[soup]

9. "We want arrests. We want indictments. We want prosecution."

Cindy Motta, foreground, and Aeriel Coleman wear bandages to let people know "Martin is on our minds, and we feel his pain."
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/22/State/2_000_protest_in_marc.shtml

[IndianaGreen]

10. Anger is good. Rage is better!

The more anger in the streets, the more successful we will be in planting the seeds of revolution, and the closer we will get to toppling the tyrant and his cabal from power.

[lovuian]

11. Jeb is just as corrupt and terrible as Bush

Florida is a mess...

[Judi Lynn]

13. Hope there's more on this story this weekend. Thank god people

didn't just forget about it as they were expected to do.

It's amazing, when you consider the babbling and yammering which went on throughout the Terri Schiavo ordeal, that the same Florida government wants people to STFU about this beating to death of a child.

[seafan]

14. Miami Herald: Civil rights icons join rally for teen

Civil rights icons join rally for teen



STEVE CANNON/AP
STRONG SUPPORT: Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson march Friday with Martin Lee Anderson's mother, Gina Jones.

BY MARC CAPUTO AND EVAN S. BENN
April 22, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Hand-in-hand with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the parents of Martin Lee Anderson marched ahead of more than 1,500 black-shirted protesters Friday, chanting and singing about his ''murder'' at a boot camp, the lack of arrests, the ``coverups.''
Gina Jones and Robert Anderson have been saying it all along -- 105 days to be exact -- ever since their 14-year-old boy was beaten by a gang of guards and left the Bay Boot Camp on a stretcher, starting a string of controversies that left the working-class family resigned to the feeling they were targets of a racially biased justice system.

But on Friday morning, the parents felt and saw tangible support: civil-rights icon Jackson, radio personality Al Sharpton and the protesters shouting, ''No justice, no peace!'' in a well-orchestrated rally of rousing call-and-response speeches and a boys' choir rolling out a black spiritual about soon being done with the troubles of the world.

snip

Jackson exhorted the protesters to vote this election year and made reference to the ''stolen'' election of 2000, in which 537 votes made George Bush president.
''Today, we thank Martin. His death made us come alive. Not far from the crucifixion is the resurrection day,'' Jackson said.
''In many ways, they were only distorting the truth. Many of us feel that Martin was killed because of an African-American trait: That you were black in the hands of those that don't respect black rights in the state of Florida,'' Sharpton said.

snip

Jackson declined to comment on Tunnell's comparing him to a Wild West outlaw, saying ''name-calling is a diversionary tactic.'' But Sharpton, who had already electrified the crowd when he compared the alleged players in the case to cockroaches scampering from a kitchen light, didn't hold his tongue.
''It's scary this guy was in charge of this department having those kinds of sentiments,'' Sharpton said. ``Imagine what decisions he made down through the years, for however long he served, reflecting that kind of attitude. It's scary.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14402020.htm

[seafan]

15. "Before teen's death, auditors gave camp off-the-chart ratings"

Before teen's death, auditors gave camp off-the-chart ratings

April 23, 2006

By Carol Marbin Miller
Knight Ridder

MIAMI Although guards at a Panama City, Fla., boot camp routinely roughed up teenagers for minor infractions, state auditors for years praised the facility for its record-keeping, nursing care and use of physical force, rating the camp's performance "commendable."

The camp did so well in its 2004 inspection that it wasn't inspected at all last year - despite 180 questionable use-of-force reports since January 2003. Guards physically punished youngsters for smiling, smirking, failing to complete exercises or other so-called insolent behaviors, records show.

snip

A Miami Herald review of audits conducted by the Department of Juvenile Justice's Quality Assurance division found that inspectors for years did not detect that guards were routinely violating state policies that banned use of force except as a last resort.

While oversight was breaking down, physical force incidents escalated, rising each year until they doubled in 2005.

No guards have been charged or fired. A special prosecutor appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tallahassee are investigating Martin's death.

snip

Keeping the pressure on these people.

[seafan]

16. Final autopsy report: Martin Lee Anderson was suffocated.

Second autopsy examiner: Guards suffocated boy at boot camp

Updated: 3:15 p.m. ET May 5, 2006



Martin Lee Anderson

Mari Darr-welch / AP

TAMPA, Fla. - A 14-year-old boy beaten by guards at a juvenile boot camp died because the guards suffocated him, a medical examiner said Friday.
The findings of the second autopsy on Martin Lee Anderson conflict with the initial ruling from a different medical examiner that the boy died from complications of sickle cell trait, a usually benign blood disorder.

“Martin Anderson’s death was caused by suffocation due to actions of the guards at the boot camp,” said Dr. Vernard Adams, who conducted the second autopsy. The boy’s body was exhumed after a camp surveillance videotape surfaced showing the guards beating him the day before he died.

snip

Adams 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 upper airway.

snip

No one has been arrested in connection with the death, which sparked protests at the state Capitol, forced lawmakers to scrap the military-style camps and led to the resignation of the state’s top law enforcement officer.
Gov. Jeb Bush also ordered an investigation after Anderson’s family questioned the finding by Bay County Medical Examiner Charles Siebert that sickle cell trait was to blame for the boy’s death.

[soup]

17. Thank you, seafan

and again my gratitude to those who who will not rest until justice is found for the death of this child.


Black caucus honors critic of boot camp
By ALEX LEARY, Times Staff Writer
Published May 5, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Rep. Gus Barreiro, who focused attention on the death of a 14-year-old boy in a juvenile boot camp, was recognized on the House floor Thursday by the Legislature's black caucus.

Barreiro, R-Miami Beach, was given a "Childrens' Champion Award" for working on behalf of not only African-American children but all youths, said Rep. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa.

"It's been wonderful to have an advocate who stands up and says what needed to be said, does what needs to be done and gets the money to do it," Joyner said.

Barreiro sharply criticized the Department of Juvenile Justice after Martin Lee Anderson was beaten by guards at the boot camp in Panama City in January. With his insistance, lawmakers this year have eliminated funding for boot camps, shifting it into a program less confrontational, with more mentoring.

"On behalf of Martin Lee Anderson, I'll accept this," Barreiro said, naming other youths who have died in state custody, including Omar Paisley.
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/05/05/State/Black_caucus_honors_c.shtml

---

rest in peace, child
May his parents somehow find comfort.

[Judi Lynn]

19. It's good to see somehow the truth survived their attempt to bury it.

That's not the case, usually, in _BushWorld!

Thank you so much for your quick work.

[seafan]

21. Thanks, soup and Judi Lynn. May Martin rest in peace. n/t

[Toucano]

23. I am beginning to support the death penalty in two circumstances.

Abuse of authority and corruption of a public office.

I think they're a far greater threat to civilization than a serial killer.