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NAACP Plans Major Rally Against Boot Camp Ruling

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TBO Staff Report

Published: October 18, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - TALLAHASSEE - Outraged by the acquittal of eight former boot camp workers in the death of Martin Lee Anderson at a boot camp facility last year, the state NAACP organization plans to march and rally in Tallahassee next week in protest.

The Florida State Conference NAACP has announced plans to galvanize thousands to demonstrate against jury decision. An event organizers are calling ""The Justice for Martin Lee Anderson March and Rally'' will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Tallahassee Federal Courthouse, 111 N. Adams St.

Martin Lee Anderson

The civil rights group is hoping to attract supporters from across the state and nation similar to the throng that poured into Jena, La., recently to protest the arrests of six young men after a school fight.

The Tallahassee protest will follow sweeping not-guilty trial verdicts for seven guards and a nurse involved in the death of the 14-year-old, who died at the Panama City boot camp.

The all-white jury sided with defense attorneys who said Anderson's death was caused by traits of sickle cell disease and not physical force and ammonia used by guards, as seen in a videotape of the incident.

The Florida NAACP organization has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the charges for possible civil rights violations.

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