Boot camp death from beating

Mar 15 2006

The family of a young boy who died at a Florida boot camp, who alleged that his death was suspicious, have been vindicated by a second autopsy.

The parents of 14-year Martin Lee Anderson who died on January 6th, at a Panama City boot camp run by the Bay County Sheriff's Office, were outraged with the initial autopsy which said the boy had died from internal bleeding as a result of a sickle cell trait.

A surveillance videotape taken that day showed Anderson being beaten by several guards.

It is estimated that one in 12 African Americans has the sickle cell trait, which is different from sickle cell disease and does not as a rule cause health problems.

The finding by Bay County Medical Examiner Dr. Charles Siebert was contested by the family who hired their own doctor Dr. Michael Baden, a former chief medical examiner for New York City.

The family's allegations along with civil rights groups prompted Florida Governor Jeb Bush to instruct Hillsborough County State Attorney Mark Ober to investigate the case.

Anderson's body was exhumed and taken to Tampa for a second autopsy on Monday by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Vernard Adams.

Dr. Baden was allowed to observe the autopsy, and has ruled out sickle cell trait and other natural causes for the boy's death, but the official results of the autopsy by Adams are not expected for several weeks.

Dr. Baden has said he believes the boy would still be alive today if he had not suffered the beating.

Anderson's family are now demanding justice be done and those responsible for the death be charged.

The camp is one of five in Florida operated by county sheriffs departments and acts as an alternative to jail for juveniles.

Anderson died within hours of collapsing during exercises on his first day at the camp.

A videotape later released to the media shows that after he stopped the exercises he was struck, kicked and dragged by several guards.

It seems Anderson was sent to the camp there for stealing a car.

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.

According to State Attorney Mark Ober, who has not commented on the case, no charges have as yet been filed, and no guards have been arrested or fired, despite the camp being closed down.