http://www.bet.com/News/secondautops...ionUnpublished



Second Autopsy Finds Guards' Beating Caused Teen Death at Florida Boot Camp
By Ed Wiley III, BET.com Staff Writer




Posted May 6, 2006 — The parents of a 14-year-old boy who died following a beating by guards at a Florida boot camp never bought the story that their son’s death was the result of a usually non-fatal disorder and had nothing to do with getting kicked and punched.

The family, which had dismissed the state coroner’s sickle-cell-trait story as a cover-up, said Saturday that they were vindicated by a report from a second medical examiner, concluding that the violent encounter with guards caused Martin Anderson’s death.

"Martin Anderson's death was caused by suffocation due to actions of the guards at the boot camp," Dr. Vernard Adams wrote in a statement.

Adams was asked to perform the second autopsy by Hillsborough County State Attorney Mark Ober, who was appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush to investigate the death.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and throngs of protestors haddemanded that the initial findings, by Bay County Medical Examiner Dr. Charles Siebert, be re-investigated.

In his report, Adams said Martin’s suffocation was triggered when the guards’ hands blocked Martin’s mouth and the youth was "forced� to inhale ammonia fumes. Ammonia capsules, apparently used to keep Martin conscious, made his vocal cords to spasm and clogged his air passage, Adams concluded.

Adams, however, did not say whether he thought the boy’s death was an accident or homicide.

"I assure the family of Martin Anderson and the people of the state of Florida that my office is working diligently to aggressively investigate all aspects of this case," Ober said in a statement.

Gina Jones, Martin’s mother, said, "All you do bad, the good will come out. And so the truth is out now.�
His father, Robert Anderson, speaking on ABC News Saturday, said the first autopsy was a cover-up.

Siebert, also interviewed by an ABC reporter, said it would be premature to fire him and stood by his findings that Martin’s sickle-cell trait had caused him to collapse prior to the beating and noted that the boy likely would have died anyway.

Jackson, who led a recent protest, said earlier that Martin’s disorder had nothing to do with his death. “I have sickle-cell trait,� Jackson said. (Having the trait is not the same as having sickle-cell disease, which hinders oxygen in the blood and often causes death at an early age.)

“This is unbelievable,� the family’s attorney said, pointing out that the guards had “shoved ammonia tablets up this young fella’s nose. This is outrageous!�

Said Gov. Bush Friday: "I am disturbed by Dr. Adams' findings and consider the actions of the Bay County boot camp guards deplorable."

No one has been arrested in Martin’s death so far, but Attorney General Charlie Crist called for Siebert’s suspension as the matter is investigated and said there would likely be arrests.

Do you believe the initial report was a cover-up, or was the second report the result of political pressure?


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• do children usually die in boot camp?

Had the family not pressed forward..the first "finding"...would have been the final one.......



how can some people sleep at night committing such blatant evil acts....while they have postions of authority....?

Ladyday,

The latest result came and it came as no surprise to me.An autopsy was conducted and it was said that the boy died of asphysixiantion from those cops pressing on him. I remembered when they wanted to blame his death on sickle cell TRAIT( oh no they didn't say the disease but the trait) Jesus Christ, you just don't know how hard I was laughing in my chair when I heard that! The first coroner insisted that it was, and said that " some African-Americans have sickle cell.................". When I heard that I said this man has to be to biggest fool that lived in the face of the earth. If he knoew anything about sickle cell disease, he would have known that the trait doesn't kill you, let alone harm you. It's the disease that kill you( idiot! Duh!). He said this out of his own mouth when Geraldo Rivera was interviewing himAT LARGE. There is just too much evidence that goes against these people. This has to be the most incedibly stupid of them all.

cee cee it doesnt surprise me

there evil people about walking free

excessive force was clearly used