From The Associated Press

Jury selection began Monday in the aggravated manslaughter trial of seven guards and a nurse at a military-style juvenile detention camp where a grainy surveillance tape showed a 14-year-old boy being struck repeatedly before he collapsed, was carried off on a stretcher and died.

Full Story

Previous Coverage

Do you think it will be hard to find a jury?  Share your thoughts on the court case here.

The best thing that the family in this case can do for others, and more importantly for themselves, is to see to it that their sons’ death was not in vain by working towards trying to fix the system of rehabilitating delinquent teens.

Money will not lessen their loss, or make them feel any happier.  They need to take a page out of Mark Lunsfords’ book, and go out and try to make a difference by making something good come out of a terrible tragedy.

I don’t think compensation should be paid at all.  The boy was there for a reason.  HE broke the law.  He didn’t deserve to die - but.  The people who caused his death should be punished and that should be the end of it.  Close down the rest of these “boot camps” and let’s all get on with our lives.  Every time something happens to the child of an African American in this country WE end up paying them millions.  Enough is enough.  Let his mother pay for her next new hairdo with her own money.

That boy wasn’t worth five cents, he would have wound up costing the state at least the five million they want for him now in future law enforcement, incarceration and probation fees and costs. His death is the best thing that could have happened to those free loading scum bags, they never cared a whit about him until he became worth something to them. The only thing they should be given is a current copy of the want ads and a free course in proper parenting, instead of following the lisa wilkins guide to the good life via the exploitation of your children’s deaths.

Well a young teen is dead - Very sad indeed. First lets remember he was in JAIL (boot camp is a jail you know), he was not at Disney World.  So - the employees at the JAIL did not perform their jobs as they should have. So - if indeed they did cause the teens death (which has not been proven in court yet), then they need to be punished. Now we have parents that are going to get a multi-million dollar payday at tax payer expense. They will get more money than I will receive my whole working life - why - for being lousy parents. Lousy parents you say - well their kid was in and out of JAIL for most of his life, which tells the story of what a great job they were doing as parents. He did die in JAIL, but his life of crime would more than likely have not given him a long life. Its a great world we live in!!

needajob - 20 April 2007 03:32 PM

Now we have parents that are going to get a multi-million dollar payday at tax payer expense. They will get more money than I will receive my whole working life - why - for being lousy parents. Lousy parents you say - well their kid was in and out of JAIL for most of his life, which tells the story of what a great job they were doing as parents. He did die in JAIL, but his life of crime would more than likely have not given him a long life. Its a great world we live in!!

Sorry for only using part of your post “needajob”, but it nailed the angry feelings that I have to keep inside, lest I be called a RACIST! Since when do people get paid for doing a lousy job or not caring about their job, which when that job is raising a child it’s a BLESSING, NOT A JOB!? My other thought was what if this was a White kid? I’d like to hear some opinions in here about what would’ve happened if that was the case. In my opinion the media would’ve paid attention but it wouldn’t have been near as intense or coverage wouldn’t have lasted as long .

Maybe I’ll have to start another thread about this along with why are Blacks in 80-90% of TV commercials but they’re a minority? And why are they always the “cool” ones in commercials while the White kid (s) or people are the nerds or idiots? I’m fed up with this boot camp garbage, illegals, and the racism that’s directed towards White people but is never recognized for what it is. You can’t do that because it’s not PC. I’m not usually so blunt and while some may find this offensive (if so, too bad), I promise I am only seeking other opinions and maybe even answers that make sense.

The County settled out of court for $3 million and the Governor convinced the Legislature to grant $5 million more to the family of the juvenile without a trial.

Personally I hope that all persons in the trial are somehow vindicated proving that both governments are run by total morons.

The State was not on the hook for more than $200,000 by law for a reason.

Watch and see that no member of this family uses the money for anything except over indulgences. 

Will the man wrongfully having served all but 10 days of his 20 year rape sentence get even a million dollars?  No way.  He’ll get no more than the $200,000 which in his case is $10k/year and he’ll probably have to give 1/2 that to a lawyer. As it turns out he’s gotten raped too.

There is no justice in a legal system tied by it’s own political rules and unbending laws.  Especially when everyone is afraid of the race cards in the deck.

needajob - 20 April 2007 03:32 PM

Well a young teen is dead - Very sad indeed. First lets remember he was in JAIL (boot camp is a jail you know), he was not at Disney World.  So - the employees at the JAIL did not perform their jobs as they should have. So - if indeed they did cause the teens death (which has not been proven in court yet), then they need to be punished. Now we have parents that are going to get a multi-million dollar payday at tax payer expense. They will get more money than I will receive my whole working life - why - for being lousy parents. Lousy parents you say - well their kid was in and out of JAIL for most of his life, which tells the story of what a great job they were doing as parents. He did die in JAIL, but his life of crime would more than likely have not given him a long life. Its a great world we live in!!

