I have posted a lot of about the Jena 6, and nearly all of it has been supportive. I still believe that attempted second-degree murder charges are excessive and that this should have been handled within the juvenile justice system. But I have to acknowledge that several commenters (From Jena, James Black, Lillie) who have insisted all along that Mychal Bell had priors were correct. While I don’t necessarily agree with the way those priors were characterized (“Bell terrorized his own community,” etc.) this article confirms the fact. While it’s undisputed that Mychal Bell was an honor roll student, it is now also proved that he had a criminal record, including violent crimes, starting two years before the Justin Barker beating.
- Battery – 12/25/2005
- Criminal damage to property – 7/25/2006
- Battery – 9/2006
- Criminal damage to property – 9/2006
This explains the fact that Bell’s bail was much higher than the others. As I said, I still disagree with the 2nd degree attempted murder charge and the fact that 5 of the 6 are being charged as adults in any event – and for those who use Bell’s priors to justify it, how does that factor into the fact that the other 5 in the Jena 6 are still facing that charge? However, this is important information and should be noted by all Jena 6 defenders.
Jack Black: Perhaps you should read this statute again (Second degree battery RS 14:34.1). Tell me if you think I’m over-reading:
§34.1. Second degree battery
Second degree battery is a battery committed without the consent of the victim when the offender intentionally inflicts serious bodily injury.
I hate to say it, but either this is a typographical error in this law, or it just doesn’t make any sense. If someone “consents” to a beating, or assault, then it is not an assault (I don’t see who would volunteer themselves for this).
Again, we should take a closer look at our laws…
Here’s the link, so you won’t think I’m just copying/pasting misinformation from any BS site. This is an official site….
http://www.legis.state.la.us/lss/lss.asp?doc=78445
Hope the link works…
That is no typo, I printed it out and thats exactly what is said. I did find that part strange but that doesnt change the rest of it. As for your earier question I expect Bell to get 5 years and do 1. Also expect the others to get 1 year with the sentence suspended and 5 years probation.
Charla:
I think either one or more of these things happened with Reed Walters:
1.) He realized he had no case for attempted murder and downgraded the charges.
2.) The media pressure finally got to him.
3.) It was a maneuver to ensure that they were tried as adults and not juveniles.
I think two is very unlikely. I think it’s probably a combination of 1 & 3. Do you know if this is typical practice for a lawyer to maneuver this way? I’m not sure that was his motives, but it was kind of a theory I developed on my own.
LOL, sorry James, I was not referring to what you posted as a typo, but a typo in the law itself as it is written (that’s why I supplied the link, so you could read it directly from the site to be sure I didn’t mistype). My focus was more so this phrase:
“Second degree battery is a battery committed without the consent of the victim”. The implication does not make sense to me; I’ve never heard of anyone consenting to anyone beating the crap out of them, “strange”, as you said. There’s a big problem with the wording of the law is all I’m saying. They could have really omitted that phrase altogether, the statute would make a lot more sense.
Earlier, I asked you what you thought the sentence SHOULD be; you replied what you “expect”. I was asking YOUR opinion of what a fair sentence should be, not what you predict the sentence WILL BE. Please clarify; I don’t like jumping to conclusions.
From Jena: I agree with you on number one for sure. And number two is definitely out (if he were the type of guy to cave under media pressure he would’ve done so a long time ago; he had ample opportunity to do so). Number three, I don’t know. It would make sense if juveniles cannot be tried as adults on aggravated battery charges, but they can (or can they? If not, our country’s judicial process is worse than I thought). There’s a significant difference in attempted second degree murder and aggravated battery, yet both are obviously serious enough to carry long prison sentences. I just wonder why the attempted murder charge was chosen from jump, even factoring in a tennis shoe as the “dangerous weapon”. I’m still searching the LA State Law site (it’s a mess; they should really do a better job of organizing all this info. Too hard to search/find what you’re looking for). If I can find something that stipulates the different criteria for the two I’ll post the link for anyone interested.
