One of the Jena 6 is freed
The conviction of Mychal Bell has been thrown out of 3rd District Court of Appeals. The judge stated that some of the charges should been brought in juvenile court. The second degree battery charge has been let stand.
It appears that Jessie and Al were not asleep at the wheel. They have planned a March in Jena for September 20th.
Update: A little history for those who aren’t familiar with this story. more here and here.
And a day late to the party is the Mainstream Media. Mychal Bell has been in Jail since December. Democracy Now had an excellent story on this back in July. In August the WashingtonPost had a story on A03. The NY Times didn’t think the story was needed covering, I guess. The first reference that I could find was today.
Update II: Video Added.
About the Jena 6. In what country would it justify the killing of a white person by letting the murderer’s go free? I’m outraged that the case was thrown out of court. If justice needs to be served the judicial system is for that purpose. The nooses in the tree is very wrong, but that doesn’t justify killing the person. The only reason the murderer was set free is because he’s black and the judicial system is for anyone but the whites. Trial in a juvenile court, come on, if the situation was reversed the white person would be gone for life. You commit an adult crime pay the adult time. Better let Jesus into our hearts.
Jimmie -
Nobody that I know of died. there was no killing. I think that you missed the story. Mychal Bell was jailed for a fight. No one that I know of died.
From CNN.com - Bell and five other members of what has become known as the “Jena 6″ were initially charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit attempted murder in connection with the December 4 beating of a white student.
Thanks for your comments.
Jimmie, you CLEARLY DO NOT KNOW, UNDERSTAND OR MAYBE CARE about the FULL/TRUE story behind this case. As ecthompson has already stated, there was NO MURDER. It was a fight (not right, but maybe not wrong).
Black students at this high school had been and WERE TAUNTED WITH RACIAL SLURS, beaten up outside of school and threatened with shotguns by “adults” from this community. ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH.
Jimmie, read the facts then decide what is right. And yes, let’s hope this racist ignorant community finds Jesus!
Um… the judicial system for all but whites?? I never ever heard of any white person being charged with murder for a high school fight. EVER. I am outraged by the blatent manipulation of the judicial system to promote supremacy of one group over another. Jimmie, did you know that one of the white kids actually pulled a shot gun out at school and was not charged with attempted anything? How is that a) not a adult crime b) justice being served and c) tell me how that would have worked if the situation was reversed. What would have happened if a black kid brought a gun to school to menace a white kid with? Furthermore, it is just deplorable that this child has sat in prison for dang near a year of his life for a fight. Fights happen day in day out in this country and I find it hard to believe that we are throwing kids in jail. The psychological and emotional and sociological damage has been done and it is long term. As if it was not bad enough to have to even SEE a noose hanging from a tree… I am just speechless and upset. Jimmie do you think it is fair that a child miss out on the OPPORTUNITY to live a fruitful life because of a high school fight? These charges have the potential to effect the child ever getting a decent college education… the reprecutions are endless. This by no means was fair and completely unjustified.
Jimmie clearly demonstrates why this country is still in Iraq: An uninformed public willing to sentence people to death without knowing the facts. Jimmie - NO ONE DIED. The boy suffered a black/swollen eye, bruised ribs and few minor scratches. That was the atrocity of the case - that they wanted to send this kid away for 15-20 years for a school yard fight that didn’t even warrent an overnight stay in the hospital.
CNN posted a picture of Justin Barker’s injury along with their article (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/14/jena.six/index.html). Looking at it, I can honestly say I took a far worse beating in the 5th grade from a 13 year old girl twice my size. I guess they should have given that 13 year old girl the electric chair by Jena DA’s standards.
