Jena 6: Sentencing and Hope for Mychal Bell
June 30, 2007 by Laura | Trackback URI
Mychal Bell will be sentenced on July 31, but regardless of how much he is sentenced, there is plenty of hope for this to resolved correctly. The Louisiana Supreme Court has already vacated the charge and reduced sentencing for a case much more clear cut than this one. More on that case below. The Mychal Bell jury itself wanted to consider lesser charges. They were hindered from doing so because “both attorneys” - which I read “Reed Walters” - didn’t consent to giving the jury a written copy of the charges and they had to rely upon the judge reading them aloud.
Mychal Bell, 17, could be as old as 40 when released from jail if given the maximum sentence for aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit that crime more than 22 years. He was 16 when the incident took place.
…Defense Attorney Blane Williams said Thursday that an appeal already is planned and that the case may one day end up being discussed in law schools.
“I feel I put on the best defense I could,” he said in response to criticism of not presenting any witnesses or evidence during the trial.
…
During Williams’ closing statements, he alluded to the attention the case has garnered both locally and worldwide.“This is a trial of Mychal Bell,” he said, raising his voice. “Things have a tendency to get blown out of proportion. Step outside of the courtroom, and you’ll see blown out of proportion.”
About 20 minutes after leaving to deliberate, the jurors asked for an explanation of the three lesser offenses aggravated battery, second-degree battery or simple battery that they could convict Bell of instead of aggravated second-degree battery. But because both attorneys didn’t consent to giving the jury a written copy of the charges, 28th Judicial District Court Judge J.P. Mauffray Jr. said he could only reread them to jurors.
The La. Supreme Court case that is pertinent is State of Louisiana vs. Jason Helou. Here’s a comparison of the two cases.
| Helou | Bell |
|---|---|
| Accused of being one of three attackers | Accused of being one of 6 attackers. |
| Charge of 2nd degree battery. | Charge of 2nd degree battery. |
| Identified by victim. | Serious conflicts in witness testimony; not identified by victim. |
| Accused allegedly started the altercation and was joined by others. | Accused allegedly started the altercation and was joined by others. |
| Victim transported to hospital by ambulance, treated and quickly released. | Victim transported to hospital by ambulance, treated and quickly released. |
| Unanimous 6 person jury found him guilty. | Unanimous 6 person jury found him guilty. |
| Sentenced to 3 years hard labor; 1 year suspended. | Awaiting sentencing. |
| Upon appeal, issue raised about how badly the victim was injured. | Original jury was swayed by photos, not medical testimony, of Justin Barker’s injuries; definitely room for appeal on these grounds. |
| Case remanded to the trial court for resentencing for simple battery. |
In Louisiana there is a huge range of what consists of “serious bodily injury.” In this case, Justin Barker is considered by the jury to have sustained serious bodily injury, the same way the original Jason Helou jury ruled. But the decision of the Jason Helou jury was vacated because a later court determined that serious bodily injury had not occurred. There’s an excellent chance that will happen with Mychal Bell’s case as well. Before it gets to that point, he may later be ruled to have been inadequately defended, and a variety of other issues may cause the case to get a second hearing.
As to what injuries Barker actually sustained, this Michael David Murphy video has a photo of his hospital discharge papers. Nursing school was a long, long time ago for me, but a quick read of what was visible didn’t show any serious bodily injuries, in my opinion. D.A. Reed Walters emphasized the photos of Barker’s injuries, and I believe he did that to gain an emotional response that a medical report of his injuries would not have garnered. So while I’m disgusted that this could happen at all in my home state, I’m still very hopeful that this will ultimately be treated fairly.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/za4B4KhIVTE[/youtube]
Not a very good video of Jena. Not a very good portrayal of Jena. We are a strong, clean, proud community that has never had any racial problems prior to this incident. I hope that everyone involved doesn’t lose sight of their roots, their stomping ground. If i could turn back time, i certainly would.
Donniece, as to never having racial problems, this quote from a white pastor in Jena that I’ve quoted in previous posts really does disagree.
That said, I think the video narration is quite slanted. I included it because I think the photos in it would be of interest to those following the story and especially because it showed Barker’s hospital discharge papers. For example, I seriously doubt the barber refuses service to blacks. What seems much more likely to me - and is backed up by a quote from the barber that was (I believe) in the Chicago Trib, is that he hasn’t been asked. But I don’t rule out the explanation that black folks just prefer their hair to be cut by a black barber who is just better at it because he has more experience (which is true here in New Orleans).
This case is simply appalling. I have recently written a blog on the Jena 6 which should be up on the Advancement Project website come early next week.
