$5 Million Settlement Paid by Government in Florida Boot Camp Death of 14 Year Old Black Boy

Beaten & Suffocated to Death Hours After Arriving at Facility
Gov. Charlie Crist signed into law Wednesday a $4.8 million payment to the parents of Martin Lee Anderson, the Black boy who died after being manhandled by Panhandle boot camp guards more than a year ago.

The settlement ends a saga that included a disputed autopsy, an exhumation of Anderson's body and a second autopsy; a videotape of seven guards beating Anderson as a nurse stood by without intervening; and pending manslaughter charges against the same guards and nurse Anderson's parents, Gina Jones and Robert Anderson, sought $40 million in damages from the state but dropped their lawsuit in exchange for $5 million from the state and nearly $2.5 million from the Bay County Sheriff's Office, which ran the boot camp where Anderson was kneed and punched repeatedly on his first day.

The state has paid Anderson's parents $200,000, the most allowed by law without legislative approval. The legislation (SB 2968) that Crist signed pays the remaining $4.8 million.

A somber Crist apologized to Jones and Anderson at the signing.

"I can't imagine anything more tragic than what happened," Crist said. "No dollar amount can bring Martin back. We all realize that. But the only way that we can attempt as a society to try to make this family whole is to compensate them the very best we can. While we here today cannot right this wrong, we can show the passion of conscience through the actions and the act that we do today."

Jones and Anderson frequently have attended news conferences convened by lawmakers or the family's attorneys, Benjamin Crump and Daryl Parks.

In the past, Jones has maintained her composure as she made a few brief but bitter remarks about an investigation that took more than a year to complete.

On Wednesday, Crist stood by her side, repeatedly put his arm around her and whispered words of encouragement.

After he spoke, he invited her to the podium, where she thanked the governor, who persuaded lawmakers to pay the settlement fully after special masters recommended cutting the $5 million payment in half.

"If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be here today. I pray no family goes through what ours, what Martin's family went through," Jones said before stepping aside abruptly.

"I'm nervous," she told Crist.

"You're doing fine," he reassured her. [MORE] and [MORE]