For all those people that think this was just a fight, you are sadly mistaken and unfortunately, this is just the start of things to come for race relations in this country. These students were bullied? Harassed? Beaten up? No, like most national headlines, I’ve read most of the news articles on this story. What sparked this incident was really stupid, black kids wanted to sit in an area that white kids usually sit, so they did. A few white kids felt it was OK to set up nooses in a tree. Not ok, but not a good reason to jump a kid by sucker punching him then stomping and kicking him while he was on the ground. This is not a “high school fight”. In most states, the use of a “SHOD FOOT” is a felony when used in the violent act of kicking someone. When this occurs, the amount of kicks and damage sustained during the altercation determine the severity of the charge. These kicks could have incapacitated him for the rest of his life. By stating that this was just a high school fight or he shouldn’t have been involved with the noose and racial slurs, is just like saying Sadamn was justified for killing Shiites because they didn’t want the SUNNI in power just on a lesser level. They should definitely be punished in adult court, especially the kids who already have criminal records. I will bet my life savings that if nothing happens to them, they will end up killing some poor innocent bystander while shooting up a house that they think is a drug house they are competing against. By the way, I have seen this type of thing happen to both whites and blacks. Shit, I’ve seen Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Haitians do the same shit too. A high school fight!!! A stupid high school fight results in a black eye, not a blood clot.
To all,
We all can agree that the nooses and the racial slurs are very wrong. However, two wrongs do not make a right. When is 6 against 1 a fair fight? It is very clear that no one has learned any lessons from this incident because everyone seems to think that it is ok to use violence to solve a problem. The great Martin Luther King would be rolling in his grave reading these posts. Instead of resolving an issue peacefully, “we” as Americans point the finger and blame everyone else for our own problems. This case is not about race but how society and local communities turn the check on our youth until something like this happens. Everyone relevant to this case should be ashamed for their action along with the judicial system. I agree that the punishment maybe have been very stern, but we can not allow our youth to live their lives thinking that hanging nooses are acceptable or 6 kids beating the living day lights out of someone is a way to resolve their problem. I also wanted to mention that the analogy between this case and Iraq is a ridiculous….
About the Jena 6. In what country would it justify the killing of a white person by letting the murderer’s go free? I’m outraged that the case was thrown out of court. If justice needs to be served the judicial system is for that purpose. The nooses in the tree is very wrong, but that doesn’t justify killing the person. The only reason the murderer was set free is because he’s black and the judicial system is for anyone but the whites. Trial in a juvenile court, come on, if the situation was reversed the white person would be gone for life. You commit an adult crime pay the adult time. Better let Jesus into our hearts.
Jimmie, you’re already calling him a murderer? You could not hide your instintive rascist tendencies. Would you have convicted him of murder if you happened to be a juror? You just stated that people were murdered which is a blatant lie. And you have the nerve to discribe the hanging of the noose as just wrong? If you know your history, you would know that a noose to the black is synonymous to a swastika to the jew. Got it?
2007 and this type off injustice and double-standard is happening in America while we tell others countries that we are spreading democracy in Iraq or middle East. Completely false . We need massive demonstration not only Jeena but all the way to the White house and bring this country to its knees. That’s the only way, our voices will be heard (Whites, Blacks, others, poors…). Let’s unite people for a better judicial system.
I am outraged! This guy and his thug buddies beat another boy unconscious, and now the race card will get him off?
If the tables were turned it, blacks would be outraged. What a double standard!
Simple point - beating a kid unconscious because he is white is called lynching. Intentionally inflicting serious bodily injury or death (and yes, kicking a person in the head IS serious bodily injury capable of death) to another person is attempted murder in most states.
I guess it is okay to lynch a person if you are black and have a chip on your shoulder (most blacks seem to these days). That logic is why most of our prisons are filled with young black males who feel they are entitled to inflict violence on others.
The white racists of the past have been replaced with the black racists of today. It all starts with one group thinking they are entitled to hurt another and not pay any penalty.
Keep playing the race card - black racists.
Oh, and another thing…
The football jersey photo of this punk doesn’t clean him up a bit. Just like Vick, he’s is thug and live the life of a thug - JAIL.
This is the biggest bullshit story of the week. If it had been 6 white guys that beat up a black guy the Rappin Reverend and all his homies would be out in their Malcolm X shirts, trying to keep them behind bars, calling it a hate crime and white supremacy…blah blah blah. He did his time and I will give him that, but we should not praise the fact that they let a convicted felon out early. He’s just another kid gonna go murder someone else and use this as a sob story. Oh the white people picked on me, im a product of my environment and so on and so on.
I love when people speak out of ignorance like “Johnny Cracker”. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Read the whole story. Then post.
Joe -
You also have no idea what you are talking about. You don’t know that before this White boy was beaten there was a Black boy beaten by a bunch of White boys. The White boys got off with nothing.