The events blew me away. I am also suprised by the lack of domestic media coverage on this story.
Although the BBC did a expose, where is the outcry on US media outlets? I am proud to be a blogger right now- it seems much of the media hits for Jena 6 are from people taking this into their own hands and spreading the word.
I am still trying to find the best way to get involved. I have called the ACLU and emailed The Jena 6 Defense Committee. I want to be as active as I can in this critical moment in Civil Rights and American history.
From my research I found some helpful links:
Get Involved:
An Excellent Timeline of Events for Reference:
http://friendsofjustice.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/responding_to_the_crisis_in_jena1.doc
Sign this Online Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/aZ51CqmR/petition.html
The Jena 6 Defense Committee
PO Box 2798, Jena, LA 71342
jena6defense@gmail.com
Friends of Justice
507 North Donley Avenue
Tulia, TX 79088
http://www.fojtulia.org
ACLU of Louisiana
PO Box 56157
New Orleans, LA 70156
http://www.laaclu.org
417.350.0536.
BBC Article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/6685441.stm
-Clare Bakota
Advancement Project
Yes my people! we all can see that racims is still alive and well. My family member is on of the six being accused of this crime,and yes this is racist to the fullest. Reed Walters has runid the lives of many blacks in Jena. My brother sits in Angola state prison for a crime that he did’nt commit, and this same Reed Walters is responsible for him doing fourthy year’s to life. It’s about time the spot light has been put on this small town, this has being going on far to long in small towns like Jena.We can all see that white people are still going to deny that their racist towards blacks in amerikkkaaa,Whites are still going to justify their reasons for putting black men in their prisons. No justice “it’s just us ” for their justic system. miseducation to incarciration. Big Tee
Big Tee: I am white.
Great post. And thanks so much for linking the petition.
I was wrong about the barber, btw… He really does refuse service to black folks. The Trib quote was ambiguous, but, I read a later interview where he quite proudly said it in no uncertain terms. If I can find the interview again I’ll link it.
This case absolutely disgusts me. I am white and from Alabama, and I can honestly say racism is alive and well in America, though it is more obvious in the South. It seems that the white elite in power have gone from owning slaves, to forced segregation, to segregation via imprisonment. History says that any country that ostracizes and outcasts a whole group of people ends up suffering because of that behavior. Just ask the muslim community in France; high unemployment and segregation led to violence, which may have not been the best defense, but I can understand when a group of people are ignored until they become violent. Don’t get me wrong, nonviolence is best (see Ghandi). My family is from Monroe, Louisiana, and I know for a fact that it is still a back-woods area. My grandmother still has a “houseboy” whose about her age, so trust me racism is reigning in Louisiana. The only way to change the image is to change the image. White people in Louisiana need to stand up and defend the Jena 6, because we all know that government doesn’t care about the protests of a few blacks (or do they still say “coloreds”?). Stop being wimps and stand up for what is right. All of you so-called Christians need to wake up and uphold justice. After all, life began in Africa, so we all have black/olive ancestors (this is a fact, not an opinion; if you don’t want to believe it, do a little bit of research; the oldest hominid skeletons have been found in the Cradle of Life in Southeast Africa = BLACK).
Ghandi criticized Jews who had tried to escape or fight for their lives as they did in Warsaw and Treblinka. “The Jews should have offered themselves to the butcher’s knife,” he said. “They should have thrown themselves into the sea from cliffs.” “Collective suicide,” he told his biographer, “would have been heroism.”
//just sayin’….
That said, of course there is racism. The “so-called Christians” was quite an unnecessary slam against your host (me), given the fact that I’ve been pushing this case for some time - sooner, in fact, than many on the left have. Go check the dates in my archives. This is important to me, hence an entire category dedicated to numerous posts on this very issue. We don’t have to agree on every detail to be on the same side of this case, which is the most egregious injustice I’ve heard of in recent times.
I am not on the left. More libertarian than anything, probably. Didn’t mean to offend, but you need to consider life in the Southeast for a non-believer. I meet “Christians” who HATE *** people, who are supposedly still the children of their God. If you act like Jesus, then I have no problems with you; it’s the hypocrites that get to me.
I lean toward libertarianism in quite a few respects myself. And I’ve actually been a non-believer in the south (I still live in New Orleans), so I can empathize with that as well, although obviously now I am a believer and I attend a non-denominational, reformed Calvinist church, if that’s not too “inside baseball” for you. Trouble with hypocrites is how do you define that, and how do you delineate hypocrites from sincere people who sin? But that’s a post for another day.
In any event, I’m delighted to see as many people as possible talking about this case; sunlight is the best disinfectant and we need a *boatload* of it on Jena.
