Martin Anderson Murdered By Boot Camp Guards?

Sadly, it looks like that could be the case. I'm assuming if these findings hold up, it wasn't the intent of the guards to kill him. It likely won't be first degree murder charges, possibly manslaughter? Guess we'll see.

A medical examiner says 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson died because he was suffocated by guards who roughed him up at a juvenile boot camp.

Anderson died on Jan. 6, the day after the incident at the boot camp in Bay County.

Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Dr. Vernard Adams conducted a medical investigation to determine the cause of Anderson's death.

The findings of Adams' autopsy conflict with the results of an earlier one by medical examiner Dr. Charles Siebert. He ruled the boy died from complications of sickle cell trait, a usually benign blood disorder many blacks have.

Adam's autopsy also determined that Anderson had sickle cell trait, but neither that nor the blows inflicted by guards contributed to his death.

"Martin Anderson's death was caused by suffocation due to actions of the guards at the boot camp," Adams said. "The suffocation was caused by manual occlusion of the mouth, in concert with forced inhalation of ammonia fumes that caused spasm of the vocal cords resulting in internal blockage of the upper airway. In other words, he was not beaten to death."

Comments

[Cerberus]

Maybe if Martins parents disciplined him better this would have never happened. Ironic that they both have different last names.

[dnichols]

What is even more unbelievable about this sad story is the first Medical Examiner who claimed he died from complications due to sickle cell anemia.
This is going to get ugly before it is all over...there was definately a cover up involved.

[annie]

Did they murder him? No!!

Did they kill him?

Sure looks like it!!

[Florida Patty]

and the nurse was standing by watching the whole beating with her hands on her hips. Just look at the video.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2006/5/5/157326.html scroll down to the bottom. You'll see the link.

And the coroner???? Buy off. Ya think? Sickle cell? It makes what the gaurds did pale in comparison to the coverup.

Justice for his family.

[Kelly3]

The tape said it all IMO. The boy was limp when they were dragging him off. Just very sad. I agree justice for his family.

[raindrops]

"Sickle cell trait, a benign blood disorder?!?!" How could anyone say such a STUPID thing? If both parents pass it to a child, it sure doesn't remain benign. I have watched many students suffer through the agony of repeated sickle cell disease episodes - most serious enough to require bedrest at home, others treatment in the hospital, all of them debilitating. My students used to tell me, "Don't worry, Miss, I got 'sticky blood.' I'll be ok." Unfortunately, only some of them are. Many of them have heart or kidney disease aggravated by the combined problems of sickle cell and poor health care due to poverty. A couple of them died before reaching 30. Thank goodness things have improved around here somewhat, but I still don't see sickle cell as "benign."

[ethan brooks robertson]

I am Ethan Robertson and I was an offender at the Bay County Sheriffs Office Boot Camp School. I know he was killed by those men because I saw everything. I was sitting on the drill pad with offender Swartz,Lovely,Meritt,Williams,Williams,and the new platoon.