Guards and a nurse involved in the death of a 14-year-old resident of a Florida boot camp for young offenders have been cleared of manslaughter charges by a state jury, the Associated Press reported Oct. 12.

The case centered on the question of whether boot-camp employees acted properly in their treatment of Martin Anderson, who was physically restrained after refusing to run laps around an exercise field. Anderson collapsed after he was held and forced to inhale ammonia fumes in an incident captured on surveillance video. The incident took place on Anderson's first day at the camp.

"This case is about the failure of caregivers to provide Martin Lee Anderson with the care that any prudent person would deem necessary and essential to the well-being of a child," said prosecutor Mike Sinacore.

But defense attorneys said Anderson's death was the result of complications caused by a blood disorder that can disrupt the circulation of oxygen during times of stress.

Prosecutors said that boot-camp officials continued to punish Anderson even after he began exhibiting serious health problems during the incident. "They are manhandling this kid who is basically fluid in their hands," prosecutor Scott Harmon told jurors. "You may not hear anything coming out of that video sound-wise, but that video is screaming to you in a loud, clear voice, it is telling you that these defendants killed Martin Lee Anderson."

Defense attorneys said that guards should not be held responsible for using techniques that were approved by superiors. They also said that guards had no way of knowing that Anderson was at risk for potentially fatal health consequences arising from being restrained. "There was nothing to show that this was anything but a healthy, foul-mouthed, out-of-control, young man who was malingering out on that field," said defense attorney Jonathan Dingus.

The defendants faced up to 30 years in prison if they had been convicted. The state of Florida ended its boot-camp programs -- often used for young drug offenders -- soon after Anderson's death.