More information on Martin Lee Anderson's death and what the professionals are saying (and not saying) ...

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/politics/13902252.htm
Experts: Autopsy conclusion `not plausible'

Experts have questioned the autopsy report that concluded 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson died of natural causes while in state custody.

By JACOB GOLDSTEIN jgoldstein@MiamiHerald.com

In his autopsy report, Bay County's medical examiner concluded that the 14-year-old who died after an altercation with guards was killed by complications of sickle cell trait.

But as the controversy over Martin Lee Anderson's death mounted Friday, medical experts questioned the report's conclusion that the teen died of ''natural causes,'' which they said failed to explain his internal bleeding.

''That report is not plausible at all,'' said Dr. Kenneth Bridges, former head of the Center for Sickle Cell and Thalassemic Disorders in Boston and a former associate professor at Harvard Medical School...............


http://www.sptimes.com/2006/02/18/State/Unsettling_tape_does_.shtml
........."It's laughable," said Dr. Jerry Barbosa, medical director of hematology at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg. "His conclusions are just out of touch with medical reality." In releasing the tape, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said it had "substantially" completed its criminal investigation and had turned over information to state and federal prosecutors.........


http://www.sptimes.com/2006/02/18/Opinion/Boot_camp_injustice.shtml
.......In fact, before the videotape raised questions, camp officials had offered only two misleading sentences by way of reporting Anderson's death: "During physical training, youth M.A. passed out on the ground and was unresponsive to staff. 911 was immediately notified.".......


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13902242.htm
........McKeithen, criticized by black legislators who say he is showing more concern for protecting the actions of boot camp officials than for Anderson's family, refused to answer questions about what changes he has implemented.
His office released a memo, dated Jan. 6, ordering boot camp officials to ''immediately stop the use of'' ammonia capsules -- apparently used in the incident with Martin -- ``for any purpose other than emergency situations, such as attempting to revive a person who has obviously passed out.''

Camp guards were allowed to use ''chemical agents'' and ''deadly force'' to subdue teens. No more. The sheriff's office also released a memo, written a week after Martin's death, forbidding the use of ''knee strikes and hammer strikes,'' referring to the punches to the arm seen several times on the video, ``unless it is for self-defense.''.........

After viewing the video, medical examiner Charles Siebert said he did not consider the restraint measures used to be excessive.
"None of the physical contact I observed could have caused his death," he said. He added that his examination of the body found no evidence of any blunt force trauma or bruising.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/17/bootcamp.death/


"The damage to his internal organs wasn't caused from this alleged sickle cell trait," said Benjamin Crump, a Tallahassee lawyer who represents the family. "He (the medical examiner) doesn't want to address the issue of internal bleeding. . . . What caused this internal bleeding?"

State Rep. Gus Barreiro, a boot camp critic and one of two lawmakers who saw the video last week, also said Siebert's conclusions were baffling. "Either he didn't see the same tape I did or he's trying to cover this up," the Miami Beach Republican said.

"His response is questionable at best," Barreiro said. "This young man could have died from internal bleeding, but what caused it? I think it was the amount of strain and abuse he was put under."

U.S. Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat who called for a federal study of boot camps, issued a statement Thursday encouraging the Department of Justice.

"This investigation should be the beginning of a serious, aggressive, and comprehensive effort by federal agencies and the Congress to make sure that children are totally safe when they are sent - either by the state or by their parents - to residential programs."
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/02/17/State/Report__Trauma_didn_t.shtml

Siebert's report created a storm of controversy. Some of Florida's best-known sickle-cell specialists said it couldn't happen. Unlike sickle cell anemia, which causes crippling pain and other health problems, sickle cell trait is silent, they said.

"In 30 years of taking care of children with sickle cell disease, I never, ever heard of anybody dying from sickle cell trait," said Dr. Jerry Barbosa, medical director of pediatric hematology oncology at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

Barbosa called the report "totally preposterous, out of context and very unscientific."

But other doctors said there are documented cases of people with sickle cell trait dying suddenly during exercise.
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/02/17/State/Doctors_debate_autops.shtml
 

Tape Released Showing Teen Beaten at Boot Camp
Video Shows Guards Restraining and Punching Boy

Watch the video, click on the link: http://www.wesh.com/news/7154497/detail.html
(Then click on link under photo on right)