Video Shows Youth's Beating at Boot Camp In Fla. Before He Died

Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Feb. 9 -- A videotape shows guards brutally beating a teenager at a military-style boot camp for juvenile delinquents not long before he died, two lawmakers said Thursday.

Florida officials will not release the tape to the public.

Martin Lee Anderson, 14, of Panama City, Fla., died Jan. 6 after he complained of breathing problems and collapsed while doing exercises that were part of intake procedures at the camp in the Florida Panhandle's Bay County.

Sheriff's investigators said officers restrained the youth after he became uncooperative.

State Rep. Gustavo A. Barreiro (R) called the videotape "horrific," saying he had "never seen any kid being brutalized . . . the way I saw this young man being brutalized."

Barreiro added: "Even towards the end of the videotape, where you could just see there was pretty much nothing left of Martin, they came out with a couple cups of water and splashed him in the face. When you see stuff like that, you want to go through the TV and say, 'Enough is enough. Please stop hitting this kid.'"

Martin's relatives say they plan to sue Bay County and the state Department of Juvenile Justice, which oversees boot-camp programs.

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