State of Florida Sued in Torture Case

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A number of boys, who are now men and claim they were tortured at a Florida reform school, have filed a lawsuit against a number of state agencies who were over the facility.

The lawsuit was filed in the last couple of weeks. It names the Florida Department of Agriculture, the DCF, Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections as defendants.

It also names two men as those who either sexually abused or beat the boys who went to the reform school.

First Coast News first reported the story back in November, 2008. Since our story aired, Governor Charlie Crist asked for an investigation.

Investigators are dealing with numerous claims of abuse that date back to the 1950s at a facility on the school's campus called the White House.

Those who went to the school say they were taken to the White House for severe beatings. Some say the beatings were done for no reason.

The men also claim they witnessed boys being killed. Dozens of graves have been found near the school site in Marianna. FDLE is trying to find out who is buried inside those graves.

In the last three months, dozens of men have come forward claiming they were sexually abused or beaten at the facility.