The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is Florida Governor Charlie Crist. He gets the award for the following.

Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday that he would support a $5 million state payment to the family of a teenager who died last year after he was manhandled by guards at a youth boot camp.

Crist's comments came hours after prosecutors in Tampa released 20,000 pages of evidence, including an expert's report that says seven guards engaged in "abusive and inhumane" behavior when they struck Martin Lee Anderson on Jan. 5, 2006, with fists and knees, repeatedly took him to the ground and held ammonia capsules under his nose.

The guards and a nurse who watched have been charged with manslaughter.

"I think it's real important that the state do the right thing, and I think the right thing to do is honor their more-than-reasonable request.

"Justice delayed is justice denied," Crist said in Tallahassee.

The payment would have to be approved by the Legislature. Crist sent letters to House and Senate leaders asking that they waive this year's deadline for filing a so-called "claims bill" so that lawmakers could consider the Anderson case during the ongoing regular session.

Crist blew this one. The guards and nurse deserve their day in court but by saying the state of Florida should pay, the governor has pretty much declared the defendants guilty. Since the Governor is the former Attorney General of Florida, he should know better.

For handing down a verdict before defendants get their day in court, Florida Governor Charlie Crist is today's Knucklehead of the Day.

Linked to- Amboy Times, Basil, Bright & Early, Cao, Jo, Morewhat, Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson, Pursuing Holiness, Right Voices, Samantha Burns, StinNstein, Third World County,