7 guards, nurse charged in boot camp death (North Florida case)

[RagingInMiami]

PANAMA CITY - Seven guards and a nurse at a juvenile boot camp here were charged with manslaughter this morning in the death of a teenager who died after an altercation with guards early this year.

Martin Lee Anderson, 14, died hours after he was kneed and manhandled for about an hour on Jan. 5 in an incident captured by a camera in the exercise yard of the juvenile detention center. He had arrived in the camp earlier that morning.

The charges were announced by Hillsborough County State Attorney Mark Ober, who had been named by Gov. Jeb Bush to investigate the case.

The charges are aggravated manslaughter against a child and could carry up to 30 years in prison.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16115100.htm

[Kagemusha]

1. Hmm, the nurse too

From what I've heard of the case, that's more than justified by the facts.

It's also very weasely for that attorney for one of the guards to say that this issue has been simply politics. No, it's simply wrongful death.

[liberalnurse]

4. Absolutely....From what I recall

from the video, she was very "accepting" of the Officers abuse. I do not recall her displaying any ungency to render medical care. She would be the one with the ammonia caps.....administering them. And for chrisakes "why"????.....It is only a simple tool to arouse a "faker" seizure....nothing more in this type of setting.

[iverglas]

2. for a detailed account of a similarly appalling case

in this appalling system/practice, see

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2000/11/campfear.html

In a town the size of Canton, South Dakota, population 3,195, plenty of people knew that 14-year-old Gina Score liked to steal things.

She stole Press-N-Go fingernails worth $2.99 from the ShopKo in Sioux Falls, stole four Beanie Babies from Brower's Gifts and Collectibles in Canton, stole $60 from a sleepover girlfriend, even stole candles from her Lutheran church. Outwardly, Gina didn't seem troubled -- she babysat for neighbors, wrote cute poems, and smiled radiantly for pictures. But she confided to social workers what they surely guessed: Kids can be cruel to eighth grade girls who weigh 224 pounds. Sometimes Gina cried herself to sleep.

Supported by her parents, Gina endured years of programs and punishments intended to change her behavior: community service, individual and family counseling, group care, house arrest, fines, restitution, probation, juvenile detention. Nothing really worked. Finally, in June of last year, after yet another parole violation, a judge placed Gina in state custody until age 21 and sent her to a military-style boot camp for teenage girls located at the State Training School in Plankinton.

... Finally, at 10:47, three hours after Gina collapsed, two physicians happened by and ordered that an ambulance be called. Six minutes later, paramedics were giving Gina oxygen, but on the way to the hospital, her heart stopped. In the emergency room they sent chilled IV fluids through Gina's rigid body and packed her in ice, but a rectal thermometer peaked at 108 -- the highest it would go. Internally, she had literally begun to cook. With her organs shutting down, repeated attempts to restart her heart were futile. At 12:39 p.m., Gina was declared dead. "It was," said emergency room physician Jerome Howe, "the worst case of heatstroke I've ever seen."

...

http://www.canadiancrc.com/UN_CRC_webpage/US_Convention.htm

The United States and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

The position of the United States towards the convention

The United States and Somalia are the only countries in the world that have failed to ratify the Convention. Although the United States signed the Convention on February 16, 1995, the treaty has never been submitted to the U.S. Senate and the United States has stated that it has no plans to ratify the convention.

During negotiations for the Special Session in February 2001, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Michael Southwick stated that "it is misleading and inappropriate to use the Convention as a litmus test to measure a nation's commitment to children. As a non-party to the Convention, the United States does not accept obligations based on it, nor do we accept that it is the best or only framework for developing programs and policies to benefit children."

The United States hasn't ratified the Convention

Some critics in the United States have lobbied heavily against ratification of the convention, claiming that the convention will undermine parental authority, interfere with parents' ability to raise and discipline their children, and will elevate the rights of children above the rights of parents. In reality, the convention repeatedly refers to the importance of the parent-child relationship, and requires governments to respect the rights and duties of parents.

...

[theHandpuppet]

13. Wow -- that was a powerful article from Mother Jones

I had no idea just how many of these child torture centers exist in this country. And Janklow is one seriously sick fuck. Leave it to Mother Jones to expose the stories the rest of the media strives to bury.

[iverglas]

15. Yup -- I remembered it all these years later

Had read it in hard copy and went and found it on the website.

