News & Politics - Racist frame-up in Louisiana: the case of the Jena Six

TokyoNiGHTS · 09-13-2007, 01:06 AM

I'm not sure how many have heard of this but its amazing, scary and sad

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Six black high school students in the small town of Jena in LaSalle Parish, Louisiana, have been framed up on charges of murder and conspiracy. The charges came following a series of racist incidents triggered by black students’ decision on August 31, 2006, to sit under a “whites-only” tree at the school. In a racist provocation the following day, three nooses in school colors were found hanging from the tree.

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Local authorities, including the school superintendent and the district attorney, have provocatively sided with white students in the case and rigged the legal proceedings. On June 28, the first student to be tried, Mychal Bell, was found guilty of second-degree aggravated assault. He will be sentenced in September and faces up to 22 years in jail. Collectively, the six black students face more than 120 years in jail.

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Following the incident at Jena High School last fall, three white students were found responsible for hanging the nooses and the principal recommended they be expelled. The superintendent of schools, however, overruled the decision and gave the students three-day suspensions.

In response, several black students, among them star players on the football team, staged a sit-in protest under the tree. An all-school assembly was convened. Arriving at the school escorted by armed police guards, District Attorney Reed Walters criticized black students for making too much of a “prank” and said, “I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. I can take away your lives with a stroke of my pen.”

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Later that autumn, on November 30, the main school building was set on fire. Local investigators said the cause was arson, but did not charge anyone with starting the blaze. The next day, Friday, December 1, a black student, 17-year-old Robert Bailey, was assaulted after being invited to a “white” dance hall, the Fair Barn. The man who beat Bailey was put on probation. On Saturday, December 2, a white man pulled a gun on Bailey and two of his friends, who wrestled the gun away from him. The black youths were arrested on charges of stealing the gun.

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On Monday, December 4, a fight broke out at the high school, and a white student, Justin Barker, was sent to the hospital. He was treated and released and seen attending a social event that same evening, joking and laughing and bearing only a few bruises.

The black students now known as the Jena Six—Robert Bailey, Jr., Theo Shaw, Carwin Jones, Bryant Purvis, Mychal Bell and one unidentified minor—were charged with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy to commit second-degree murder. The six were also expelled from school. The white student who attacked and beat up Robert Bailey was given probation.

Racist frame-up in Louisiana: the case of the Jena Six

How is it possible that this is even going on in America right now? It's almost like an alternate reality.

migamoo · 09-13-2007, 02:01 AM

Seriously, have we been transported back into the 50s-60s?

Jacob1983 · 09-13-2007, 10:24 AM

Actually, it's very possible because there are certain people that are stuck in Civil War times.

This whole thing could have been avoided if the three white students had been expellled from the school for putting those nooses under the tree.

The six black students are getting screwed in my opinion. They probably did commit crime but robbing them of their youth and lives isn't going to solve anything. They shouldn't be locked away for decades. They should maybe get probation or do community service.

JohannafromIHJ · 09-13-2007, 03:37 PM

That is absolutely revolting. How those people can stand to live with themselves is beyond me. Wrestling a gun away from someone who's threatening to shoot you is theft?

GhostWriter · 09-14-2007, 01:38 PM

What really gets at me is, why is no one outside of the situation trying to find someone who can do something about it and put an end to this? Or, if this is public knowledge outside of the state, then why won't someone try to stop it? I know that I don't really understand how that could work, but if it can, then why isn't it happening? A grown man threating the lives of students? Teens being prosecuted for saving their own lives as a racist pointed a gun at them? Hanging nooses to imply that you'll kill someone because you somehow believe that the color of your skin grants you special VIP access to a flipping TREE? And nobody has enough decency to try to find help for them? Then again, it seems as if this is so widespread within that community that maybe people are too afraid to stand up and say something...

Jacob1983 · 09-14-2007, 02:21 PM

I'm shocked that Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson haven't stepped up to the plate for the 6 black students. I mean they get so mad when white celebrities say anything bad about blacks yet they haven't done anything for these black kids. They should be down in Jena sticking up for them.

Wrestling a gun away from someone was going to shoot you isn't stealing in my opinion unless you ran off with the gun and didn't give it back.

We talked about this incident in my minority groups class yesterday. The people in Jena are stuck in the past. Slavery and the Civil War ended a long time ago.

GhostWriter · 09-14-2007, 02:45 PM

Even if you do run away with it, that shouldn't be stealing. I'm not going to allow a person to get a hold of a gun as I run, with my back turned, so that they have an easy target.

Jacob1983 · 09-14-2007, 03:01 PM

You gotta realize that the people in that town are barbarians.

I think that both the black and white students are equally to blame. They should just get over their crap and learn to get along with each other. It seems like the whole thing was a back and forth war between the two groups.

GhostWriter · 09-14-2007, 03:28 PM

The black kids should get over being denied their rights? Yes, they should totally get over not being able to sit where they please or to having someone come in and tell them that they can have their lives ruined by some bigot with a pen. And while they're at it, let's make sure they understand that when someone points a gun at them, why don't they gone on and help the shooter aim at a nice spot to kill them. Wait, no, if they touch the gun, then they might leave a fingerprint and have the police at their funeral to charge them for touching someone else's personal belongings...

Jacob1983 · 09-14-2007, 06:15 PM

I never said that the black kids should get over having their rights denied. I just said that both groups need to get over their crap and stop acting like barbarians. I think that the black kids got screwed by justice but blame should be put on them too. Don't act like they're innocent or angels. I mean it's not just the white kids' fault. The wihte kids got off too easy in my opinion. They should have been expelled for putting those nooses under that tree and probably put in jail for their other actions. And the school needs to tear down that "white tree". Both groups were provoking each other and it went too far. The town needs to realize that it's 2007, and not the 1960s.

GhostWriter · 09-14-2007, 06:16 PM

If you don't mind, would you please explain what it is that the black kids did?

Jacob1983 · 09-14-2007, 06:56 PM

The black kids were in a fight with one of the white kids therefore they aren't 100 percent innocent. Do I think that they black kids should have lives ruined and spend decades in prison for a stupid fight? Nope. The black kids shouldn't get screwed over because of stupid ignorant people.

Here is some good news on the case. It looks like one of the black kids will have justice served. It's a good thing. I'm glad that Jessie Jackson has stepped up and is supporting these young black men.

Teen's conviction tossed in La. beating - Yahoo! News

GhostWriter · 09-14-2007, 07:34 PM

Considering it was never said who attacked who first as far as throwing punches(because, for all we know, the black kids were taunted and then struck upon saying something in response to the taunt), then it may very well have simply been self defense. It was even stated within the article that a coach, who wrote in a statement about it, that one of the boys had not even thrown a punch.

Also, it would appear that your prayers have been answered: Sharpton and Jackson have stepped in...

Jacob1983 · 09-14-2007, 09:26 PM

Will you please read what I posted? I said that I think that the boys are getting a raw deal in this. However, being involved in a fight does not make you innocent. If it was in deed self defense then the boys had the right to fight back. I also said that I think that the boys shouldn't do any time in prison. I also believe that the white students should have been punished more severely.

ceilirose · 09-14-2007, 10:59 PM

It's amazing that it took over a half a year for this to make national news. Our priorities are Spears, Hilton etc., etc.


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