WJHG News Channel 7
Oct 11, 2007
Reporter: Kristen Berset
Last Day of Boot Camp Testimony
Jurors in the Martin Lee Anderson boot camp case heard the final testimony Wednesday, including 2 key medical experts who say Anderson died of natural causes. It was another emotion packed day.
It was a day filled with drama at the trial of 8 former Bay County Boot Camp employees charged in the death of the 14 year old Anderson. Presiding Judge Michael Overstreet warned the audience several times about making comments and noises. He then ordered several out of the courtroom.
"There's been complaints that ya'll have been making noises through this trial. I've gotten them again this morning. I gave you a fair warning yesterday. Do Not return to this courtroom."
One of those banned from the courtroom Wednesday afternoon was Anderson's father, Robert Anderson. Earlier that morning Martin Anderson's mother, Gina Jones, left the court room sobbing as a former Drill Instructor described striking the teen's arm.
Defendant, Joseph Walsh the second, was taken to Bay Medical Center after suffering a panic attack. But after a short recess, the defense called it's key witness to the stand.
"Dr. Seibert what is Anderson cause of death?" “He died from complications of sickle cell trait."
Interim Bay County Medical Examiner Dr Charles Siebert performed the initial autopsy on Anderson the day after he died.
"Did holding ammonia to his nose and a hand over his mouth and forcing him to breath contribute to his death? No it did not"
Sieberts findings have been widely criticized, "It's about the truth. You are trying to protect your reputation - your career.” “No Sir, My reputation and career in this state is in the trash."
So much so the state asked for another autopsy performed by Dr Vernard Adams of Tampa. And after Adams reported that Anderson died from suffocation by the drill instructors, Dr. Siebert says he was asked to meet with Adams, state prosecutor Pam Bondi, the Anderson’s and their civil lawyer Benjamin Crump.
"As soon as I walked in they said so you ready to change your death certificate? I said not with the evidence I have seen, I'm not. Then discussion continued with Dr. Baden, Ms. Bondi and Mr. Crump and they told me it'll be okay. We'll just say you didn’t have all the information at the time."
But Dr. Siebert stood by his findings.
"If not for sickle cell trait would Anderson have survived the boot camp that day?” “ Yes"
And so does Sickle Cell expert Dr Randy Eichner from the University of Oklahoma.
"In your opinion did Martin Lee Anderson die as a result of sickle cell exertion collapse?" “Yes.”
”How certian are you?” “As close to 100% as you can be in medicine."
The testimony phase of the trial ended Wednesday night after a very long day in the court room.
Court resumes Thursday at 10 am for closing arguments.
Showing posts with label boot camp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label boot camp. Show all posts
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
Second autopsy scrutinized in third day of boot camp trial
Article
October 5, 2007
By David Angier
The News Herald
PANAMA CITY
The medical examiner who performed the second autopsy on Martin Lee Anderson’s body said today that his opinion as to the cause of death was a historical first because the situation surrounding Anderson’s death was one-of-a-kind.
Tampa Medical Examiner Vernard Adams said sickle cell trait played no — or little — role in Anderson’s death. His opinion conflicts with two state experts who testified Thursday that Anderson would have lived through his encounter with boot camp drill instructors if he did not have the hereditary blood disorder.
“What you see in the videotape,” Adams said, referring to a recording of the encounter between Anderson and the drill instructors on Jan. 5, 2006, “is sufficient to kill someone without sickle cell trait.”
Adams said his 12-hour second autopsy of Anderson’s body was not as informational as the videotape. The autopsy was mainly to rule out other potential causes of death and his opinion was not bolstered by anything he discovered in the examination.
“The actions of the guards, especially at the end of the tape, caused his death,” Adams said.
“Are you saying they smothered this young man to death?” defense attorney Waylon Graham asked him.
“Yes,” Adams replied.