Bought a subscription to MJ for the co-vivant's 85-year-old mother in Toronto last xmas. She'd adored the Harper's sub I bought her, but I thought she needed something a little more incisive, being the big Chomsky fan she is and all. ;) Now I get a constrant stream of MJ bumph in my gmail box ... some day I'll have time to read it ...

I think I'll go look at this one I see on the site now:

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/11/can_eliot_spitzer_stay_progressive-9.html
"Can Eliot Spitzer Stay Progressive?"

Being in Canada, I only know what I see on the net, but I've been a fan since he went after those anti-choice "crisis pregnancy centres".


Just a silly side note, btw. I accidentally left the "pages from canada" box checked at google.ca when I searched for mother jones to get the url, and I got motherjones.ca:

"This site is dedicated to those who refuse to be victims of BLIND FAITH, DOGMA, and the ACQUIESCENCE of the main stream media."

Why haven't I heard of this? I think to myself. Then I read the one page on the website (well, no, three sentences of the page), and skip to the footnotes, which start like this:

"I. Americas Top 20 Facts of (Law) Believe it or Not

1. The IRS is not a U.S. Government Agency. It is an Agency of the IMF (Diversified metal Products v. IRS etal. CV-93-405E-EJE U.S.D.C.D.I., Public Law 94-564, Senate Report 94-1148 pg. 5967, Reorganization Plan No. 26, Public Law 102-391.)
2. The IMF is an Agency of the UN. (Black’s Law Dictionary 6th Ed. Pg 816)"

... and you can imagine where they go from there, and why I hadn't heard of it before ...

[Phx_Dem]

23. What's worse is that

there has never been ANY research evidence that indicates that "confrontational" therapy is efficacious. In fact, most of the research I have seen shows the opposite, this approach feeds into delinquent behaviors patterns.

These programs all started with management knowing full well that psychological research did not support this approach but because "tough love" is now trendy, they sprung up all over the country. Only now that kids are dying is anyone questioning the wisdom of these programs.

[KansDem]

16. Gina Score...

Also, an exposé of one such "tough-love boot camp"
Crime Library

[datadiva]

3. After I watched the video

right after it happened, I thought they should be charged with Murder. The kid was bound and they killed him. Simple as that.

[seafan]

5. At long last, there may be justice for Martin Lee Anderson and his parents.

This now explains why Anderson's parents have just expanded their lawsuit to involve 7 boot camp deputies. They are Joseph Walsh, Patrick Garrett, Raymond Hauck, Henry Dickens, Charles Helms, Charles Enfinger and Henry McFadden. (This earlier story didn't mention the nurse, but the Miami Herald article finally does.)

It appears that the Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen is distancing himself from the actions taken by the boot camp guards, and as a result, Martin's parents are now including the guards in their wrongful death suit.

Ben Crump, who represents Anderson's parents in a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and the Bay County Sheriff's Office, said he did not originally intend to sue the guards.

He said he changed his mind because of court filings from the attorney representing Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen in which Crump said the sheriff distanced himself from the actions of the guards.
''Everybody is saying it's not me, it's not me, it's them,'' said Crump, who added that making the deputies defendants complicates the suit.

snip

Anderson's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in July seeking $40 million. The Department of Juvenile Justice contracted with the Bay County Sheriff's Office to manage the boot camp. In October, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle dismissed civil-rights and conspiracy charges against the state agency and the Sheriff's Office.

In a response to Hinkle's order, McKeithen's attorney, John Jolly, argued, in part, that ''any harm described in the complaint did not arise as a result of a custom, policy or practice routinely in effect at the Bay County Sheriff's Office, and, therefore, no liability for constitutional tort arises.''

Crump said their response shows that the sheriff will distance himself from what the deputies did to Anderson.
''If the deputies are not involved in this suit individually and personally, then there will be no justice for the family of Martin Lee Anderson,'' Crump said.

Anderson family expands lawsuit, November 28, 2006

[jpak]

6. It's about time - Jebbie has been covering for these killers

Wonder how they'll be treated in the Big House????

[uppityperson]

7. I will be watching for the jurys take on it.

Alleged aggravated manslaughter should be allegedly easy enough to allegedly prove in this alleged crime.

Note the alleged to counter those who say don't judge before all evidence presented. Allegedly having alleged 30 alleged yrs in an alleged prison isn't enough justice, but it is something.

[soup]

8. finally.