Sorry Laura (is Laura still the moderator?). I did not mean to use this word in an offense manner.
I’ll be careful of my selection in the future.
The reason the 2nd degree attempted murder charges were brought is because the aggravated battery was on a juvenile. If you read the 2nd degree murder charge, you can see it makes reference to crime against juveniles. “(b) When the offender is engaged in the perpetration of cruelty to juveniles, even though he has no intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm.”
Since the victim didn’t die, only attempted 2nd degree murder is available. This charge has a maximum penalty of half the maximum of doing the actually charge. With 2nd degree murder, you can get life, so half of that according to Louisiana law is 50 years without parole. If you’ve been convicted of other violent crimes, that sentence doubles, so Bell would be back up to life imprisonment.
Of course the DA dropped that charge. If you think it’s uncommon for a DA to “pad” the charges on someone, you don’t know our legal system. This happens with blacks, whites, everyone. This allows them to plea bargain and save the time and money for a trail. If he really wanted to ruin Bell’s life, he could have left that charge on there and probably have gotten conviction. He also could have added the Hate Crime law Louisiana has since the battery was based on race.
Bell…Consider yourself lucky.
Well, it’s still my blog and my server, so technically yes, but the fact is I have read very few of the comments lately. As you may have noticed, once one comment is approved, the rest go straight through, so I’m not required to read them all for them to be posted. The moderated queue of new comments has been full of the most hateful, racist, offensive garbage that I’ve seen in a long time, including threats. So what little time I’ve spent on this blog in the last ten days has largely been consumed with dealing with that.
I’ve been off in the real world helping with funeral arrangements and dealing with some major work problems the rest of the time and basically trusting y’all to behave yourselves. I glanced upthread but didn’t see what you’re apologizing for – whatever it was, I appreciate your sensitivity and courtesy in apologizing and in keeping the tone of the debate high.
Thanks,
Laura
I am a first time visitor to this site. As I read the postings they became kinder and gentler. Which is a good thing. As always, most of the discussions fell correspondingly on different sides of the huge racial divide that exist in the country.
I am a 66 yo American male who happens to be black. I grew up in the Jim Crow south. I have no criminal record and I am a Viet Nam Vet. By the time I was 15, I came to believe the laws were designed to protect the whites and prosecute the blacks. That opinion has changed some but not very much. Now to add to that, prosecution is less likely if you have money regardless of race. In small town USA where the white judges, police force and white citizens mostly grew up together. They go to church together and their children are friends. In situations like this it hard for a black person get a fair trial if it involves a white citizen. The white defense lawyer as well, could also be a friend of the white citizen.
Had the victim of this fight in Jena been black, the it would have been just a slap on the wrist. Or, had the perpetrators been white and victim black, the same slap on the wrist. I am not stating my opinion as facts, this is just what I believe. Another thing I believe is that with media coverage today, many people go into a trial as jurors expecting a defendant to be proven innocent instead of guilty. That is just the opposit of what is intended. The court of public opinion is too strong today and plays a major role in that concepts.
Some people are hard core racist and in others Racisim is an involuntary responce. In the mind of the average citizen, the subconscious mind makes a subtle change when it comes to race and it is not notice by the consious mind. We all have varying degrees of it. We have to admit that race plays a role in all phases of the American behavior.
I think some form of punishmet should occur to these young men. I also think this 22 years is over kill. This over kill occurs too much for black youths if the incident involves a white person. Example; The 7 year sentence for a 14 yo black female student shoved a white hall monitor in Paris, TX, the 17 years sentence for 17 yo black male HS student for having sex with his 15 yo white girl friend in GA. At the same time 4 white males beat a developementally disabled black male, left him unconsicous in a ditch, on and ant bed. They were found not guilty by an all white jury. However, they were later convicted in a civil court. The jury foreman said they were good old boys having a little fun. No white people were up set about. At least, not as upset as they are about Micheal Vick and the dogs.