If a race card was played it was played by the White DA in Jena who charged these boys with attempted murder.
Read the updates to this post then you can flap your lips with knowledge!!
I agree there is double standard in this country. This was not a fight it was a beating. Some of the whites behavior was just as wrong, but ask yourself this question Why were none of the Jenna 6 charged with a hate crime? Look of this case of the sick people who tortured that woman in WV there investigating that as a hate crime why? Because the victim was black. If the your white in this country you can’t be the victim of a hate crime that’s the way it is the big double standard. After James Byrd was dragged to death in Texas the same thing was done to a white man by a group of black men yet I bet most of you never heard of this crime why? Because the victim was white and the assailants black. Look at crime statistics when a violent crime occurs and there are 2 races involved 90% the assailant is black and the victim white.
Sean -
You are way off base. These kids were charged with everything that the DA could think of. Conspiracy? Come on. If he thought that he could use the hate crimes law against 16 year olds he would have.
What White man was drug? Where? Send me the link and I’ll post it.
I see some people is claiming reverse racism. When you speak as a racist yourself. Some say blacks have a chip on there shoulders…and maybe some do. Young black males is filling up the jails, because of the plague of racism that flows through the veins of our United States. Our fore fathers died just to be equal…and we have some of you speaking about injustice against whites. These young black males was harassed, beaten, and a young white male even pulled a shotgun on them. And the Southern DA do not press any charges. But seek to press charges against kids for defending there right to live peacefully as an American. Violence is never the key…but if you give violence you will receive a violent response. Many people want to see through the eyes of King…but how can we seek peace when there is no justice. We as a country is divided with mental segregation. It seem to be the American way. What we have to relies is that our foes in other countries see us as Americans and don’t care what race you is when they attack you or me. Because of our lack of fairness, and understanding of our fellow countryman, we will always be divided…and our republic will remain on the verge of self destruction.
I see a few more black racists responded to my earlier post.
Interesting how they try to justify kicking a kid unconscious by dragging out incidents that other people committed. Are you fools trying to make this into a case of self defense? I am laughing at your ignorance (and your lack of grammer and spelling).
It is no wonder that black men did not create a democratic government as we have in the United States — that would mean everyone would have to get along and stop killing each other. They would have to give up the black way of life.
And before you buffoons start playing the race card and exclaiming how the white man oppressed and enslaved each of you, let’s remember an important set of facts:
1) blacks are not the only individuals who have been enslaved; every ethnic group has suffered the same at some point in history — slavery was a way of life all the way back to Roman times. Blacks are the only ones that will use it as a crutch for the next 2000 years.
2) It was black men who put black men on the slave ships from Africa to the United States (not white men). Yes, black tribes would sell off their captives that lost tribal wars. It was the punishment for losing, I guess. Hey, white men didn’t think of it - you black folks did.
At some point, blacks are going to have to stop whinning and killing and just do what other ethnic groups have done to advance their cause - WORK.
If there is a problem with that, then purchase an airline ticket and fly back to peaceful Africa — the birthplace of killing and atrocity.
Hell… I’ll buy you the ticket just to stop the whining!
#1 Jimmy: Know the facts before making an opinion otherwise you just look stupid. It was a “prank” white people to this day just don’t get it. If they were Jews and not black and it was Nazi swastikas the white students would be labeled anti-Semites and would be a race crime.
Ganz Calloway,
Very well put! I agree that race will always divide us. But there needs to be the day that “African” or “Latino” needs to be removed from “American”. We’re all Americans and should be addressed in an equal matter. The deeper issue in this case is with the community rather than the youths. The Jena 6 committed an adult crime which could have killed that bigot. If we didn’t know the race of the kids, most people would say that the kids should be charged as adults. Instead, we clearly point the finger at the other race rather than finding peaceful solutions
It also takes a bigger man to walk away from this ignorant situation. 6 against 1 is never a fair fight and to support that makes you ignorant. No matter the number of fighters, there’s the potential for it to be fatal .When you increase the number of attackers, the more dangerous this “little” fight, as some have put it on here, will become. So thinking this was a “little” school fight makes me sick. 6 kids attacked 1 bigot and some people on here believe what? They should be kicked out of school? No matter what color of skin they all are, they committed an adult crime (ages and type of attack) and should be charged and sentences for that crime. While some of the charges are too severe, they still committed an adult crime! There needs to be a day that people are held accountable for their own actions. Many kids, even as I type, are bullied, taunted, threaten, tormented or discriminated.
