Martin Lee Anderson, 14, died after being beaten by guards at the Bay County Boot Camp on January 5. The boot camp is operated by the Bay County Sheriff's Department and overseen by Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice.

TALLAHASSEE -- Senate President Ken Pruitt said Thursday that he wants to fast-track a $5 million claims bill to compensate the family of a 14-year-old Panama City boy who died last year after being roughed up by guards in a state-supervised boot-camp program.

Pruitt's call to waive Senate rules to expedite a chamber vote on a settlement was contained in a letter sent to Gov. Charlie Crist, who also urged a quick settlement after meeting with Martin Lee Anderson's parents Wednesday at the Capitol.

"The video images of the senseless and tragic death of this young man are still fresh in our hearts and minds," Pruitt wrote. "While no amount of compensation can bring back the [Andersons'] son, we can provide a small measure of relief for their suffering."

Pruitt asked Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, to introduce a claim bill. A two-thirds vote of the Senate is required before the chamber can take up the measure because it was filed after the Aug. 1 deadline for claims bills.

"I think that puts us on a very good path, and it's wonderful of him," Crist said Thursday in response to Pruitt's letter.

However, House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, said it would be at least next week before that chamber could take a detailed look at the claims measure. He added that lawmakers sometimes take years to approve claims.

"There are a number of claims bills that have been in the process for a number of years now, and those, I think, are equally important," Rubio said.

Prosecutors on Wednesday released a NASA-enhanced video of the Jan. 5, 2006, incident at the now-closed sheriff's boot camp in Panama City, along with more than 20,000 pages of evidence, including an expert's report that says seven guards engaged in "abusive and inhumane" behavior when they struck the teen 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. All pleaded not guilty.