Think about all of those black people (31) wrongly convicted in Tulia TX on tainted drug charges by a crooked narcotic agent. Thank God the Gov. of Texas saw fit pardon them. There have been 12 black people released from prison in last year that were wrongly convicted in Dallas, Tx. A black electical engineer was wrongly convicted of robbing a churches chicken few years back, had to be released from prison. The justice system is heavily imbued with racisim. It is not unique to Jena. The thing that worries me is that many white americans are not conscious that it exist.
This is one blacks man’s opinion.
BLACKMALE
Charla
After careful thought about the consent part of that law, I have come to this conclusion I believe it could have been put there for this reason. You no in our society today their are alot of weird fetishes that involve beating and mutilation. Maybe this consent is put in there in case a person happens to go to far or maybe just ends up in a hospital. As any time a person goes to a hospital with injurys that appear to be from a beating a investigation normally occurs. This is to stop domestic violence that may not be reported. I would assume if the person in hospital had given the one who beat them consent to do it, then even with an investigation they couldnt be charged. Also if you ever saw the show jackass you would know what I am talking about. Regardless this is my best guess.
Thank God that we have people that are not afraid to stand up to these people who are making a mockery of this situation. I’ve heard of some of the most sinister individuals in my lifetime, this is an outrage! My heart and prayers go out to Michael’s family, keep the faith, God has the last word.
Regarding “consenting to Battery”…..Old joke: “I went to a fight the other night, and a Hockey Game broke out.”
Fights regularly occur at hockey games, basketball games, baseball games, and football games….yet there are almost never any Criminal Charges filed.
This is because the Law holds that when you step on the field, put on your pads, and suit up you already know there is an element of violence in the game, and you are – in effect – consenting to risk being hit.
Therefore, no “assault” is considered to have taken place, as you knew what you were getting into.
If the two of us decide to step outside and “settle it man to man” then each of us is consenting to be hit, and no assault can be claimed to have taken place.
However, if we step outside, and you pull out a baseball bat – and 5 buddies – I cannot be claimed to have consented to that…and you should be charged with assault/battery.
The Law is entirely reasonable to make this distinction.
Somebody who is “cold-caulked” “blind-sided” or “sucker-punched” cannot be said to have consented to being hit, if they had no idea it was coming….therefore, a charge of assault/battery is reasonable.
If someone is unconscious, and somebody else has sexual intercourse with them, the law clearly considers that to be a sexual assault, as there could be no consent.
If someone is unconscious, and somebody deliberately injures their body – or tries to do violence to them – there can be no consent implied, and assault/battery has taken place.
White Supporters: America has a longstanding history of racism and that includes the legal system failing to protect Blacks and abusing Blacks in the interest of maintaining White Supremacy.
Please do not try to pretend that you are one happy family in Jena…most whites have no idea what Black folks really think about situations – because it is very seldom that most white people can have candid conversations with Black people about such sensitive matters.
Black folks learned a long time ago that it is not adaptive for their survival and long-term benefit to be absolutely honest with whites about what is on their minds….
America is horribly racist *still* and you have only to read the blog comments on popular sites such as AOL to see and hear the ignorant, toxic thoughts that many whites are unashamed to publish…anonymously, of course, but even in public.
Even the Moderator of this forum – this Oasis – has had to censor the filth coming from both sides of the equation.
Black Supporters: As usual, in response to the imbalances in the history of this racist system, you automatically side with Blacks charged with anything, because you are sure there is a conspiracy somewhere, and something unfair about the whole thing somewhere….and because you have been right so often in the past.
You leap to the defense of creeps and jerks and gangstas indiscriminately. There are trouble-makers in the Black community (just like in the white community) who manipulate situations and enjoy being bullies.
Mychal Bell is not a martyr, he has a criminal record, and you would let him keep going until he literally gets away with murder….just because he can score touchdowns, or whatever else he does as a star athlete.
