New autopsy rules out natural causes in death
The Hillsborough County medical examiner has ruled out sickle cell trait and other natural causes in the death of a teenager beaten at a North Florida boot camp, a spokeswoman for State Attorney Mark Ober said Tuesday. Dr. Vernard Adams headed a team of five pathologists Monday during a 12-hour, second autopsy of Martin Lee Anderson. Bay County Medical Examiner Charles F. Siebert Jr. ruled in February that the 14-year-old died not from the beating but from internal bleeding caused by sickle cell trait, a rare medical complication. Siebert observed Monday's autopsy in Tampa.Martin's parents disputed Siebert's report from the beginning.  "I'm just glad that the truth finally came out," said the teen's mother, Gina Jones, who called for the arrest of those involved in the beating, which was captured on a security camera videotape. Gov. Jeb Bush appointed Ober at the request of the Panama City prosecutor. The teen's body was exhumed Friday and transported to Tampa as part of Ober's investigation. " Ober has said that it will take months to complete his investigation, but Baden already has drawn his own conclusion. "My opinion is, he died because of what you see in the videotape," said Baden, calling the youth "almost a rag doll" as guards beat him. "Even if correction officers do the wrong thing, it's very difficult to get past a grand jury, or any jury, when somebody does bad things while on duty." Martin Anderson's mother has said her son complained of breathing problems while running laps at the boot camp right before guards beat him.[more] and [more] and  [more]

• New Documents Show FL Boot Camp Had A History Of Abuse [more]

 
HATER of Blacks Gov. Jeb Bush does not believe a shutdown of boot camps is necessary
The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner is performing one of the new autopsies and the family is hiring noted pathologist Dr. Michael Baden to handle the other. They're hoping for different results. "The medical community around the world has said the sickle cell trait alone will not kill you," attorney Benjamin Crump said. "It could be a factor, but it certainly wouldn't kill you. It wouldn't explain the internal bleeding or any of those things." The family is calling for a complete shutdown of every boot camp in the state, however, Governor Jeb Bush calls that excessive. "I think it is inappropriate to govern at the margins to create an entire policy based on a tragic event," Bush said. "I think it is more than appropriate to review procedures that dictate or that govern how these facilities are run." The Hillsborough County state attorney is handling the beating investigation because the local prosecutor recused himself. [more]

• A House committee recommends ending funding for the camps and switching to a less confrontational program. [more]