Former boot camp drill instructors Henry Dickens, Charles Enfinger, Patrick Garrett, Raymond Hauck, Charles Helms Jr., Henry McFadden Jr. and Joseph Walsh II, along with former camp nurse Kristin Schmidt, face charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and 30 years in prison each if convicted as charged.
They’re accused of culpable negligence in 14-year-old Anderson’s death. Anderson died Jan. 6, 2006, after collapsing during his initiation into the camp.
The trial, held inside the Bay County Juvenile Justice Courthouse on 11th Street, began
Wednesday and is expected to end Oct. 12 or 13. Testimony resumes at 8:30 a.m. Monday.
Defense attorney Bob Sombathy said deaths from exertional sickle cell trait collapse are rare, but the number of recorded deaths by spasms caused by smelling salts is “one” — Anderson’s.
“This boot camp was the only place in the world where ammonia capsules were used in this way,” Adams said. “So where else could such a death occur?”
“So if your interpretation of the video is wrong, then your cause of death is wrong,” Sombathy said.
“Yes,” Adams said.
Graham asked Adams about the pressure he was under to come up with an alternative opinion than the highly criticized one offered by Panama City Medical Examiner Charles Siebert Jr.
Adams said he was aware of the way Siebert was “vilified” and said, “I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”
Adams said he was not motivated or pressured into a finding that would keep him from being criticized. He said he expected criticism and objected to Graham’s term “safe opinion.”
“No matter what I opined, I would be criticized from one quarter or another,” he said.
October 5, 2007
By David Angier
The News Herald
PANAMA CITY
The medical examiner who performed the second autopsy on Martin Lee Anderson’s body said today that his opinion as to the cause of death was a historical first because the situation surrounding Anderson’s death was one-of-a-kind.
Tampa Medical Examiner Vernard Adams said sickle cell trait played no — or little — role in Anderson’s death. His opinion conflicts with two state experts who testified Thursday that Anderson would have lived through his encounter with boot camp drill instructors if he did not have the hereditary blood disorder.
“What you see in the videotape,” Adams said, referring to a recording of the encounter between Anderson and the drill instructors on Jan. 5, 2006, “is sufficient to kill someone without sickle cell trait.”
Adams said his 12-hour second autopsy of Anderson’s body was not as informational as the videotape. The autopsy was mainly to rule out other potential causes of death and his opinion was not bolstered by anything he discovered in the examination.
“The actions of the guards, especially at the end of the tape, caused his death,” Adams said.
“Are you saying they smothered this young man to death?” defense attorney Waylon Graham asked him.
“Yes,” Adams replied.
Former boot camp drill instructors Henry Dickens, Charles Enfinger, Patrick Garrett, Raymond Hauck, Charles Helms Jr., Henry McFadden Jr. and Joseph Walsh II, along with former camp nurse Kristin Schmidt, face charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and 30 years in prison each if convicted as charged.
They’re accused of culpable negligence in 14-year-old Anderson’s death. Anderson died Jan. 6, 2006, after collapsing during his initiation into the camp.
The trial, held inside the Bay County Juvenile Justice Courthouse on 11th Street, began
Wednesday and is expected to end Oct. 12 or 13. Testimony resumes at 8:30 a.m. Monday.
Defense attorney Bob Sombathy said deaths from exertional sickle cell trait collapse are rare, but the number of recorded deaths by spasms caused by smelling salts is “one” — Anderson’s.
“This boot camp was the only place in the world where ammonia capsules were used in this way,” Adams said. “So where else could such a death occur?”
“So if your interpretation of the video is wrong, then your cause of death is wrong,” Sombathy said.
“Yes,” Adams said.
Graham asked Adams about the pressure he was under to come up with an alternative opinion than the highly criticized one offered by Panama City Medical Examiner Charles Siebert Jr.
Adams said he was aware of the way Siebert was “vilified” and said, “I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”
Adams said he was not motivated or pressured into a finding that would keep him from being criticized. He said he expected criticism and objected to Graham’s term “safe opinion.”
“No matter what I opined, I would be criticized from one quarter or another,” he said.
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