Keep on trying to normalize the violence of what happened, and act like it was just a normal schoolyard “fight”….it was the kind of assault and brutality that too often is glorified in Gangsta rap – and urban street culture – and condoned by all the decent Black folks who continue to be silent about the violence and hatred of women which Black and white children are being bombarded with in videos and on the radio and in their MP3 players daily.
You are condoning a culture of violence and brutality, one which sucked Michael Vick in, by his own admission.
A pox on both your houses, you white deniers of the clear and present danger and reality of Racism, and you Black deniers of the culture of violence you excuse and admire all too often.
Like with all wars, the truth is always the first casualty in this latest battle in the War of the Races.
I salute those willing to try to reason things out, and document their points of view – in black and white (pun intended).
That kind of dialogue will be the only lasting solution to this kind of conflict.
Keep this one thought in mind, please:
It has been scientifically documented that whites respond more harshly to perceived wrongdoing by Blacks, than they do to the same behaviors exhibited by whites.
The differential incidence with which the death penalty is given as a sentence is one example, and the social psychological research of Aaronson and others is another example.
The Emmett Till case is but one of many where whites literally got away with murder in the South.
One could look it up, if one were not too busy denying and trash talking.
I want Mychal Bell and the others punished for their roles in this *crime*.
And I want them punished to the same degree, and no more, than would be normal for white bullies.
That kind of behavior is not about civil rights…it is about civilization…and we do not save it, or improve it, by going about beating people senseless, regardless if it is one on one, or twenty to one.
This was not the same kind of situation that drove the Black Panthers and Malcolm X to realistically consider the need for weapons of self-defense, and shame on any who would exploit it in that manner.
If the town situation were *that* racist and terrifying to Blacks, how did poor Bailey and the others *ever* get up the nerve to visit a primarily white party and demand to be let in?
Like I said already, Agitators on *both* sides: a pox on both your houses.
A Pox on Both Your Houses:
Very well put. There’s nothing in your posting that I do not agree with. One of the first postings on here that genuinely seem in the middle of the road as far as polarity to the Jena 6 situation.
Stay in here and keep debating about this. Maybe you can help bridge the gap between opinions on here.
The word CONSENT is added to the battery definition for a few reasons. Consent involves unintentional touching that may happen in certain jobs or situations. Consent is also legally used to describe normal touching that might happen in the course of a sports game. Otherwise if you accidentally touch someone’s hand in a small isle at the gas station, you could be arrested for battery. By being in public, you consent and accept the risk to an accident touching that yields no harm.
First, I want to say RIGHT is RIGHT and WRONG is WRONG! If anyone with young boys should really be opened to answer this simple question…..if this was your children (black or white) would you want the penalty to be as
severe for a simple high school FIGHT? – You win some and you lose some, we all should be teaching our
children how and when to defend themselves but 22 years for a FIGHT is just simply wrong especially when
the “victim” was treated at a hospital and later resumed with “his” everyday life by attending an evening function.
Jena legal systems needs cleaning up………
A difficult on, a very very difficult one. The DA has messed this case up so badly that very likely now, few outsiders actually believe the boys are at all guilty.
Fact – The whole process drips with racism and race related fervour.
My first instinct on reading about this was to wonder what the catch was – were these boys really innocent boys, begging for a ride? Or were they criminals who were pulling the colour card and playing on racial sensitivities to cover a life of crime?
There’s definitely a history of racism, nicely concealed under the classification of “minor prank”. Hanging a noose from a tree is in no way harmless, prank though it may be. It sends out severe emotional and psychological signals. I’m not african american, and can’t trace a single slave in my recent ancestry yet reading about this prank caused me a fair bit of distress. I can only imagine what it must have felt like for the african americans who actually saw the nooses. That’s why I wonder at the remarks by From Jena and James Black.
There’s something very ugly lurking under the surface of that city, and it’s all going to come out now. If those boys had received a fair sentence, all this won’t have happened.
This is an outrage…… Can you say DOUBLE STANDARD. Unfortunenately, this is not anything new.