Great posts, very informative. I’m a little over an hour away from Jena and I heard nothing of this entire travesty until now. I consider myself an individual that keeps up with current events, both local and global; wonder how THIS one slipped through the cracks. Simple: there was no media coverage at all-or very little-about it.
How can these so-called “enforcers of the law” even still hold their current positions? This looks like blatant civil rights violations, some form of higher government needs to step in. No one should have to live somewhere where the DA will openly state that he could ruin your life with the stroke of a pen, for whatever reason.
I appreciate your discussion, and the fact that there’s still grown-ups out there that realize we don’t have to all have the same viewpoints, but we can still respect each other.
Post more related links if you have some please.
Thanks, Charla, and yes, it’s very shocking that the media isn’t giving this the wall to wall coverage it deserves. How many hours of airtime were devoted to Imus/Rutgers? You’d think at least *half* as many could be given to a case where the future of six young men is on the line. Very frustrating!! At this point I would love to see some kind of federal intervention/investigation, and a retrial for Mychal Bell - that’s if the charges weren’t dropped entirely or reduced to misdemeanor battery, time served.
There are plenty of links in my Jena archives, both in the posts and in the comments, that might prove helpful, and if you find anything on other sites, please feel free to link in the comments of any Jena post - it will appear on the front page. Thanks!!!
No offense Laura, but I think even a misdemeanor battery charge is too severe, given the situation at hand. If I understood the timeline of events correctly, just one week prior Bailey was hit with a bottle at a party; the lone assailant was “given” a charge of simple battery. To my knowledge, a bottle is considered a weapon in ANY US state (and if it’s not, it should be); why wasn’t HE charged with aggravated assault or battery? I’m quite sure it was the same judge and prosecutor that handed this verdict down. Surely if tennis shoes can be deemed a weapon, a bottle can be deemed one also.
Or do you think their judgement is so clouded they cannot reasonably deduce that a bottle will likely cause more bodily harm than a shoe? If they don’t have the common sense to know this, neither of them should be allowed to take part in the judicial system process. If anything all six of these youth should receive the same charge of simple battery. There’s no way the judge or prosecutor could explain why these charges were so disproportionately handed out to anyone; I’m having a heck of a time trying to make my 8-year-old niece understand how the two situations carry such different outcomes.
The more I think about this, the more disgusted I become. If you know of any activities (protests/rallies) that someone is organizing please post it if you can. My financial situation prohibits me from making a large monetary contribution, but I will more than gladly donate my time for the cause.
Thank You, and everyone else, for caring.
None taken. It was less than a week since Bailey’s beating - it was at a Friday night party, then the next day he and two others had the altercation with the shotgun wielding white guy at the gas station, and the Barker beating was Monday. When I wrote “misdemeanor battery” by that I meant “simple battery” as opposed to the felony battery charges Bell was convicted of. Simple battery is a misdemeanor crime. Sorry to have been unclear. (And don’t forget that Bell has an EXCELLENT chance of having the LA Supremes vacate that charge - they’ve done it before for a similar case.)
The Mychal Bell family needs our prayers.
We’ve only begun to fight
White - From France - US family - Working in the UK
Simply shocked by this and can not believe it. … i am white, living with 5 different nationalities and 3 different colors… Hard to immagine a story like this is true.
I just wanted you to know that this story is known beyond your borders and that i wish this town will solve the problem smartly not to be remembered only by this unbelievable and non sense story.
I am white but have been “color blind” all my life. I live in Washington State. Where is Al Sharpton on this one? He’s needed and many more like him. This needs to be “blasted” from the mountain tops!!!! I hope some of our Hollywood celebs are getting involved and of course, Oprah. I just read about it in our local paper, KitsapSun.com by Amy Goodman. I am 77 yrs. old, low on “dough” but can write & talk. I’m going to tell everyone I know about this and hope I can help in some way.
I just have one question: where is Al Sharpton and Jessse Jackson in all of this??? Are they not black powerful leaders?
You know where those two punk b!tche$ are? they’re to f****** busy telling michal vick he’s a horrible person and trying to ruin his endorsements for him “allegedly” (and I use that term simply cuz he hasn’t been found guilty yet… YET) dog fighting… thats where those two “leaders” are… f*** them….. seriously… its f***** rediculous how they can turn a blind eye to this… sorry for cussin… im just really pissed about that….
