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Boot Camp Jury Selection Begins
September 24, 2007
By Mike Vasilinda
 Boot
Camp Jury Selection Process
Mike
Vasilinda Reports
Kristen
Berset reports
Jury selection for seven drill
instructors and a nurse, charged with causing the death of
14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson at the Bay County Boot Camp in
January 2006, got underway Monday.
The eight are charged with criminal
manslaughter of a child.
A large number of potential jurors
were called in the case because of pre-trial publicity.
Military jets from nearby bases
make frequent flights over the Panama City Civic Center where 1450
jurors were summoned. The jets are an indication of how conservative
the area can be.
Inside, potential juror after
potential juror shook their head ‘no’ when asked if they had formed
an opinion. Most had seen some part of this videotape, showing
14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson being kneed in the back and having
ammonia tablets shoved up his nose.
One potential juror told reporters
his feelings. “In our justice system, you’re supposed to be innocent
until proven guilty, and I think the whole state went crazy.”
Several dozen FAMU and FSU students
came to protest what they called ‘justice denied’, their shirts
already convicting the eight in the court of public opinion.
Shamair Howard of FSU is one of the
student protesters. “To sit and see a young child beaten on camera
to death is startling”.
Police presence was heavy, but a
rumored counter demonstration didn’t materialize.
“The number of prospective jurors
being called here is seven times the normal number that would be
called in a criminal case.”
Dianna Riddle made the first cut,
even though she expressed an opinion. “That they were not guilty,”
she said.
But others who spoke their mind,
like Steven Crase, were sent home.
Despite pre-trial publicity,
experts believe a jury can be seated in this conservative Panhandle
town.
Once started, the trial is expected
to last eight days.
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