Abuse of Teenager in Escambia County Jail Contrary to State Law

Basic human rights of Daniel Carter are violated before case goes to
trial.

June 23, 2003 Pensacola, FL - 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.