[I edited this comment to replace the "f word" with asterisks. While I have a plugin that does this automatically in the comments section, it doesn't replace it where the comment is displayed on the home page. - Laura]
Nate, I completely understand your frustration. However, my response (or re-directed question) to Kailla’s question is this: Does being a “black powerful leader” instantly mean you are responsible for “saving” ALL black people from any injustice they may suffer, all over the country? Literally speaking, this is impossible for anyone to accomplish. Being a leader entails leading, and teaching, others how and when to lead; perhaps it is time for us “nonpowerful, unknown” AMERICAN CITIZENS to step up. I discovered a long time ago that it’s an awful waste of energy to blast someone else for not doing what we as individuals, COLLECTIVELY, can and should do ourselves. No, I’m not thrilled at all with their comments or views on Michael Vick, and obviously there’s many other issues they could be addressing at the time instead of participating in a media “lynching” of a man who has not had his day in court. With that said, why don’t we demand that our LEADERS step up on behalf of the Jena 6? I’ve seen President Bush speak publicly about matters of far less importance than this situation. As our president, why isn’t HE angry?
It’s simple mathematics: At 12% of Jena’s population, the black community could not stop this serious miscarriage of justice. Last time I checked, this percentage roughly corresponds to the same proportion of blacks (I think 13%) of the national population. I am not implying that the black community on the national level is not capable of achieving any outcome of any situation that we so desire (yes, I am of African-American descent). My challenge is for us to think this through logically. It wasn’t the lone 12% of blacks that ended slavery, fought for voting rights, segregation, and other historical milestones that most blacks can readily identify with; there were other races fighting and sacrificing right there with us (PLEASE don’t get it twisted. I do know, and acknowledge, that blacks were definitely dominating the front line on many of these fronts; for their bravery and perserverance I give them the utmost respect, honor, and gratitude). As American citizens we should expect from ALL of our leaders, not just the black ones. It shouldn’t be the sole responsibility of the black community to save and rally around blacks when one of us are being railroaded by the judicial system, nor should this be the case for any other race. To say how liberal the Hollywood scene is, has anyone heard from one of them? Of all of the idiots (no offense guys and gals, that’s what they’re acting like right now) running for President for 2008, have any of them even mentioned the Jena 6 ANYWHERE?
I’m sick and tired black people criticizing each other for what the other one is not doing. We should be equally angry with all our leaders, not just Jesse and Al, is the only point I’m trying to make. The only way we can expect the country to move past the race game is for us to do so ourselves. And no, I’m not stupid, I’m old enough to understand that being black in America can and most often will prove to be a disadvantage, whether all of us want to agree on that or not. My thing is if the courts are sticking it to me way more than they should I would hope to see a rainbow of colors protesting outside the courtroom in my support, writing their local congressman, pressing the story through the media, doing whatever to GET INVOLVED, not just black people. I have no doubt that this situation will be resolved/thrown out. How much time it takes to get done is the tickler; so much of their young lives have been wasted already sitting in jail waiting for US to restore justice.
As for my previous post Laura, my apologies. You were clear enough when you responded the first time. I was still simmering with anger so I did not fully comprehend that we were in essense making the same point.
Promise to slow down and pay closer attention in the future.
Hope I didn’t offend anyone. Any comments that may disagree with what I stated above will be welcomed with an open mind. After all, sometimes we don’t realize our line of thinking is going array until someone else delivers another perspective.
Jesse Jackson is involved.
For some reason he was not informed until today by his daughter and devoted his radio show today on the subject. I don’t feel that breaking the law should go without punishment but it should be equal justice for all. Didn’t the pres say he thought Scooter’s sentence was to severe but he spent 5 minutes on death penalty cases and never reversed the court’s decision. There is the Elite good buddy rules and then there’s the rest of us! To what I’ve read it seems there is a racist proscecuter in charge of this case with the FBI allowing civil rights to be violated! Blanco should pardon before the sentences are rendered. The pres set the example. FOLLOW IT!
PK
45 Responses?
That tells you how many were censored by your holiness. Can’t be critical of this administration.
What are you talking about? And if you can’t be civil, get lost.
Oh, wait, was that long diatribe from YOU? Yes, I deleted it. It was off-topic. You want to gripe about Bush, find a post where it’s topical - and I’m frequently critical of him, so that’s not too hard - and keep your complaints civil and within the confines of the topic at hand, not a grocery list of unrelated talking points. I mean, really, do you think you’re going to persuade ANYBODY with that ****? You’re just picking a fight. Read the Comment/Email Policy and comply with it or get banned. Comments at DKos are regularly deleted too, and for similar reasons.
And there were never 45 comments on this post, I have no idea where you got that from.
You should follow your own policy you hypocrite!
[From Laura - I AM following my own policy and I'm not a hypocrite. That's the second personal attack you've made on me. We're on the same side of this issue, but evidently it's not good enough unless I'm completely ideologically pure in your eyes, or unless I allow off topic invective. Future comments from you are banned.