For example, there was a case in Las Vegas several years ago…..Two white guys followed a young blackgirl
into the ladies bathroom. One of them raped and killed her and other one walk out but did not report the
crime. Needless to say, the one that walked out and did not call security the judge let him go free…..Reason
The judge said he did not have an ax to grind so he did not charge him with anything. Now flip the script, if
two youg black guys were faced with the same situation they both would have the book thrown at them.
Jasper Texas, James Byrd , who was dragged until body came apart. All the white guys envolved should have gotten the death penilty……Not….. Flip the script , if a group of young black guys would done the same thing they would have gotten the dealth penilty. There is a long list of such cases all over the United States.
Vengence is mine said the LORD.
My comment is more of a question, since this town is so small and according to everything I have read about the town being 85% white, is there a reason the trials can’t be moved to another parrish for a better chance of the boys getting a fair trial.
I feel like violence is the wrong way to go, but appealing to others nationwide will get the word out, and will get more publicity for the boys that are on trial and to the town of Jena and other problems of racism that other Blacks are facing.
As a school employee, I have seen several fights and these fights are always handled within the school unless they happened off campus. In addition the administrators are suppose to be open to the feelings of every student in the district that they are heading.
Again I will say that NO, violence is not the way to go and I pray no is suggesting that.
Most of the people here seems to be taking their eye off the prize.
The prize should be the punishment does not fit the crime.
yes there was a fight however it does not consist of serving life in jail to please the majority of Jena. It also does not mean that the minority should have to stop seeking justice and fair living conditions in Jena. The prize people Please stop focusing on spelling and white and black though they play a part it is not what this is about. Cause we all know if a group of whites men/boys/teenagers shoot throw some females up in this also. It seems in this town they would have been given metals and awards for taking the life of another black person. Is this what we want for our children’s children
I have traveled the world due to the military and I have lived in Mississippi for the past ten years, and yes the small town that I lived in was racially divided. The African Americans lived on one side of the tracks and Caucasians lived on the other side. There are still schools that are 99.9% caucasians. This is especially true in Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. As far as the Jena Six, the punishment is crazy. Whatever happened to school suspension for fighting. Those African American kids WILL NOT get a fair trial in Jena, Alabama. I have worked in a law firm for the last couple of years in Mississippi and I have seen and heard a lot. I have seen in black in white where a caucasion judge will give a lighter sentence (a slap on the wrist) to a caucasion person and then turn around and give an African American with no record jail time and outrageous fines for the exact same crime. People need to wake up and realize that racism exists and as people continue to tolerate it then it will continue to exist “in the open”.
This case is just another example of racism. To be exact racial injustice. While it makes me absolutely ill to my stomach, racism will NEVER go away. So what he had a past–we all do. It does not justify why he was charged so heavily. His past had nothing to do with them wanting to sit under a tree that the Almighty God created, but it was called the “white” tree. That is extremely ridiculous–especially in this day & age. Why weren’t the causcasian children charged? Tell me that? They hung nooses which shows a clear hatred for blacks. Reed Walters came to that school and told blacks students that he can destroy there lives with a stroke of a pen. So, he’s not racist, huh?
they should have gotten the same treatmeat as the white kids this is not 1955 were white were treated better than blacks that is wrong
I dont know where all of you people went to school or where you live, but I thank god I dont live anywhere a 6 on 1 fight is just a school fight. If that is they way it is where you live you better try to fix it before it is to late. If 1 of those boys had wanted to fight Barker and had kicked his ass nothing would have been said it would have been just a school fight. They both would have been suspended. But no like cowards are some kind of gang it took six. Apparently you live in very violent places , we dont put up with that here and nerver will black or white. You commit a crime you will do time. That is the way it should be everywhere and then things like this would happen less often. A black guy shot me the bird today , tomorrow 6 of us are going to beat him senseless. NOT REALLY but you see you are all condoning this type behavior. You need to think about what you are calling a regular school fight.