In this undated image taken from video provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, guards restrain 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson, wearing red shirt, center, at The Bay County Sheriff's Department Boot Camp in Panama City, Fla. Seven former juvenile boot camp guards and a nurse have been charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of a boy whose rough handling by the guards was videotaped, a special prosecutor said Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2006. Anderson collapsed on the exercise yard at the Bay County sheriff's camp in Panama City on Jan. 5. Guards said he was uncooperative and refused to continue participating in exercises that were part of the camp's intake processes. (AP Photo/Florida Department of Law Enforcement via AP Television News, FILE)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061128/ap_on_re_us/boot_camp_death

May he rest in peace and may they rot in jail.

[anotherdrew]

18. look at those fucking animals, send them all away for life

what the fuck is wrong with this god damned country when people act like this? tit
s beyond belief, we've got to get EVERY ONE of these sadistic psychotic power-abusing muthafuckers out of any position of authority. I want psych screening and it to be enough to disqualify them for this type of work.

[teryang]

9. Those damn video cameras! n/t

[Quantess]

19. They can't get away with things like this

anymore!

Just think if the camera wasn't filming it. This case would be just another, long forgotten, "accidental death".

[AnneD]

10. I have friends that do

Correctional Nursing under the worst conditions. They are more overworked and underpaid than traditional Nurses and many have left that field due to questionable injuries etc. I often wonder how the medical staff at Gitmo survives. I have had to grit my teeth to take care of some folk, but I am a professional.

But in these situations, the med staff may be under pressure and under trained. I am not so quick to judge. She may have been doing what she could do to revive the guy, relying on what the guards told her (I think the victim was unconscious)in triaging the kid. One thing I have noticed is that anytime a Nurse does something out of character-it really gets lots of press play.

Another instance, some Nurses that were stuck in NOLA after the gov bailed are being charged with murder. I don't know what measures I would be forced to do in those circumstances, but in a very critical circumstance like Katrina, as a patient, I might be grateful for what comfort they could provide me in my final days.

Once again, as a professional, I will withhold judgment after all the facts are in.

[madmusic]

11. With video link

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2006/11/28/152311/34">7 Ex-Prison Guards Charged With Manslaughter in Boot Camp Death

[greccogirl]

12. GOOD. About time they

shut down these horror places for good.

[saigon68]

14. They will just build more of them

[Quantess]

21. That's the current trend.

More jails, more prisons, more "correctional facilities".
Lock them away, instead of attacking the root of the problems that caused them to break the laws.

[saigon68]

24. They have lots of Red Pencils in those facilities

To do the correcting with

LOL

[Morgana LaFey]

17. Thank God.

I hope they all get the max. If you want to kill someone: pick on someone your own size. Leave the weak and defenseless alone.

[soup]

20. Long road to boot camp convictions

By Abbie Vansickle
Published November 30, 2006

TAMPA - Even as family attorney Ben Crump celebrated the arrest of eight boot camp workers in 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson's death, he acknowledged the difficult road ahead.

"We know we're a long way from a conviction," Crump said.

It's unusual that so many law enforcement officers were charged in the death of the Panama City teen, legal experts say.

But it will be even more unusual if the officers are convicted.
>snip<
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/11/30/Tampabay/Long_road_to_boot_cam.shtml

Examples given:

Law enforcement acquittals are common.

- In 2003, a jury acquitted Gainesville police officer Jimmy Hecksel in the slaying of University of Florida architecture student Corey Rice. Hecksel fatally shot Rice after pulling him over for speeding. Hecksel claimed Rice tried to run over him, but a police investigation, which included a tape of the shooting, concluded Hecksel wrongly fired as Rice pulled away.

- In 1999, five Bradford County prison guards were accused of fatally beating of Frank Valdes, a 36-year-old death row inmate. None was convicted. The incident was not taped.

- In 2000, a grand jury cleared a boot camp counselor of wrongdoing in the death of a 12-year-old boy at a private Marion County juvenile detention camp. Michael Wiltsie, who weighed 65 pounds, died after a 300-pound guard pinned him to the floor. An autopsy concluded the cause of death was "compressional asphyxiation." The grand jury concluded the guard followed proper restraint procedures.

[donkeyotay]

22. Has anything happened to the Medical Examiner?

Didn't the original cause of death cover up what happened to Anderson? Didn't his family have to have a second autopsy to uncover the truth?