Added: Ah, I see now where you got the 45 comments thing - the count on the page under the title includes the trackbacks, not deleted comments, which are deleted from the total. But that was still no reason for you to be a jerk about it, making personal attacks and spewing a lot of off-topic garbage.]
The three persons who initiated this ENTIRE conflict—where are they? Were their names published in any article etc. I believe they need to come forth and be held ACCOUNTABLE!!!!! Follow me…..nooses hung….ripple effect! Stop hiding…you had the balls to hang them…….now “hold you own”…..a young man’s life is on the line. A person who would sit and premeditate such a CRIME…YES IT IS A CRIME…should be jailed….not Mychel Bell for protecting himself. I get it….the poor white boy got beat up…and you want Mr. Bell to pay…WELL I WANT YOUR IDIOT BEHINDS TO PAY FOR CAUSING THE ENTIRE “JENA” incident!
Peggy, obviously I’m a big supporter of the Jena 6, and Bell’s felony conviction is a huge injustice, of course. But two things - there is some question that he took part in the fight at all. The coach says he did not, and was willing to testify to that effect. If Bell took part in the fight, it was not self-defense. Justin Barker was jumped, just like Robert Bailey had been several days earlier. The difference was of course that Bailey’s attackers got off with little or no punishment, while Barkers were quickly hauled off to jail and charged with attempted second degree murder.
I think you do not spend much time on DKos because this is Not true. Comments may be hidden by Trusted Users, but they are not deleted. Other Trusted Users can see the original comments, but they are hidden from general view.
Okay, then, hidden - I used to post comments there a few years ago and they quickly disappeared. I never took the time to learn why, I just stopped using the site since I was obviously unwelcome.
Laura
First I think this is very good that you are dedicating so much of your time to this terrible, terrible, dilemma. I grew up in Chicago and I didn’t experience much racism where I was raised. I am a 30 black woman and I attended a predominately white Catholic school and went on to serve my country. To read what has happened to the young men has deeply angered me. I’ve have never been ignorant to the fact that racism still exist, but to this extent has blown me away. I intend on doing more research on this issue and helping in anyway that I can. I will tell everyone I know about it and encourage them to show support as well. I look forward to reading more of your post and the comments.
Thanks, Nicole. This whole thing is infuriating, and I’m glad that so many people across the country are getting involved.
ok people, i am just now getting a little about this case, can someone please tell me what happened?
Yvette, read this: The Jena 6: Nooses Hang From The “White Tree”
Louisiana is indeed racist. If not, why hasn’t the ninth ward been re-built with federal money like other parts of New Orleans. And first of all, how dare they have a ‘white tree’. Who the hell do they think they are? A white tree. This is preposterous! The last time I saw a tree it was green or brown. Because the trunk is brown, shouldn’t it be the ‘black tree.’
Churches, NAACP, Sharpton, ACLU and other other organizations for civil liberties should get together. As for me and my church (which is racially mixed; not all black or white or hispanic, etc.) we will be praying heaven down. God says ‘do not be envious of workers of inquity, for they shall be cut down like the grass.” Can’t wait to see it.
I am completely color blind and do not support any racism, but why is it okay for black people to have the United Negro College Fund, which can only go to a black student? I’m not condoning the “white” tree, but if we are going to eliminate color prejudice, we need to eliminate ALL of it, including the United Negro College Fund.
STOP TALKING ABOUT IT BE ABOUT IT…………..USE THIS ENGERY AND CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATORS, CONGRESSMEN, TV SHOWS, RADIO SHOWS. LET’S GET SOMETHING HAPPENING.
I am a 23yr old black female that resides in Atlanta, Ga. Even though I am in a VERY popular city racism is still very much alive!!! Whether you are in grocery stores, gas stations, clubs, or even just simply “in the wrong neighborhood”. Its just silent and most people just choose to ignore it. Its a shame when a family of minorities move into a prodominately “white area”— its assumed that property values are going to go down and people all of a sudden wish to move out of a area they have lived for over 30 yrs. But anyway to the issue at hand its crazy that in a lunchroom that six people had the opportunity to even jump an individual considering the tension that was in the air at the time. Now back when I was in high school and a simple rivalry was going on all the students were under close supervision and was informed beforehand that violence is not tolerated. Now usually when students do a “school” prank they are targeting school officials and not other students which clearly states that the nooses were a hate crime and clearly deserved more than in-house. Now I am not a supporter of jumping people—thats a punk move to me. If there was an issue with 2 guys—the 2 guys should have fought. But is it so serious that we have to send these guys to PRISON? These guys have missed more than half of their school year and are becoming a statistic thanks to the “law”. I have read cases where females have been harassed and raped and the perps at hand weren’t nearly being punished as much. Its a dog eat dog world and many people are comfortable with whats going on around the world and thats why its soooo much of the sh*t. We need to advance as people and quit hurting each other!!!!