Here’s a question for all: The killers of Columbine were bullied and taunted because of how they present themselves. Is there anyone that can justify their killing spree?
This is absolutely rediculous. If this were reversed in that whites beat a black kid they would be sittin in prison for a long time. This is justified because they called him racial slurs? So when I hear the word cracker it is OK to try to kill the guy that says it? Al Sharpton and Resse Jackson are nothing but a couple of scumbags. I wish people saw them for what they really are. These kids should all of been charged with hate crimes and attempted murder in adult court and should be spending the next ten years in prison
#17 Joe: Where did you get your GED from? Go ask for a refund, you were cheated out of an education. Yes you are a racist but at least sound like you know facts before trying to make a point.
1) You are right Whites also committed genocide when Europe invaded the Americas slaughtering somewhere between 10-100 million Native Americans. No you are wrong how about the fact Jews (mostly White Europeans) occupy Palestine because 2000 years ago they were driven out.
2) Blaming slavery on blacks is like blaming the Holocaust on being Jew. I could be wrong but I believe it was the Dutch that started slavery; so indeed white men did “think of it” not blacks–the African tribes just provided the supply for the white demand for free labor.
Not only violence but Africa is also the birthplace for mankind; however genocide started in European.
You’ll buy a ticket to Africa? Who are you kidding you can’t afford a ticket to Africa.
Slavery has been around since man has. No whites did not invent slavery. Blacks in Africa had slaves that were prisoners from other tribes. By definition genocide constantly happens in Africa. Look at what goes on there now with Sudan and other such places. They fight like animals over there. Absolutely uncivilized. Tupac(haha)…do you actually think the first case of attempted genocide was the Holocaust? You should learn some history and please realize how horrible it is in Africa and how uncivilized society is over there. There is constant war and genocide. Some of the absolute worse human rights violations are in Africa and that’s black on black violence.
By the way Tupac…it is not a crime to display swastika’s. We have something called freedon of speach. I can say anything and I should not have to worry about being killed because of something I say or display. It is amazing to me that anyone could possibly think that is justification for laying a hand on another human being. We are supposed to be civilized in this country and not act like a bunch of damned monkeys.
There are knuckleheads who are just shooting from the hip like Shaun (#20). Shaun knows nothing about the Jena 6 situation but feels that he needs to open his mouth and proven to everyone that he doesn’t know what he is talking about.
Shaun, READ then type.
BTW, shaun if you tune in to http://www.880therevolution.com and click on the listen live link, I’ll be talking about your comments in a about 5-8 minutes.
I absolutely have been following the story from when it started. These kids should be punished as adults as the crime was an adult crime. You know whatever the white kids did it did not entitle the black kids to attack them. Now they’ll let them go? Oh so how am I shooting from the hip? Because I do not believe that any words uttered by anyone should get them beat? We have a lovely case here where I live where two black woman attacked an 88 year old white woman. They beat her bloody and then poored bleach in her eyes. Really fantastic people. I’m betting this was racially motivated…oh wait they had to rob her so they could buy clothes for the 17 month old they left home while they did this and to cloth the baby that is still on the way. I wouldn’t be suprised if Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson try to help these two black woman out even though they tortured and almost killed an 88 year old woman for her credit card.
“Tupac”
#1 I have much higher than a GET, but that wouldn’t make you look cool…so let’s just say I DO have a GED, and not a PhD.
#2 I am not blaming slavery on the Africans. I am saying that Africans should take responsibility for the LARGE part they played in the history of slavery (also remember that blacks often served as “masters” here in the U.S.).
I know that as your long-held image of white-only slavery model erodes you will feel the floor shift under your feet. This uncomfortable feeling is REALITY — embrace it!
