Pensacola, FL (PRWEB) June 25, 2003 - The Escambia County Jail, where the King Brothers were detained, appears to defy Florida law requiring juveniles to be isolated from adults in custody. Recently, guards displayed blatant disregard of inmate protocol on Daniel Carter’s 16th birthday with a degrading episode of humiliation.

Correctional officers escorted Daniel from his required isolation cell in the Special Housing area of Escambia County Jail to a common transition area, preparing him to transfer into the adult population. While in the common transition area, he was ordered to remove all of his clothes in order for guards to search him in front of more than 50 taunting and jeering adult inmates in the surrounding area. The teen was then told to redress as the adult inmates continued to look on in amusement.

Daniel was moved back to Special Housing after this shocking incident “until his birthday was over” where he was told he was going back to the adult area. Then Daniel informed the correctional officers that he was only 16. The correctional officers that subjected him to the public disrobing claim they thought he had turned 18. This incident is only one of several Daniel has revealed in which he has been subject to contact with adult inmates including being transported to court, shackled, sitting next to a convicted child molester.

This incident is a clear violation of Florida law. Fla. Stat. § 985.215 states, “A child taken into custody for prosecution as an adult shall be housed separately from adult inmates to prohibit a child from having regular contact with incarcerated adults. Regular contact means sight and sound contact. Separation of children from adults shall permit no more than haphazard or accidental contact.”

Escambia County Jail Director Dennis Williams, who seemed genuinely interested in correcting the procedural breech, initiated an internal review of this incident. His report of the incident is not completed yet.

Daniel has been held at Escambia County Jail for 10 months waiting for his day in court. Though Daniel is presumed innocent until proven guilty, he is still in an adult jail being treated improperly according to Florida law. Florida’s prosecutors seem oblivious to the inadequacies of their detention centers as they continue to process juveniles as adults; Daniel’s treatment is proof of the inadequacy.

Unfortunately, there is no one to protect Daniel from this type of abuse while he is waiting for a new trial date and lawyer since his lawyer, James Stokes recently died in an aircraft accident. Daniel misses the daily presence and legal counsel of Stokes. His hope for the future now looks bleak and his expectations of an acquittal are minuscule without proper counsel. Daniel is also trying to cope with the loss of a father figure that he so desperately needed.

Daniel had just passed his 15th birthday when he awoke from his bed to a vicious assault from his intoxicated uncle, Jack Carter. The ensuing altercation resulted in wounds to Daniel and Jack with one wound fatal to his uncle. Daniel’s actions of self-defense were mistakenly and he has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder.

If he is convicted of this charge as an adult, he will be imprisoned for the rest of his life. The circumstances of this “crime” clearly and unequivocally point to a claim of self-defense.

Please help Daniel Carter by giving to his Defense Fund. Make Checks payable to the Daniel Carter Defense Fund account #0040042375 and mail to:

AMSOUTH BANK
Cordova Branch
5150 N. 9th Ave
Pensacola, Florida 32514
1-850-444-1234

Sponsored by Kidsincourt:
Kids in Court is a children’s advocate group that is opposed to transferring youths charged with a crime from rehabilitation based juvenile courts, into the adult punishment-based prison system. Kidsincourt members include mothers, fathers, concerned citizens, legal and medical professionals, former child prisoners and their families.

For more information, please visit www.kidsincourt.com and www.danielcarter.us or contact Donna Gallegos at 270-415-9955 or email savedanielcarter@yahoo.com.