The “white tree” idea about this whole entire situation is probably one of the most laughable ideas I’ve heard. Seriously!
I WENT TO SCHOOL THERE!!! WHITES AND BLACKS HUNG OUT THERE WHILE I WAS IN SCHOOL!!!!! THIS TREE WAS NOT RESERVED FOR THE WHITE PEOPLE!!! How many times can you get this through people’s thick skull? JUST BECAUSE three idiots put up three nooses on it doesn’t make it the WHITE tree. These three guys made a stupid mistake and probably should have been punished more severely for it (as the principal requested).
Unlike what most people who are MISINFORMED by the media think, PEOPLE IN OUR TOWN OF BOTH RACES INTERACT!! Just because the school is segregated during recess (NOT forced) doesn’t mean there are “rules”. YEAH, there are IMPLIED rules. If people in different social clicks wander outside their social clicks, they’re gonna get some weird looks. THAT’S HIGH SCHOOL! The noose hanging has nothing to do with obvious boundaries forced upon by the black students; it represents a stupid decision on the part of three individuals that should have been punished more severely. END OF STORY!!
You can believe that or not, but that’s the truth.
Of course, it’s difficult to quench someone’s anger regarding issues so sensitive. Once the anger is there, it’s difficult to show them that their anger isn’t validated.
This is a sad situation,and the media”s non-coverage is even sadder. Having said that,the true villians are the judge and prosecutor for not appling equal punishment for all involved. There should be an outcry for them to be disbarred!!
GENE
This is a sad, sad case but not at all surprising to me. I am not surprised that most people from Jena on this board are saying how not racist the town is. White privledge has a kind of way of clouding the mind. Because things are good for me they are good for everyone mindstate is prevalent. No, not really. Things won’t strike Jena residents (As a whole not individually) as wrong because they have never questioned that entire situation in that town or most others like that in the South, or the country for that matter. U assume its good because its worked your benefit so why question it?
The D.A. coming to that school and making that speech is grounds for a serious reprimand. That matter only enters his jurisdiction once a crime is committed. That is a police matter at that point to ratchet down the violence. This works in these small towns because you can always sell that “tough on crime” nonsense. Its really code for “keep in place” to folks of color or anyone not with the status quo.
Try this in a big city even in the South and see what happens to that prosecutor. You may issue a statement but you would never visit that school. Not if you like job stability.
In school suspension for the hanging of nooses?!?!?!? I substitute teach in NYC and see kids get that for passing around obscene notes in middle school. For high schoolers it might be first detention then I.S.S. For naughty notes!!!!!!! That’s intimidation pure and simple. Out of school for 2 or 3 days would have been better. That type of sentiments that stirs up, (and did) warrant a stiffer penalty.
At no point did the Law step in and give any white person anything but a slap on the wrist. I don’t doubt that some kid may have threatened that man to make him pull a shotgun then again why are they running around with Shotguns in the back of pickup trucks? Yea I know its legal but this is Jena right home of small town peace. Why the need for guns? Obviously something ain’t adding up to the image they would have you believe. Go to people with real money and see if they have shotties in the back of their luxury cars.
They had oppurtunity to show that the law will be abided by equally for whites and blacks. It did not. This could have been averted. The law was not applied fairly. A bottle is a weapon. Wonder why the charges were pulled back down. Was it because they were trumped. Had the kids merely been suspended Jena ain’t in the news. Jena and its residents though want to put out the notion that touching a white person is a felony crime that will not be tolerated. Beating and pulling a gun on black kids is just a misunderstanding.
Thank God that the moderator on this site and other bloggers and the BBC were on top of this rather quickly. I’ll be placing a few calls to Jena today.
I have read alot of article about the Jena 6, and I am very ashamed at the people who have let this happen in their town, stop trying to make both side seem that they were right, because honestly they were both wrong.
