Year of racial unrest in La. [Jena, Louisiana] town

Los Angeles Times Newspaper ^ | September 15, 2007 | By Miguel Bustillo - LA Times Staff Reporter

[topher]

...

After the decision, black students at Jena High gathered under the tree in protest.

Fights between blacks and whites broke out for days, and the principal ultimately called an assembly in which Dist. Atty. Walters, flanked by armed police, addressed the school.

"With a stroke of my pen, I can make your lives disappear," Walters said. In a court hearing where an attorney tried to have Walters removed from the beating case on grounds that he was biased, Walters, who is white, admitted making the statement. But he denied that he had been looking at black students when he said it, as some have said he had been.

Just before the incident that resulted in stiff charges for the Jena Six, white youngsters had attacked one of the six black boys, Robert Bailey, 17, striking him with beer bottles as he tried to enter a party. Only one of the attackers was charged -- with simple battery.

The next day, a white man who had been at the party brandished a shotgun during an altercation with Bailey and several other black boys.

He was not charged, but the boys, who wrestled the gun away from him, were charged with stealing it.

...

[Altura Ct.]

Grain of salt of course, internet.

Looks to me that all of it is grain of salt. From the LA Times, CNBC to blogs and "eye witnesses" you name it. The MSM in particular has been NO HELP in this whole thing.

[Constantine XIII]

Ur not cool enough to post without reading the article yet. ;)

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The BBC versions were similar, only suggesting that the six attacked the boy. They weren't clear about the timeline. One stated that the noose-hangers weren't disciplined. One also suggested that the tree spot was for European descended children. And, depending on the reader's own bias, a quote by one of the Jena citizens could be taken as though the BBC author was inferring that there is a lot of racism in Jena.

However, the charges for the six were too high.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

And you're doing a decent job of not taking sides (not being flippant--actually complimenting).

And you've given much more information than the readily available (television and newspaper) news coming here (you're mentioning of a shotgun and bottles didn't make the television news).

[ChiMark]

The spectacle in Jena can only play itself out
as the black man can beat whitey without consequence.
Blacks get another pass on brutality.

When six thugs pounding on someone who’s unconscious
is just plain cowardly and sadistic. There is no justification
for mob action. If it were one-vs.-one, different story.

Attempted murder seems justified to me. kicking someone repeatedly on the head ain’t shool yard wrestling!
I’ve had my fights and have seen others but never has
anyone been beaten in unconsciousness. they stop prize fights before someone is taken down this severly.

But since the black youts were offended they’re justified.

Sick.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

For the information, appreciated.

• The noose hanging was obviously racial in nature.
• "eyewitness accounts provided by those unrelated to any of the four involved parties supported the victim’s story."

  Interesting that they use "unrelated". Considering this bunch of unrest is about race, were the eyewitnesses all of European descent, or were there some of African (or other) descent?

• The first large paragraph in your post (after the first line) suggests that the children were very segregated, those of African descent congregating only with others of African descent and vice versa for those of European descent, and that they even had particular places where they 'hung out.' Not a very good sign of assimilation and non-racism if such is the case.
• The all European descended jury. Is it only alleged that no African descended potential jurors showed up--wouldn't some court official have that information? Considering, fairly or unfairly, the South has a very bad reputation for trying African descended suspects (or European descended racists) with with all European descended juries, it would have made sense if they had put more effort to get some African descended jurors. That they didn't do so was practically asking for this big uproar that is being seen now. Again, considering there are hints in your post that Jena is de facto segregated, for a jury of his peers, an all African descended jury might have been considered (though probably not; then European descended racists should get an all European descended jury on the same grounds). They still should have tried harder for some African descended jurors. Not doing so was very shortsighted--once again emphasizing even if an all European descended jury would have judged fairly.

  Maybe, as with Scott Peterson, the case should be sent far away, in this case maybe to the North or West, just to reduce the chance that people (you may refer to them as racebaiters--that term can go both ways) will accuse the decision of being racist.

