News Release
FDLE Investigates Death of Martin Lee Anderson
January 10, 2006
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is conducting an inquiry into the death of 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson at the request of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Juvenile Justice. FDLE is responsible for determining the facts and circumstances surrounding the death. The Bay County Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Juvenile Justice are cooperating fully. The autopsy conducted by the Bay County Medical Examiner has ruled out trauma or injury as the cause of death. The Medical Examiner’s Office is awaiting toxicology results. The Honorable Steve Meadows, Office of the State Attorney, will review the facts and circumstances surrounding Anderson’s death once the FDLE inquiry is complete.
Anderson was committed to a Department of Juvenile Justice facility on Jan. 4 by court order. The Department of Juvenile Justice facility remanded Anderson to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Boot Camp facility early Thursday morning. He was at the facility for approximately two hours before being transported by emergency medical services. He was taken from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Boot Camp facility on Thursday, Jan. 5, to Bay County Medical Center. Anderson was later transported by air ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. On Jan. 6, Anderson passed away.
As we do in all of our investigations, FDLE will conduct this investigation fairly and thoroughly. We offer our condolences to this young man’s family for their tragic loss.
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/press_releases/20060110_Martin_Anderson.html >>Tunnell, FDLE commissioner, resigned in late April. Tunnell allegedly sent an e-mail to Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen, his successor, stating FDLE's intention to withhold the video which showed Bay County sheriff's officers beating the defenseless teen. There is also reportedly an e-mail by Tunnell to the Bay County Sheriff stating that FDLE would oppose the release of the video to media organizations. When two state legislators asked to see the videotape of Anderson's beating, Tunnell retorted, "Ain't gonna happen".
The FDLE was removed from the investigation after Ober learned of the e-mails and after Tunnell had had a previous meeting with Bush.
Gov. Bush acknowledged that Tunnell resigned after making inappropriate remarks about civil rights leaders who were in protests concerning the Anderson case.
According to reports, Tunnell reportedly compared Jackson to infamous outlaw Jesse James and U.S. Sen Barack Obama, D-Ill., to terrorist Osama bin Laden.<<
http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/050506Suffocation.html---
We could probably go back and forth all day citing names and instances when the FDLE's actions have been, at the least, dubious.
They "revealed their firearms"?! Someone shows up at my door wearing a badge and carrying a gun, I'm immediately intimidated and on guard. Whatever follows cannot be good.