here, this story gives the defendants' side. Now, I don't personally know who is telling the truth, but it's apparently a little more complicated than black thugs vs nice white boy who was persecived as racist.
On 9/21/07, Greg Morphis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Amen Jerry, I agree with you.. > Simple fact of the matter they almost killed someone. Racist (which > isn't against the law) or not. > > On 9/21/07, Jerry Johnson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Here is my feeling on this. > > > > A group of people, for whatever reason, ganging up on one person and > > putting the boots to them are guilty of a serious crime. > > > > Period. > > > > And they should be prosecuted for that serious crime. > > > > The _penalty_ for that crime should be mitigated by the reason for the > > attack, but a group beating of a single individual, including kicking > > that results in severe head trauma needs to be frowned upon. > > > > The noose, the racial slurs, etc, should not be tolerated either. If > > one guy had kicked his ass, I would have no problem with it. But that > > kind of group tactic is just not acceptable. > > > > And those people, like the idiot Jesse Jackson, on TV claiming that > > there is no responsibility for the beating, are _insane_ in my > > opinion. > > > > If the local police, or principal, or DA want to treat the noose and > > slurs lightly, then get the national media, and folks like the talking > > heads all up in arms over that problem. That would be a legitimate > > story. > > > > Regardless of the reason for the attack, can you imagine the reaction > > if it had been a black kid beaten and kicked by a white mob? (Rightly, > > in my opinion). Where is the rationality? > > > > I think the kids should have been severely punished. I don't think the > > charges applied were actually too much, in this case. > > > > On 9/21/07, Vivec <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/WireStory?id=3628976&page=1 > > > > > > Can't believe that segregation is still alive and well in some parts. > > > *shudder* > > > > > > The students felt they had to ask for 'permission' to sit under a tree? > > > > > > ========================= > > > "In the small, rural Louisiana town of Jena in September 2006, a black > > > student and some of their friends asked permission from school > > > administrators to sit under the shade of a tree commonly reserved, by > > > the white students, for the white students. School officials advised > > > the black students to sit wherever they wanted and they did. The next > > > day, three nooses, in the school colors, were hanging from the same > > > tree. The Jena high school principal found that three white students > > > were responsible and recommended expulsion. The superintendent of > > > schools over-ruled the principal and gave the students a three day > > > in-school suspension, saying that the nooses were "a youthful stunt" > > > or "merely a prank." Black students decided to resist and organized a > > > silent protest under the tree in disproval of the lenient treatment > > > given to the noose-hanging white students. The principal reacted by > > > bringing in the district attorney, Reed Walters, and 10 local police > > > officers to an all-school assembly. The white students sat on one side > > > of the hall and the black students on the other. It is reported that > > > Walters told the students that he could "end their lives with a stoke > > > of his pen." Many black students said he was looking at the them and > > > only them. > > > > > > In November, as football season came to a close, the main school > > > building was mysteriously burned to the ground. This traumatic event > > > seemed to bring to the surface the boiling racial tensions in Jena. > > > > > > On a Friday night, Robert Bailey, a 17-year-old Black student and > > > football player, was invited to a dance at a hall considered to be > > > "white." When he walked in, without warning he was punched in the > > > face, beer bottles were thrown at him and a few white youths were > > > found responsible. Only one of the white youth was arrested—he was > > > ultimately given probation and asked to apologize. > > > > > > The night after that, a 22-year-old white man, along with two friends, > > > pulled a shotgun on Bailey and two of his friends at a local gas > > > station, in response to a scuttle between the two. The Black youths > > > wrestled the gun from him to prevent him from using it. They took it > > > home and hid it. They were arrested and charged with theft, and the > > > man who owned the gun, however not with a perment, went free. > > > > > > The following Monday students returned to school. A white boy, Justin > > > Barker, was taunting a group of black students, including Robert > > > Baliey. He was verbally supporting the noose hanging. He was using > > > racial slurs. A chaotic fray ensued. Barker was knocked down, punched, > > > and kicked by a number of Black students. He was taken to the hospital > > > for three hours. He had a concussion and minor bruising on his face. > > > He was seen out at a social event later that evening. > > > > > > As a result of this incident, and their actions, six black Jena High > > > School students were arrested and charged with attempted second degree > > > murder. All six were expelled from school. The six charged were: > > > 17-year-old Robert Bailey Junior whose bail was set at $138,000; > > > 17-year-old Theo Shaw - bail $130,000; 18-year-old Carwin Jones--bail > > > $100,000; 17-year-old Bryant Purvis--bail $70,000; 16 year old Mychal > > > Bell, a sophomore in high school who was charged as an adult and for > > > whom bail was set at $90,000; and a still unidentified minor. > > > > > > On the morning of the first trial, the District Attorney reduced the > > > charges from attempted second degree murder to second degree > > > aggravated battery and conspiracy. Aggravated battery in Louisiana law > > > demands the attack be with a dangerous weapon. The prosecutor argued > > > to the jury that the tennis shoes worn by Bell could be considered a > > > dangerous weapon. > > > > > > When the pool of potential jurors was summoned, fifty people appeared, > > > all white. The jury deliberated for less than three hours and found > > > Mychal Bell guilty on the maximum possible charges of aggravated > > > second degree battery and conspiracy. He faces up to a maximum of 22 > > > years in prison. > > > > > > The rest of the Jena 6 await similar trials. Theodore Shaw is due to > > > go on trial shortly. Mychal Bell is scheduled to be sentenced > > > September 20th. Let's support him and the rest in order to help get > > > them and others a fair and just sentencing for what they've done. > > > > > > Very few people have, even today, heard about this case. The trial was > > > covered by the French newspaper Le Monde, and the BBC aired a > > > documentary on the case. The London Observer reported on the Jena 6 > > > story. These are the first that reported nationally and > > > internationally. Since then many more have reported. > > > > > > > > > Mychal Bell, 17, should not have been tried as an adult, the state 3rd > > > Circuit Court of Appeal said in tossing his conviction on aggravated > > > battery, for which he was to have been sentenced" > > > > > > > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| ColdFusion 8 - Build next generation apps today, with easy PDF and Ajax features - download now http://download.macromedia.com/pub/labs/coldfusion/cf8_beta_whatsnew_052907.pdf Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:242894 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
