5 defendants plead no contest in 'Jena Six' case

CNN ^ | 6/27/2009 | UnKnown

[StoneWallJack]

Five of the six black high school students charged with attempted murder in 2006 for allegedly beating a white classmate pleaded no contest...

The men agreed to plea deals that settled lawsuits filed against them by Justin Barker and his family the year after the December 4, 2006....

Parents of the Jena Six say they heard Barker was hurling racial epithets, but Barker's parents insist he did nothing to provoke the beating.

At the hearing, attorneys representing the five men read a statement expressing sympathy to the Barkers and acknowledging that Justin Barker did not use a racial slur. They also apologized to the residents of Jena for the uproar caused by the case...

James Boren, an attorney for Bailey, added, "We're all proud of our clients, who are doing well."

[StoneWallJack]

Where are the truckloads of the outraged? Where are the "Rev's" Sharpton and Jackson?

Where does Jena go to get its reputation back?

[jessduntno]

At the hearing, attorneys representing the five men read a statement expressing sympathy to the Barkers and acknowledging that Justin Barker did not use a racial slur. They also apologized to the residents of Jena for the uproar caused by the case...

What are the new hate crimes laws going to do to these po girls?

[ozzymandus]

All that bullshit, and the truth finally comes out. A lone white kid gets beaten by a gang of black thugs, and the media and the racist hatemongers blame the victim.

[PAR35]

Headline and story don’t match. Headline says ‘guilty’, story says ‘no contest’.

[opticks]

So uh...why is this not a hate crime? Door swings both ways, right?

[bmwcyle]

Hate Crime (I really don’t believe in them)

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Parents of the Jena Six say they heard Barker was hurling racial epithets

Even if this were true (which it is not, as the testimony of 5 of the 6 accused proves) it does not condone a beating. Being called a lazy WASP or a Mic or Kraut (I'm Irish and German) does not give me the rights to bring the beat-down.

There is no excuse for beating a man, especially over just words.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

I guess blacks need amusement as well as the rest of us.

[DoughtyOne]

I wonder how far “sorry” would have gotten six White kids for beating a Black kid to a pulp.

[DoughtyOne]

I do because this was definitely a crime that hate caused to happen IMO.

Is it something the law should take into consideration? Hell no. On that we agree.

Note how Black on White crime is not a ‘hate crime’, but White on Black crime is.

Hate crimes ‘status’ is something that has definitely seen it’s day, and should be eliminated. It was a stupid idea to begin with, and it’s implementation is nothing if not extremely racist in and of itself.

[StoneWallJack]

Sorry, that was my mistake. They did plead “no contest” versus “guilty.” Looks like the mod corrected the title.

[Cheetahcat]

I do not know about the rest of you but I am getting very tired of this crap.

[jongaltsr]

and the media and the racist hatemongers blame the victim.

If a "white" person used the word (Black) when referring to a Black person he/she is pointing out that they are not "White".
If a "white" person used the word (you, you people or you guys ) when referring to "that particular" person he/she is pointing out that they are not "White".
If a "white" person used the word (African American) when referring to people of African American designation he/she is pointing out that they are not "White".
If a "white" person used the word (You) when referring to a Black -African American - or Whatever) person he/she is pointing out that they are not "White".

I have been around enough to know people of a darker persuasion then myself - most do not take offense regardless how I address them. Having been in the service it was customary to refer to each other as "Bastard" or "Son-of-a-Bitch" and no offense was taken. That was just how we bonded.
When I meet people who take offense at even the most "correct" language descriptions I can only think that they have a chip on their shoulder that they can and will never be able to get rid of - and will spend their lives in hate filled rage.
Therefore - not my problem and that particular person no longer is of concern simply because there is nothing I can do to change their perception.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Headline?

Civil Rights industry suffers setback, contributions down
Industry Titans Vow To Fight Jena Setback
Industry magnates Sharpton, Jackson: "Industry will be bigger than ever."

[FlingWingFlyer]

Barker should have claimed that he was “gay”. These perps would have been sent to prison a long time ago.

[popdonnelly]

Yes, where are the clowns who said the defendants were just defending black people, when those doing the speaking didn’t know what they were talking about?

[muawiyah]

The first story that came out about the attack had the statement about the racial slur.

No doubt that was a surprise to the attackers since they knew nothing like that happened.

Not too late to go back and sue the pants off the writer and his newspaper.

[combat_boots]

“Not too late to go back and sue the pants off the writer and his newspaper.”

True. ‘Absent malice’ would not apply when clearly even fabrication or negligence in reportage was clear. Furthermore, the perpetrators and their families could have put the issue to rest at that time.