TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - About 700 protesters marched to the federal courthouse Tuesday to voice their anger at the handling of a black teenager's death at a boot camp.
The marchers made their way past the Capitol to the courthouse, where several NAACP officials met with U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Miller and Justice Department officials.
"They pretty much assured us that they have taken these types of cases seriously in the past and they are definitely taking this case seriously," NAACP attorney Chuck Hobbs said.
The NAACP-sponsored protest comes less than two weeks after an all-white jury acquitted seven camp guards and a nurse of manslaughter charges in the death of Martin Lee Anderson, a 14-year-old black inmate.
Martin died Jan. 6, 2006, a day after being hit and kicked by the guards as the nurse watched after he collapsed while running laps. It was videotaped.
Defense attorneys argued that the camp workers were using accepted tactics and that the boy died because of a pre-existing medical condition.
Protesters said they want federal authorities to investigate what they allege are civil-rights violations by former boot camp staff members and others.
After meeting with the NAACP, Miller and the representatives from the civil-rights division and FBI met with Martin's parents and their counsel.
The U.S. Justice Department announced within hours of the Oct. 12 verdicts that it was reviewing the state's prosecution.
Front Section, Pages 3 on 10/24/2007