|
Associated
Press Update 5: Protest at Fla. Governor's Office in Day 2 04.20.2006, 10:33 PM
Parents Gina Jones and Robert Anderson said they were happy to talk with Bush about their grief over their son's death in January. The boy died a day after guards were videotaped beating, kicking and dragging him at a juvenile boot camp. "I was shocked he wanted to talk to me, after four months," Jones said after the hourlong meeting. The parents have criticized officials for what they say is a cover-up of the events leading to the death of 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson. Benjamin Crump, the family's attorney, said the governor reported that he was pressing investigators. "He listened, and he told (Gina Jones) that he is calling the special prosecutor every day to say, 'When are we going to get these autopsy findings out, when are we going to get this investigation concluded?' So that was positive," Crump said. After the meeting, the mother thanked the 71 student protesters. "Hopefully justice will be served soon," she said. The students, from Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College, said they were planning a protest Friday at the three schools and the Capitol. The Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson will participate, Sharpton's office said. The students, who met Wednesday with Bush, were demanding the arrest of the guards on the tape. They also called on him to publicly apologize to the boy's parents, and wanted him to release the findings of a second autopsy performed on Anderson and revoke the license of a medical examiner who performed the first. In the first autopsy, Dr. Charles Siebert ruled the boy died of complications from sickle cell trait, a usually benign blood disorder. State Attorney Mark Ober, the special prosecutor, witnessed a second autopsy. His office said Anderson didn't die of sickle cell, but details haven't been released. Bush has said it would be premature to release the findings before the entire investigation is complete. The governor said earlier Thursday that when he met with the students a day before, he told them he does not have the constitutional power to carry out their demands. "I appreciate their frustration because I'm frustrated as well," Bush said. "I told them the facts, told them the truth." Bay County has closed its boot camp, and the House Justice Appropriations committee wants to replace camps statewide with residential programs. The U.S. Justice Department is also investigating possible civil rights violations in the case. |
||||
|