I live In New York now, but I grew up In B’ham, from the age of 10 to 19 then I move back to new york . But i grew up in a Jim Crow town, which make me want to help in some kinda way. What I did was sent the Jena 6 web site around in the job and ask would my co-worker either sign the petition or give to a collection for their defense. I work for Verizon, now what I need to know is who would I send the collection to.
I was listening to Micheal Basin and I heard him say that the Bell kid was being release and it brought tear to my eye . I was very happy to hear that, May god Bless him and his family, now i would like to hear that with the other 5 kids,for their family to have the same joy and would love to see the official down there have them removed from their jobs that goes for the lawyer,Da,and the Judge,and the School official that chg the desicion and said it was a prank
Free Jena6.
It’s funny when children try to discuss a topic they know nothing about. (RACISM , LAW & INJUSTICE). Get alife and contribute more to society. Why, don’t you began by donating some of your time to helping the less fortunate, since you have all this time to debate back and forth. Why, don’t you write a book about ALL your opions, oops.. No one would by it!
FREE JENA6
The Aliens Are coming to Jena on The 20th to help the other Aliens
No one would buy it !!!
FREE JENA6
I have been reading this blog and I really don’t know what to say. I was born and raised in Louisiana and left in 2003 when I graduated from college. I can’t say I am surprised by what happened in Jena. It happens over the entire state. Obviously some of the comments from the citizens of Jena clearly represent the fact that there is a visible amount of racial tension in the town. How in hell are you going to declare a “White tree” at a public school that everybody’s tax money funds. Let me stop before I start saying stupid stuff like some of these other people here have been saying. Sneakers are not a deadly weapon, no one should be spending 22 years in jail because of a fight, and white children should not hang nuses in trees if they don’t want to get beat down, the DA should be fired and forced to go to a real law school, the trial should be moved to another city, and the appropriate sentences should be handed down for the actual crime. I am not surprised that there are not federal laws against hanging a nuse in a tree or racism but it seems like something that will possibly be hitting the books in the near future. If the white people in Jena are getting death threats, tell them to go and ask the black citizens who have been dealing with this mess for years how to handle it. There are problems in Jena, the state of Louisiana and the majority of the old south. I am glad I left, and although I visit from time to time, I can only stay for a short while because I am sickened by the ignorance and stupidity that still exsists there. The justice system in Louisiana will never be just as long as the ones responsible for upholding the laws are wearing hoods when they get off work.
Is it true that a minority was assaulted by a group of (5) white kids a day before this incident? Why were they not charged? This was a over kill by the DA,s office. The defendant,s lawyer should be disbarred for legal misrepresentation, Judicial forms should be filed against the Lawyer, prosecutor, and judge. this is a horrible tragedy and those six kids will be scared for life.
[The incident at the Fair Barn where Robert Bailey may have been beaten or was in a fight is very much in dispute. The Town Talk, which has provided a lot of good reporting on the Jena 6, interviewed Donald Washington, an FBI agent (who came to smooth things over, not investigate, as his disingenuousness about selective prosecution proves) said that it wasn't a white on black beating - it was several black teens, several white teens and men, and evidently Bailey didn't go to the hospital, so any injuries he may have had are not documented. - Laura]
I believe when Bell, Bailey and Shaw came out of that store and Justin pointed the shotgun at him, the 3 kids “wrestled” it from him and later turned it over to the police. It has been a while since I read the details of that, but I do believe the 3 kids got charged with crimes. Perhaps the “battery” charge was due to the fighting over the shotgun and perhaps the shotgun was the “damaged property”. Many kids get into fights. In a racist town like Jena, I would not be surprised that the prior “criminal” charges were similiar to the thrumped up charges. Cospiracy to commit murder? If that were even a remote possibiltiy then the kids would have been choosing to spend their lives in jail, knowing a fight at school would get them arrested.
DA Reed’s career is being investigated for past misconduct.
