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Release the video

Officials say a tape that shows the beating of a 14-year-old at a military-style boot camp is part of their investigation into the juvenile's death.

Two Florida lawmakers who viewed the video of a teenager being beaten by guards at a juvenile boot camp called the footage "horrific" and a clear use of "excessive force." Bay County Sheriff W. Frank McKeithen, who runs the boot camp for the state, took exception to those summaries of what preceded the death of Martin Lee Anderson, 14, calling the legislators "irresponsible" and "incorrect."

There is an easy way for the public to decide who is right: Release the video. Both Bay County officials and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement refuse, contending it is part of their investigation into Anderson's death and exempt from public records law.

It is not clear, however, what harm would be done to any future criminal case if the public is allowed to see what went on inside the Panama City facility.

Reps. Gus Barreiro, R-Miami Beach, and Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, described what they saw as they watched a slim 14-year-old boy being roughed up by several adults.

"(I've) never seen any kid being brutalized ... the way I saw this young man being brutalized," said Barreiro. "When you see stuff like that, you want to go through the TV and say, "Enough is enough. Please stop hitting this kid."'

Added Gelber: "I don't think there's any question there was excessive force. This is a relatively small kid with a half a dozen of pretty strong men, and he seemed to be phasing in and out of consciousness."

It was only Anderson's second day at the boot camp. After the beating, he complained of breathing problems and collapsed. A cause of death has not been released, although a preliminary report ruled out trauma or injury.

The use of military-style boot camps for juvenile offenders has come under increasing criticism. Those released from boot camps have a rearrest rate of 62 percent, hardly an argument for effectiveness. And this isn't the first abuse complaint. Two boys alleged they were choked at the same camp, but their complaints were ruled unfounded by the Sheriff's Office, which gets to investigate itself.

Barreiro has seen enough. "These programs are not working," he said. "We need to shut these things down."

Once Floridians see the video, they just might agree.

[Last modified February 11, 2006, 01:14:11]