It’s time to make things right, just let the boys out of jail, and drop the charges. I know it won’t solve what happen, but atleast the boys can get to what’s important, and that is their lives
I am so glad that this website does not give some people the satisfaction to be ignorant because those type of people make it bad for the whole race. So again thanks. I feel that the situation that occurred in Jena is ridiculous. It is 2007 now is the time for everyone to be uniting instead dividing. There is to much killing and nonsense already going on in the world why should we try to use young individual who have so much going for themselves as examples. The sad part about the situation is that undoubtly black people are already a statistical analysis and just do not know it ( i’m not trying to offend anyone ,but it is true). It’s sad that the situation had to escalate this far because personally I feel offended by the noose hanging and yes i am of african american descent, but that doesn’t make me emotional or uncivilized. This type of behavior should not be tolerated from anyone whether they are black or white. The sad things is that if the authority could not resolve these problems then who’s to say that it won’t occur again. Aren’t we aware of this little thing called retaliation and revenge. The bad apart is that the parents of the white students should have educated their children by telling them that violence doesn’t solve anything just as well as the black children parents. It’s a shame that things like racism still occur at this day and age. Let’s get better at the situation people time is slowing ticking away and the days or not longer they are only becoming shorter.
Why arent you people trying to help the hatian woman who was recently brutely raped repeatedly by 12 BLACK teens, then she was made to have oral *** with her 12 year old son. I guess it doesnt matter because she was black. Why doesnt Al and Jesse care. I will tell you why ,they dont care about anybody but themselves, they dont care anything of the Jena 6 either they just go where the media is . I wonder how you would be defending these 12 teens if the woman had been white.
[James, you're killing me, brah, with the "you people." And linked on PH's home page right this minute is an article by a black man calling out the black community and Sharpton and Jackson in particular on that very issue - that black folks are quick to react to white racism, real and perceived, and slow to react to crime within their communities by young black men. That's the trouble with generalizing and condemning a whole group of people for the actions of a few. - Laura]
A couple days ago I got a phone call from a girlfriend who was outraged by ‘a racist trial against six black kids in Louisiana.’ I remember hearing about the black boy who tried to sit under a tree for which he earned a row of nooses, but beyond that i had heard nothing else about the case. I’m frustrated because I can’t seem to find a complete story from the New York times to the Washington Post, so thank you Laura for letting me stumble upon this article. I go to an inner-city school in New York where there are metal detectors and over thirty fights a semester, 1 in 15 (I’d say) are particularly violent. I know for fact that kids who have beaten people with master locks, assualted teachers and so forth are always treated as juvenielles, the maximum sentence ever proposed was seven years, which she obviously didn’t get. Most of these kids are put on probation at most and are back in school after a few weeks. The inconsistency in juristiction throughout this country is amazing. However, I’m still struggling to understand the whole story, although i’m glad that the Mychal Bell is getting tried as a juvenille, what happened to the other five; were they convicted? what are they getting tried as? when is the trial/what was their sentence? Also, was the tree/noose incident involving the same kids as the assault? Thanks for your help.
Beckie
Faar more to this story than the one sided that you will read or hear. I never would have believed the media could screw something up so bad. But I guess that is what sells. By the way the boy atacked had nothing to do with the nooses.
First off this is indeed a great post. Very informative. Now on this topic at hand. Im currently a studen at the University of Phoenix, and at this very moment Im researching data for my paper which I entitled “Accepted Racism”. As my time is limited I can only offer one bit of insight concerning such a FACT. If District Attorney Reed Walters were a black man, who OPENLY stated “I can make your lives dissapear with just the stroke of my pen” to a white studen whos fate mirrors that of Mychal Bell, he would be terminated indefinently. Why? because such a statement not only shows utter disreguard for the preservation of human life, but it also shows intent. If the DA intended on a just trial with just punishment, his statement would’ve sounded more like “Additional unrests would result in due punishment for said participants.” But we dont live in a world where fairness and just punishment is the case for the typical minority. I say this as a black man who grew up in harsh living conditions much like the majority of black people. I’ve witnessed and experienced injustices on many levels, and its not something I expect any non-black person to understand. Racism, like every other topic, an issue you can only see and respond to from your perspective. So basically I cant expect a white person to relate to being stopped, questioned, and frisked for walking to the local gas station to get a pack of ciggarettes at 10pm. Keep in mind I now live in the suburbs. My point is, no matter how many arguements go on about racism, it exists and a certain level of it is accepted by the general public. Why? because its been going on since the day ships arrived full of black slaves.