[alyce, Justin Barker was not at the Gotta Go. Bailey definitely was, I'm not sure about Bell and Shaw. What happened at the Gotta Go has been disputed; we need more information about it which I have so far not been able to get. I agree that there was no conspiracy. I haven't seen a thing to persuade me of that so far. As for Reed Walters being investigated, I haven't seen that anywhere, got a link? - Laura]
djmmm
No its not true.e nobody was attacked by white students or whites in general the day before or any other time.
Went to the homecoming football game last night as usual blacks and whites were sitting together throughout the stands. Absolutely no problems as usual. Carwin Jones”s sister was on the homecoming court as was another black girl. The black news reporter for KALB asked all the homecoming court and cheerleaders along with several citizens about their feelings about Bells conviction being thrown out. Apparently she didnt get find anything juicy enough from the Jena people to put on air, she did put comments from 2 people in the stands from Jonesvilles team on the 10 o clock news> One defended Barker and the other defended Bell.
I also saw three pictures of Robert Bailey’s brother on myspace with several hundred dollar bills hanging from his mouth and several thousand dollars laying in his lap, not to mention his large gold chain and pendant. His mother also just bought a new jaguar. Pretty good for someone who doesnt work and lives in a run down trailer. Just thought all of you donaters would like to know where the Jena 6 defense fund was going. This is the best thing that ever happened to them or so it seems.
I am glad Bell will be in juvnile court now. Everything he has done in the past comes into play now, in the previous trial he was only tried for this beating. Now all priors are in play, he violated his probation that was in effect until his 18th birthday. All his school behavior and detention is also considered. There will be no jury so no one can cry because of a all white jury. No press will be allowed in the courtroom. They also will have no access to anything that goes on. Only him and the judge. 4 years is the most I believe he can get, dont be surprised if he gets it.
Laura
I also dont think you are considersd a juvenile if you are over 16 which the others were. That is in Louisiana anyway.
This was racial turn political shit. how can the supertrend justify the noose hanging the tree as prank (i don’t see any thing funny) about that. the DA and the judge should be a shame of them self due to the fact they HS diploma is black and white so how can they do that to that young boy and they bleed the same color as a black person this is not the 60’s anymore so they need to get off the bull crap
they trying to give him time like he shot some one. the kids beat his ass that all. they lucky they don’t live in NY & attend NY school. they would not been able to put the noose in the tree. they lucky that he got a ass whipping and he is not dead. just one thing i don’t under stand why they did not get charge for putting the noose in the tree. if he would had hung that noose up in NY he would been in it hanging. I’m very mad at that stuff. how do you give some one 22 years and give someone 3 days suspension that don’t add up. just you give someone 3 day’s for attempt murder 1 day for murder that don’t sound right. no no so why must he get 22 year’s. they had tolerance so why he did not get in trouble for the noose and Mychal got 22 for a fight on school ground.
what is the source for his criminal record? Not disagreeing necessarily, just want a link or source so I can back it up if I use it.
I normally do not blog however the Jena Six case has really grasped my attention. I thought that all juvenile charges were private. I wonder how many successful public figures (politicians, ministers, etc.) would be were they were if the public had access to their juvenile records. It is bad enough that it is LIES all around us but of course allot of people cover up there deceit very well. No one knows why Mychael even has those charges. Honestly, I do not care. What is going on is racism and injustice in my eyes. The media will not persuade me to change my mind on what is really going on. I looked at least two of the other Jena six accused on television only to hear one say he wasn’t there at all and the other admitted to looking on only. Both stated they never even touched Justin period. I truly think he would have been beat a little worst then that just by looking at the picture. I have seen people beat up worse than that by one person. I wonder if they are doing 20, 30 or 80 years for fighting. I doubt it. I can tell you know….I am Happy the Society is Showing Me that Blacks have not Arrived as Many may think. I am very successful, intelligent black woman. Know that I know where I came from and I thank my ancestors for getting me this far. My ancestor fought too hard to have me think I am above the cause. It is bad enough we are still under that Willie Lynch mentality. DON’T BE MANIPULATED!!!! LOOK UP WILLIE LYNCH…IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY!!!
