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TAMPA -
After exhuming their son's body for a 12-hour second
autopsy, the family of Martin Lee Anderson is
finally getting some relief.
 There
was no official word from state investigators, but
the family's expert forensic pathologist announced
two conclusions Tuesday morning: the 14-year-old
boot camp beating victim did not die from sickle
cell trait, as his first Bay County autopsy
concluded, nor did he die from any natural causes at
all.
"After a very thorough 12-hour medical autopsy in
Tampa…we all agree he did not die of sickle trait,"
Dr. Michael Baden stated. "It didn't contribute or
didn't cause the death, certainly."
Martin's case has made national headlines because
there is video of him being apparently beaten at a
Bay County juvenile boot camp just hours before he
died. But a medical examiner ruled that his death
was actually the result of sickle cell trait, a
usually benign genetic condition not uncommon in
African-Americans.
Hillsborough County State Attorney Mark Ober was
appointed to investigate the incident, so the family
decided to exhume their son's body for Monday's
second autopsy by Dr. Vernard Adams in Tampa. Baden
was asked by the family to sit in on that procedure,
which took all day yesterday.
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Gina Jones, looking much more at ease, spoke
to reporters this morning. |
Among those on hand was Dr. Charles Siebert, who
conducted the initial autopsy for Bay County.
"He was there, he heard all of our opinions, he
did not object or defend himself. The opinions were,
of Dr. Adams and I, this was not sickle trait and
the first diagnosis was wrong," Baden stated.
It could be weeks before the official results are
released, but Martin's parents seemed visibly
relieved by Baden's early conclusions Tuesday
morning. The teen's mother told reporters that she
had long known "the truth," but was pleased to
finally have experts agreeing with her.
"I'm glad that I did make the right decision to
pull my baby up -- which I did not want to -- just
to get the truth out," Gina Jones said. "Now the
truth is out, and I want justice. I want the guards
and nurse to be arrested. It's time now."
"I'd like to say that this morning, I feel kind
of at ease. Maybe my son can get his rest now. He
can get some justice," added Martin's father, Robert
Jones.
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