You complained about the treatment of this boy when we saw him being forced to stand over and over when he was falling over from hear exhaustion. I thought you would like to see a follow-up of this.
___________________________________________________________________
March 15, 2007 - BET.com (US)
Family To Get $5 Million In Boot Camp Death

By BET.com News Staff & Wire Services


Return to Drug War News: Don't Miss Archive

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist says the state should pay $5 million to the family of the 14-year-old boy who died after he was beaten by guards at a state-run boot camp.

Crist's made his decision Wednesday after meeting with the family of Martin Lee Anderson and watching a newly released, NASA-enhanced video, which clearly shows seven guards beating Anderson with fist, pinning him down and holding what appears to be a white cloth to his face and ammonia capsules under his nose.

''I thought it would be easier on me this time to watch the video,'' said Robert Anderson, the youth's father, at a news conference with family attorney Ben Crump. ''But as you're watching that video, you see him crying, being tortured on the ground, beaten, kicked, kneed in the back and everything.''

Gina Jones, Martin Anderson's mother, said, ''I'm very angry'' after seeing the video.

The guards and the nurse who watched pleaded not guilty last month and face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of aggravated manslaughter.

The family of Martin Lee Anderson initially had sued for $40 million, but said in a letter to Crist that a $10 million payment would be a fair resolution. They are seeking another $5 million Bay County, which ran the camp.

After meeting with the Martin's family, the governor's office said, Crist sent letters to the House and Senate urging them to approve the payment this session.

"I think it's real important that the state do the right thing, and I think the right thing to do is honor their more-than-reasonable request. Justice delayed is justice denied," Crist said in Tallahassee. The payment, which Crist is urging, would have to be approved by the Legislature.

Anderson was taken to the camp a day before his death for violating probation after trespassing at a school and stealing his grandmother's car from a church parking lot.

His death led to the dismantling of the state's juvenile boot camp system and the resignation of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's director.

An initial autopsy ruled the boy's to be from natural causes, but the family had a second autopsy done. That examination found that Anderson died of suffocation due to his airway being blocked because his mouth was being closed while he was forced to inhale ammonia. The medical examiner in that autopsy ruled that Anderson's death was "due to the actions of the guards," who are now awaiting trial in this case.


http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking07/FL-BootCampDeath.ht

http://www.nospank.net/7163793.200k.wmv

Hey, please put a trigger warning at least on the video,

ste

one day,one day in hell ,how did we last some of us for years? most people dont believe if i tell them how it was, stuff like that dont happen ,people need to wake up! resignation?he should have been beaten to death ,do they know if you sit on a kids chest he cant breathe?but it leaves no signs hes been suffocated? thanks hauser i needed to see this ,there is also a post about this happening in texas,if people want to know what boot camp is like why dont they talk to kids who survived it?

10 million is not enough

My god that's sick. What the fuck is wrong with the world.

Florida tends to have a very low quality care for it's children and teens! Just my opinion after hearing juvenile stories and mental health stories from colleagues who have been there. I apoligize to the Fla. guys but this is what I know!

Howard

The way the medic just stands and watches.
Not one of those freaks can call themselves a man, and I would not just stand watching.

I hope they can live with what they have done, because it is murder, and no amount of money can suffice for a childs life.
Just hope someone beats the shit out of each of them,

ste

they just stood there and watched ,shoot those bastards.

I want to fly down the that God-forsaken state, hold signs in front of the courthouse, the statehouse, wherever!!!!!!!!

I only got to see 5 seconds of the video before Lorie pulled me away.

We must all mobilize on this guys!!!!!!!! If you cant fly there...you sure as HELL can write a billion fucking letters..call the media....anything but sit and wring our hands!!!

Dont let this kids death pass forgotten!!!!!!!

The general public thinks these kids are disposable..."if they want to be good citizens, they'll have to earn their way into acceptance." "If one of THOSE kids dies..oh well...better luck next time."

We've got 3900 registered users here at MS. TIME TO BE HEARD!!!!

I watched this video... my head is pounding, my heart is racing.

Boot camps for children? What on earth is wrong with the United States that people tolerate this sort of thing?

its easier to lock us away than it is to fix us.

Adam, as true (and sad) as that is, it feels like a gut punch.

No boot camp for girls tho, and many institutions similar to this have been investigated here in the UK.
Claims of sexual, and other violence which too have led to death must be taken seriously and the perps made to pay a high price.

I hope those involved are never let near a kid again, including their own,

ste

death penalty for those pigs...nothing less is acceptable.

Give each of them ten minutes with me, they administered noxious substance to the little guy, then kicked and smothered him.
I hope they serve a lengthy stretch in jail because there are a whole load of men abused as boys who find it a load less fun.

How? Many more instances that have not been filmed,

ste

Does anyone know WHY he was in this boot camp in the first place? I would REALLY like to know if he was in there for simply getting high or simply selling drugs.

If you ask me, he died of an overdose of government.

This was really extreme. So fucking sickning. This is the kinda stuff that makes you (as i put it) want to start hurting back. Hurt those who hurt the weak and vaulnerable.

I've been in juvinale correctional facilities aswell as other juvinale facilities and in almost every one there is some form of (not by the book) behavior, usually physical violence. And this stuff just gose on and nobody say's nothing. But these boot camps are something else. Thats going outside "the book" to the Nth degree.

my camp was called a conservation camp,sounds so much nicer than boot camp huh?

You were in one of those boot camp places?.

Shadow,

In Denver there is a juvie hall called Youth Services. Talk about dressing it up.

jamie. Yes, shadowkid was once in a boot camp in CA back in the mid-nineties. If you look in the archives of the unmoderated forum, you will find his post about his experiences there.

Shadow,

I still remember so vividly your de>

jamie sorry i missed your question on this post yeah i am a boot camp survivor.

Andy?

"Youth Services" sounds like a euphemism for "We have structured a welfare state and tax code that makes it EASIER for people to not have to worry about whether or not they're stable/fit to be parents, and if that's the case, just we'll put your kids in here."