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Medical examiner in boot camp death loses job Wednesday, 13 June 2007 The state Medical Examiners Commission voted Wednesday to remove the Bay County medical examiner who performed a disputed autopsy on a teenager who died after an altercation with guards at a juvenile boot camp. The commission voted to remove Dr. Charles Siebert from his post as medical examiner for six Panhandle counties, saying it had concerns about his honesty. Siebert performed the first autopsy on Martin Lee Anderson, who died after being roughed up by guards at the Panama City boot camp last year Siebert ruled that the teen died of complications of sickle cell trait. But a second autopsy found he died as a result of the behavior of the guards who covered his mouth and held ammonia capsules to his nose. Siebert has stood by his initial opinion.He was the first to find evidence of sickling in Anderson's blood and blame his death on that condition Last year, the commission, in an administrative complaint, found Siebert was negligent in performing 39 of 698 autopsies it reviewed. http://invenice.net/content/view/1765/37/ More on Boot Camp Murder and cover up The guards were videotaped hitting, punching and kicking Anderson after he refused to complete a 1.5 mile run. They were also taped holding his mouth closed and pushing ammonia close to his nose -- actions that one doctor testified caused Anderson's death by asphyxiating him. I love this quote from the article: Both Helms and Hauck said the ammonia was not being used as punishment but to get Anderson to do what he needed to do. Helms said Anderson could have stopped the punishment by obeying orders to continue running. http://invenice.net/content/view/2474/32/ In other words, it was not a punishment but they used it as a punishment to get himm to comply in an non compliable situation. Pathologist: Beating caused boot camp death March 14, 2006 Prosecutors confirmed Tuesday that a 14-year-old boy who was beaten by guards in a juvenile boot camp did not die of a blood disorder as a medical examiner initially ruled. that results from a second autopsy seem to indicate a 14-year-old boy died from a beating by guards at a juvenile boot camp, not from a blood disorder as a medical examiner initially ruled. "My opinion is that he died because of what you see in the videotape," said Dr. Michael Baden, referring to a surveillance tape showing guards kicking and punching Martin Lee Anderson's limp body the day before he died.it was clear that Anderson did not die from sickle cell trait. http://invenice.net/content/view/147/32/ Boot Camp:Nurse's inaction appears inconsistent Saturday, 02 December 2006 In the now infamous video, boot camp nurse Kristin Anne Schmidt stands out. The only woman in a crowd of dark-clad guards, Schmidt wears a white lab coat and stethoscope. She looks on as drill instructors repeatedly strike 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson. She doesn't intervene when he's forced to inhale ammonia. Even as his limbs hang limp, she does nothing to stop the rough behavior. Schmidt is one of eight camp employees charged with manslaughter this week in the teen's death, and at least one of the guards' attorneys blames her. "I certainly think she's largely responsible for it," said Waylon Graham, attorney for Lt. Charles Helms Jr. "These officers look to her for guidance, and she failed them miserably." http://invenice.net/content/view/914/32/ Hillsborough County's state attorney Mark Ober cites recently disclosed e-mails from Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Guy Tunnell in his decision to ask Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee to assist with the investigation into Martin Anderson's death. In the e-mails, Tunnell communicated with Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen, whose office runs the boot camp being investigated. Tunnell also criticized those who questioned the effectiveness of the boot camp concept. Tunnell started Bay County's boot camp when he was sheriff and is a close friend of McKeithen. The military-style camp was closed and the guards involved in the altercation were laid off. But the supervisor, Captain Mike Thompson, was transferred to another position. McKeithen wrote Bush earlier this month saying Thompson didn't violate any policies or laws but that he would take swift action if a pending criminal investigation implicates him in wrongdoing. A sheriff's spokeswoman would not comment, but McKeithen tells The News Herald of Panama City that he had no plans to fire the supervisor. http://invenice.net/content/view/508/32/