Do you not realize that the state has insurance for this?  Yes, taxes will be raised, but the state needs to be held responsible for what it’s own employees did to this child.  Who are you to assume that his parents weren’t good?  There are many good parents who have children that turn out poorly (drug addicts, theives, batterers, etc.).  We don’t know the entire story, we only know what the news media provides us.  Obviously the state knows, or they would not have offered a settlement.

No, it hasn’t been proven in a court of law, but the coronors report (the second one) proved it.  He didn’t go to boot camp to be beat up, but he left there beat up and dead.  The original coronor tried to cover it up, but it did not work.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11823529/

A second autopsy shows that a 14-year-old boy who was punched and kicked by guards at a juvenile boot camp did not die of natural causes as a medical examiner initially ruled, prosecutors confirmed Tuesday.

Criminals have rights too, and too bad that this young man had to lose his life to some idiot state employees (who I hope get the book thrown at them in court).  NO CHILD DESERVES TO BE BEATEN TO DEATH, especially a thirty minute beating.  The system failed this child, and the system should be made to pay.

If the employees had all been black guys who killed a teenage white boy from a reasonably well-to-do family, they would be on Florida Death Row.

It may be the year 2007 and the FL legislature may currently be 70% Republican, but make no mistake - We’re still living in freakin’ Dixie many days.

===
FERDELA lobs this one up: That boy wasn’t worth five cents

SH: Cool.  When one of your kids, nephews, or other close family members is murdered, make sure to make that 5cents your personal cap.

After all, we wouldn’t want you to consign them to the bottom of the barrel in any kind of careless or flippant moment.

SteveInClearwater - 24 September 2007 08:05 PM

If the employees had all been black guys who killed a teenage white boy from a reasonably well-to-do family, they would be on Florida Death Row.

It may be the year 2007 and the FL legislature may currently be 70% Republican, but make no mistake - We’re still living in freakin’ Dixie many days.

===
FERDELA lobs this one up: That boy wasn’t worth five cents

SH: Cool.  When one of your kids, nephews, or other close family members is murdered, make sure to make that 5cents your personal cap.

After all, we wouldn’t want you to consign them to the bottom of the barrel in any kind of careless or flippant moment.

If the employees had all been black guys who killed a teenage white boy from a reasonably well-to-do family, they would be on Florida Death Row.

Wrong. Jackson & Sharpton would’ve run interference. If the guards we’re all white, no one would be allowed to run interference for them because they’d be labeled racists. Why aren’t Jackson & Sharpton considered racists? In my experience with the law here, it’s sad that it’s not blind & equal but the imbalance comes from money, not color. The same applies in every state & if anyone denies that, they’re lying or living in denial. Want to get around that? Prosecute a “white boy” with money but pick a jury that’s mostly Black & see how fast he gets bussed to prison. Remember, we’re expected to pay our ancestors tab.

We’re still living in freakin’ Dixie many days.

Except for the old “Jim Crow” laws, I loved Dixie because it was mostly good. I can assure you we are unfortunately not still living in Dixie because it has been sufficiently destroyed by people such as yourself. I know it’s an overused cliche’ but if you don’t like it here, please leave & don’t let the Mason Dixon door hit you in the arse. However, racism will be just as strong wherever you end up because “Yankees” are just as racist as southerners.

FERDELA lobs this one up: That boy wasn’t worth five cents

That’s a very sad & sick thing to say FERDELA. I’m sorry that I don’t know how to say this without offending you but I hope you consider getting some help....soon. I tried to point out how tired I am of the lack of fairness & honesty when it comes to the PC version of true equality. Some of the most decent human beings I know are Black & they agree with me on most of what I’ve posted in here. We love our eye opening debates & discussions. One of them spent 12 years in prison in the 70’s. Is he worth only five cents?

Very Sad Story!!

RSS protests: Jackson & Sharpton would’ve run interference.

SH: In this theoretical, they’d be no match for a zealous good ol boy prosecutor making reservations for Old Sparky.

SteveInClearwater - 25 September 2007 01:49 PM

RSS protests: Jackson & Sharpton would’ve run interference.

SH: In this theoretical, they’d be no match for a zealous good ol boy prosecutor making reservations for Old Sparky.

LOL. Maybe, maybe not. Jena, La.  may be a good test for my theoretical scenario. What’s the name for the northern good ol boy networks?