I beleive that this situation is ridiculous. 22 years for a fist fight? I’ve seen bar fights that were worse and no one went to jail. Well then again the fight was all white and so was the town. It’s always funny to me that people with my skin tone can do the same crime in america as a white person but the white white person will walk away basically with a slap on the hand while the black person will stay and will be slapped on the hand with chains. Racism in the south is harsh. Atleast in the north people try to hide it, but in the south…..and it’s basically because the 85% of Jena is white and I bet that 85% percent of that is racist while the other 15% just aren’t old enough to understand that will be racist. Racism has to be taught in order to spread. There’s a song from the musical south pacific call you’ve got to be taught. I think it speaks directly to this situation. Also I have to say that a racist act like this didn’t surprise me at all. What did surprise me was that it was in Louisiana. I say that only because lousiana is still trying to heal from Katrina. You would think in a situation like that, that people would put there differences aside in order to get their lives back in order to survive, but no instead people are still so caught up in themselves that they go to these lengths. American was here for White people let’s make that clear. White people aren’t supposed to be here. This is not their land. You stole it from someone. From my ancestors! this is my land and I’ve never said get out to anyone. But then the next thing is white people after stealing the land from my ancestors that were already here, stole my ancestors from africa and forced them to work in slavery here. But atleast my grandmother’s chinese grand mother and father got to work on rail roads. Throughout the years the only people that deserve to be here is the natives the africans and the chinese. If you wanted to get down to it. White people just do not belong here and yet they will say that my people can not sit under a tree for shade because it’s a white’s only tree? They are happy I don’t live in lousiana because if that ever happened to me there wouldn’t be enough charges to through at me. This is horrible. It’s sickening that this **** still goes on today. And they wonder why we hate them…..
You have a point skater, this land was stolen and even the history books tried to cover it up. Chris Columbus didnt discovery ****. he EXPLORED. Racism is indeed taught, though indirectly. I do Not believe that people teach their children to hate specifically, but its through the tolerance, or lack of, that are raised with. A certain understanding that people relay, an unspoken law of supremacy almost.These claims may seem outrageous to some, but if you think racism towards african americans is blown out of context, ask a white guy to chase a black guy in front of a cop. Watch who gets the arrests. Then ask the same white and black guy to reverse roles. Again watch whos arrested. I’ve experimented with this personally in different cities, different days, with a different white friend of mine. one of the incidents resulted in me actually goin to the police station because the cop couldnt believe this was a documented social experiment. The results of such a scenario is as consistant as gravity and thats the true shame of our current society.
Oh and a side note. 22 years for a fist fight shows that tolerance for black crimes is non-exsistant. need an example? may of 2007, rapper and songwriter Eve of the “Ruff Ryders” was pulled over by a cop and arrested immediately for DUI with a $5,000 bail. Two weeks later Lindsay Lohan, after being in rehab over 7 times, was stopped for a DUI and HAVING COCAINE IN HER POSSESION, she was sent to the police station only to recieve a citation and was sent home within an hour of her arrival. Coincidence though, right?
Well, I am senior from Bloom Trail High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois and from what I have been hearing and reading about the Jena 6, is very unfair. By the way I am an African American. I really don’t like what’s going on because how is it that we (African Americans) have to ask can we sit under a tree. If it’s on school property and any student have rights to sit where they want to, then why must a student ask. Once that student did ask and he sat there, why is it a problem. This world is a crazy world. Whites students are beating up black students and nothing is being done about it. It’s just not right. Now, by me being in High School, people would say that I don’t know what I’m talking about. Well, I do and what is going on is crazy. Some people might not agree with me but I feel that the white students, should go to jail also. No because I’m black and their white. But because both race did something wrong and they both have to pay. The Jena 6 is paying their time right now. The know what they have done and they know they was not wrong for what they did because it was done to them. No one is going to just let a person beat on them and not do anything back. And that’s all that the Jena 6 was doing. The whites boys beat them up and they did the same. So, if it was up to me then both would be in jail. But because some white people did more than the Jena 6. Then that person would get more time. But to just send the Jena 6 to jail and give the white boys 3 weeks of ISS (In School supension) is not right. And as a High School Student I feel that what is going on is all wrong.
LINDA,
WHEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED, ENSLAVED, VICTIMS OF RACISM AND PREJUDICE, FOR DECADES, I THINK THEY SHOULD VERY WELL HAVE SPECIFIC GROUPS TO HELP STRENGTHEN THEIR COMMUNITIES, ECONOMY, EDUCATION AND SELF ESTEEM TO SAY THE LEAST. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? WHEN ARE PEOPLE GOING TO STOP TURNING THEIR HEADS TO HISTORIC FACTS LIKE THESE HORRIBLE THINGS NEVER HAPPENED? WE ARE BUILDING OUR PEOPLE LIKE WE VERY WELL SHOULD BE DOING. WHEN YOUR PEOPLE BECOME VICTIMS OF A SIMILAR SITUATION (I.E. SLAVERY, SUPPRESSION OR HOLOCAUST TYPE ****), I WILL PERSONALLY START A “NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR WHITE PEOPLE” MYSELF!