Family of teen who died at FL boot camp to seek at least $40 million

[seafan]

Family of teen who died at boot camp to seek at least $40 million

By MARC CAPUTO
July 12, 2006



STEVE CANNON/AP FILE
Attorney Benjamin Crump, right with Martin Anderson's parents, Gina Jones and Robert Anderson


Leading a march in Tallahassee, Fla., are (from left)
Rev. Al Sharpton; Gina Jones, mother of
Martin Lee Anderson; and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

The family of Martin Lee Anderson, who died while he was at a Panama City youth boot camp, announced this afternoon that it will seek at least $40 million from the sheriff's office and state agency that oversaw the facility.

Family attorney Benjamin Crump said his clients offered to settle out of court for $3.1 million -- the full value of the Bay County Sheriff's Office insurance policy -- but the overture was rejected.

Crump said a lawsuit would be filed later today in Leon County, where the Department of Juvenile Justice, which supervised the now-closed boot camp run by the sheriff's office, is based.

snip

Martin, 14, died on Jan. 5, hours after he was admitted to the boot camp for reasons related to the theft of his grandmother's car.

A videotape that the Miami Herald and CNN sued for the release of showed that Martin stumbled while running laps at the camp. He was subsequently manhandled by about seven guards who used pressure-point techniques, punched his arms, kneed him, slammed him to the ground and shoved ammonia capsules in his nose in an apparent attempt to revive him and get him to comply with their orders.

snip

''We believe this case is about much more than just money,'' said Crump. He compared Martin's case to the Texas boot camp death of 18-year-old Bryan Alexander, whose parents won a $40.1 million verdict in 2003. Bryan Alexander died from a penicillin-resistant form of pneumonia.

snip

Autopsy: Boot camp guards killed teen, CNN, May 5, 2006

[saigon68]

1. MURDERED BY THE THUGS OF JEB BUSH

[uppityperson]

2. Good. kick for 14 yr old teens

[Fridays Child]

3. They deserve every penny, though it will never bring back their child.

More specifically, Florida--and every state, for that matter--needs to get the message that this shit is not okay.

[onehandle]

4. Bleed Florida dry. He was 14. nt