  The Jena six's and the other African descendants' side was generally taken in this post. Already there are plenty of defenders here for the European descendants' side, and highly anticipate that number to grow. Including the many points being made maybe unfairly about them would be redundant.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Maybe because they are uninformed?

The 'Jena six' obviously deserve some punishment. It's whether 22 years in adult prison is too much that should be at issue.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

In contrast to you—who have obviously taken the side of the European descendants involved—maybe he’s trying to be as fair, balanced, and unbiased (in a good way) as he can be.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The so-called Jena six should not get a pass on brutality, but 22 years in prison is a bit much, even for the quite big beating they administered to the other boy.

[Bogtrotter52]

More than a week ago I saw a interview on tv with the main player among the 6 and his lawyer. The kid stated he wanted to get back to his life and work toward his goal of being a pro-basketball player. If that is his goal he may as well pick up his crack pipe and his prison number now and save all that time. Talk about a totally unlikely, unrealistic life goal.

But to answer your question of:

I want to know why six punks of any race can beat up another kid, also of any race, and people are seeking to get them set free.

Uh, because they are black and it is all whiteys fault.

[Sir_Ed]

Yeah, I’m confused too.
Are the protestors saying that blacks have the right to beat up white kids? As reperations for past slavery or something?

I watched the breathless coverage today and those thugs are being treated as heros, as Rosa Parks!

I am stupified that we are seeing such blind stupidity in the media...

Ed

[South40]

Uh, because they are black and it is all whiteys fault.

I'm black and I don't think it 'whitey's' fault.

There's more to it than that, but thanks for your input.

[CheyennePress]

Frankly, who gives a rip about the nooses?

It’s a consciencious choice to take offense at something. Sometimes it’s easier to make than others, and this would appear to be such a case. But if you can’t control yourself over seeing an image you don’t like, you deserve no sympathy whatsoever.

These thugs are no worse than the Muslim fools who burnt down Europe over some cartoons. It’s the exact same thing.

I can’t believe there are people on this site defending this around the noose argument.

[Mila]

“#2 - that doesn’t justify beating someone half to death”

The boy was treated for three hours at the hospital and released. He attended a school function that same night. I’m not justifying the actions of the black students, just clarifying that the white student, although hurt, was ambulatory, was not admitted to the hospital and upon release did not immediately take to his bed.

[kenmcg]

If it’s true that six teenagers ganged up on one lone teenager to beat him up, one would think an attempted murder charge or a serious assault charge would be filed. In the end though we have two systems of justice in this country...one for the OJ’s & pro athletes and one for the Martha Stewart’s and the Libby’s.

[freeangel]

saving for later

[MarineMom613]

mark for reading later. This is dominating the news lately and I just don’t get the whole thing.

[ketsu]

mark for reading later. This is dominating the news lately and I just don’t get the whole thing.

This is the way I see it. My views are closer to the black community's than the white community's so you know my bias up front.

This issue here is not with prosecuting the thugs. The main thing people are protesting against is that an obvious example of racial intimidation(the nooses) got the culprits a 3 day suspension. If that had happened in any northern state I guaran double t you that the students would be expelled and would have had a hard time getting into a reform school after that.

Then a high school fight, the story I hear is that a one on one fight turned into an ugly beatdown as the thug's hooligan buddies turned up. The culprits, all juveniles, nobody's denyting they were thugs, we tried as adults for *attempted murder* for something that should have sent them to juvie for 6 months.

The protesters have a valid point.

[Machavelli]

Here we go again. The legal system cannot or will not impartially decide on another case involving different races because of fear or self-loathing. Granted, there are racists of both races in this mess, however, our legal system has to do its job or the vacuum will be filled by others. In case you didn’t realize the KKK is alive and well in the south and the thought of those narrow-minded cretins stepping in to do the job is frightening.