He was beaten to death by guards in a boot camp in North Florida. Seven guards and one nurse were acquitted in a court in Bay County, Florida.
The Federal review of this case is still looming. This article tries to present this possible federal review as preventing them from going on with their lives. I say Martin was deprived of his life, so I have little pity at all.
Inquiry Looms Over Acquitted Guards in Boot Camp DeathTERRY BARNER | THE NEWS HERALD PARENTS OF MARTIN LEE ANDERSON, Robert Anderson, left, and Gina Jones, right, flank Florida State Sen. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami, as Anderson's casket is exhumed on March 10, 2006.PENSACOLA | A looming federal investigation and possible trial are making it difficult for seven juvenile Florida boot camp guards and a nurse acquitted last year of state charges in the death of a 14-year-old boy to move on with their lives, their lawyers said.
The eight left a Panama City courthouse with their jubilant families one year ago on Oct. 12, 2007, after jurors found them not guilty in the beating death of Martin Lee Anderson. The death and verdict prompted protests and Florida's juvenile boot camps were abolished. The eight employees were fired from the Bay County Juvenile Boot Camp.
"All of their lives have changed. They are no longer doing what was their first choice in life to do," said Hoot Crawford, lawyer for former camp guard Henry Dickens, who is now a hotel security guard. Dickens had wanted to dedicate his life to reforming juvenile offenders but "now he is doing something very different," Crawford said.
The federal inquiry remains open, said Karen Rhew, a Tallahassee-based assistant U.S. attorney. She declined to give other details or a time frame for a decision on whether or not there will be a second trial.
If I remember correctly they cheered as the verdict was read.
In the boot camp they used experimental techniques called
"pain compliance" on Martin Lee Anderson who had just arrived at the boot camp that morning.
Garrett, a sergeant at the camp, was around Anderson through most of his interaction with the guards. He said he was confused by the mixed signals coming from Anderson.
“He’s answering questions, and then he lets his body go limp. His ability to talk and his ability to breathe was one sign,” Garrett said. “Letting his body drop was giving me another sign.”
Garrett, 30, of Lynn Haven, said Anderson was talking throughout most of the interaction — saying that he was tired and wouldn’t finish a required physical assessment run. Garrett said Anderson got angry a few times and would tense up. That’s when the guards would throw him to the ground or use pain-compliance techniques, such as pressure points.
Martin Lee AndersonMaybe someday after all there will be justice for
Martin Lee AndersonThe schedule that morning of the day he entered boot camp. It is alarming.
A travesty of justice in Bay County, Florida.
At 6:30 in the morning on June 5, 2006, Martin Lee Anderson is admitted to boot camp.
At 9:06 am the use of force begins.
At 9:45 am the paramedics take Martin Lee Anderson
At 1:00 pm he was transported by air to Pensacola to the hospital where he died the next day.
The guards who beat him were just acquitted as was the nurse who stood by.
One of the guards said Martin was not beaten, that they were just using the techniques they had been taught.
Martin Lee Anderson died a day after being hit and kicked by Dickens and six other guards as a nurse watched, a 30-minute confrontation that drew protests in the state capital and spelled the end of Florida's system of juvenile boot camps.
"I am truly, truly sorry this happened. Myself, I love kids," said Dickens, 60. He added that Anderson "wasn't beaten. Those techniques were taught to us and used for a purpose."
The nurse's words:
PANAMA CITY | A juvenile boot camp nurse charged with killing a 14-year-old boy testified Tuesday that her job did not routinely require her to interfere with the actions of the guards.
Kristin Schmidt said she was only to interfere with the guards, "If I saw something that would cause an injury."
In case you missed it here's the video:
A boot camp deathI believe the verdict was a year ago today. It stunned the world.