I have three things I’d like to say:
1. Blogs are a tricky business. While they offer greater democracy, in giving people space to have their voices heard, they also tend to have lower standards of verification than the journalism i was trained in. So, as the mega-corporate news media become more and more lazy, greed-based and corrupt, and less and less committed to verification and providing accurate and fully or fairly contextualized stories, we have the internet and rise of blogs to fill in holes. Unfortunately, some of the holes being filled in may be false information, similar to the garbage our politicians often hand the news media as facts. It’s called spin.
I don’t trust any single source of information, or even multiple sources, which may in fact just be repeating the same rumor. To wit, I don’t trust 167 James Black’s claim that the parent of one of the Jena Six is driving a new jaguar now purchased from donations to their defense. If it is a true fact and not a rumor, I would like to know Mr. Black’s sources for the allegation. It is a very serious accusation. If it is true, it is indeed a terrible abuse of people’s trust. But if it is a lie, then Mr. Black is guilty of a terrible abuse of people’s trust.
What are the standards on this blog of fact-checking before releasing such allegations over the airwaves? Ms Laura has made some good decisions, it seems to me, about questioning certain claims some writers have put forth here. I wonder why no such question was voiced adjacent to Mr. Black’s allegations in entry # 167?
2. Separating the issue of racism from the issue of violence is important in this matter. Certainly it is reasonable to question whether beating up Justin Barker was called for, and it is reasonable to expect consequences for anybody, white or black, who gangs up on a single individual, even one who rudely insults them. But the larger issue in this case of the Jena Six is clearly the unequal treatment blacks and whites are handed by the legal justice system, which racists continually exploit, given their greater clout in society since the so-called “end of slavery.”
3. Thus, I believe we all, whites especially, must step forward to defend the rights of the Jena Six to fair and equal treatment before the law, and law enforcement officers, be they cops or judges, lawyers or prison guards, must have justice meted out against them to the extent they violate defendants’ rights to just treatment and respect as human beings who are innocent until proved guilty, and that charges and punishments must be proportional to the offenses committed. As far as fighting and levels of violence, or violation of others’ rights during a fight, there are reasonable ways to teach errant young people how to correct their ways, how to handle offense with dignity and how to communicate with others of different cultures or skin colors as human beings of equal and infinite worth, as fellow creatures of God with equal duties to be kind and polite and equal rights to fair treatment and general respect. Oh, and whether any of the defendants has any prior convictions is irrelevant. Each case must be judged on its own merits. And for anyone to deny that blatant racism permeates this case is to be like the people who cut down that tree. Pretending you can make something disappear by not letting it be seen doesn’t change the fact of its existence. Nooses placed on a tree by white kids used to arrogantly presuming exclusive title to the shade of a tree that every student’s parent shares ownership of as taxpayers is nothing if not the crudest and most blatant and appalling slap in the face to both the blacks of this country and all the whites and other people of whatever color and culture who have sacrificed so much to create a dignified polity and society for all of us. Perpetrating racism hurts us all, and all our children and their children, but most especially those it targets.
well i really don’t think that michael bell’s past should be an issue here, and another thing , i thought that if you are under the age of 21 and have a criminal record it supposed to be sealed, well i think that michael bell’s family should take action on that , he is a juvinile, so i don’t think that his records should be aired in the first place other than his lawyer. SEALED POINT BLANK.
WELL IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA WHERE I AM FROM , IF A PERSON OR PERSON’S UNDER THE AGE OF 19 AND HAVE A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND , THE BACKGROUND SUPPOSED TO BE SEALED WHERE NOONE CAN GET IN IT, SO WHY IS MICHAEL BELL’S PRIVITE DOCUMENTS ARE SCATTERED ALL ACROSS AMERICA, I THINK HIS PARENT’S SHOULD LOOK DEEPLY INTO THAT, BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS BROKEN THE LAW THEMSELVES.
[Edited by Laura - I'm *not* getting into all this again. I thought I had closed comments on all these old posts. Read the most recent Jena 6 posts, especially the final one.]