The difference between the Jews in your argument and the blacks that loaded the slave ships is quite distinct. Nobody put a gun to the Africans’ head and made them sell off their captives. They did it absolutely willingly. You find the stories of whites running through the jungles to capture poor helpless slaves in Africa, and you can rewrite the history books. Until then, let’s go with the hard truth — Africans led Africans to their death, and they did so out of greed (much like rappers are doing today by promoting guns and shooting each other and COPS).
As for the birthplace of civilization, you are talking about a different side of that continent. And those people then traveled to Europe to explore. So what is your point? Are you trying to say that west-coast Africa spawned more than flying spears and death? Interesting.
Tupac, turn your rage back toward Africa and stop the killing that continues there in 2007. Then tell me about how the Jenna 6 thugs are cool guys. I might listen, then.
Regardless of skin color they should be tried for the crime they committed. And before we start spouting off about one race being worse than another look at the statistics.
White males are the majority of your serial killers, rapists and child molestors.
Black males take up the majority of robbings, murders (not serial killings) and assaults.
So no matter how you look at it, no one race is better than the other.
As for why the WV kidnapping of a black woman is considered a hate crime its because she told the sheriff that one of the accomplices said “this is what we do to niggers in WV”. That in itself is motive enough to charge them with a hate crime and rightfully so, I hope they go to prison for a long time for what they did.
I am a proud white person (not a supremacist, just proud of my heritage, much like any other person should be proud of their lineage). I do not agree with violence that occurs at all especially over petty shit and yes I do consider a noose petty shit. Why you ask? Because it takes a very close minded person to sink to the level of another. What do the police say to do in an altercation…they say to walk away and to call them, why is that you ask, because for every action there is an equal reaction.
In the end I feel that their are two sides to every race. There are whites and there is white trash. There is mexicans and there is spics, and yes there is even african americans and niggers. It is all about how you present yourself and want to be remembered by society.
STOP blaming everyone else for your actions and take responsibility for YOURSELF. Don’t worry about what others are doing, be an individual and a leader not a follower.
If you look at it their is usually about a 10% ratio of bad seeds. So if there are 500,000 black people living in this country then 50,000 will probably be the “bad seeds” the same goes for whites, mexicans, asians, jews, polynesians…the list goes on and on. BUT don’t judge an entire race by the 10% of bad seeds you hear about on the news.
And before anyone says I am ignorant or don’t know what I am talking about. I hold a Masters Degree in Cultural Anthropology and a Bachelors in Human Studies focusing on the psyche.
Oh and please don’t be angry because I use the word nigger. It is just a word, and if your angry over it please tell EVERYONE (not just non-blacks) to stop using it. Remember, we are forever under the watchful eyes of the future generations (the children) and by having the mentality that “oh its ok for black people to say it and not white people” we are just empowering society to keep the hateful words going for the generations to come.
J -
Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
I don’t think that my post was meant to excuse anyone’s behavior both the White and the Black community in Jena are to blame. I just want the Blacks who were in a fight to be treated the same way that the Whites were treated. No better. No worse.
Doc… I see you have your hands full with this one. I just happened to stumble upon this post.
There is a lot of misinformation regarding this case.
And as someone else mentioned. This is the same ignorance (or chronic lack of information) that allowed the American public to swallow all the nonsense fed to them regarding Iraq….it is why this Country was so easily led into Iraq and it will be so easy for this country to stay in Iraq.
I agree… there needs to be equal treatment. It will be interesting to see how everything turns out.
AI -
Thanks for your thoughtful comments. You are 100% correct.
maybe you all should check your info before you fly off the handle.please check “The Jena Times”&”The Alexandria Daily Towntalk” to get the correct info on Micheal Bell & the other boys criminal records.The majority of the black community was relieved when these boys were arrested because they were terrorizing the older folks.I am all for justice for all,but this has no place in that arena.God bless.
Jena One -
Really? Terrorizing the older “folks” for weeks? months? years? Why weren’t they arrested before? Were the police afraid of them or their parents? Why did Mychal Bell’s parents talk about a college scholarship if he had a sorted past? IN this article http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007709170308 There is no mention of prior problems with Mychal Bell. It does have one huge error, it states that the White youth was left unconscious. Then it says that the youth was treated and released from the ER. The 2 don’t add up. If unconscious for a prolonged period of time, he would have been admitted to the hospital or transfer to Alexandria.
Thanks for your comments.
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