Sep 13 2007
The Trials of the “Jena Six”
GUESTS: Jordan Flaherty, editor of Left Turn Magazine, Reverend Brian Moran, Pastor at the Antioch Baptist Church
Earlier this week, Robert Bailey Jr. pleaded not guilty to reduced charges in the case of the “Jena Six.” Bailey was one of five teens originally charged as an adult with attempted murder following an alleged altercation with a white student in Jena, Louisiana. Mychal Bell has already been tried and convicted of aggravated battery by an all-white jury. Bell is set to be sentenced on September 20th where he faces up to 15 years in prison. The physical confrontation in question followed months of racial tension in the small northern Louisiana town of Jena. In August of last year, three white students hung nooses from a traditionally “whites only” tree on the campus of Jena High School the day after a black student sought shade beneath it. A school superintendent called the hateful act a prank and opted to only suspend the white students for three days furthering racial tensions in the town. The case of the Jena Six has garnered national and international media attention. Civil Rights leaders Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton visited Jena this past weekend and called for the charges to be dropped or to be further reduced to misdemeanors. Amnesty International has written the US justice department calling for an urgent review of the case. Thousands of supporters are expected to gather in Jena on September 20th, the day of Mychal Bell’s sentencing.
For more information, please visit www.jenasix.org/
3 Responses to “The Trials of the “Jena Six””
I am sadly shaking by what I have just read. I think it is a disgrace for such ignorance to still exist. what are people thinking about. just the other day a read about a similiar incident involving a group of all white teens and adults. The 2 cases are very disturbing none the less.
At times I can say I can’t believe that the racism is still going on. But I then I wake up an realize who an what is running our country. We all need to stick together to over come this terrible event. My heart and prayers goes out to the families that has to deal with this matter heads up. Put it into gods hands, and we as black people will never fail. Unless we stop standing up for our rights. FREE JENA SIX
I am saddened by what is happening in Jena La. This goes to show that in some of our towns we still have a hidden group of racist who hide behind titles as School superintendents and law attorneys. I believe that most of both White and African Americans are tired of the racial issues. I beleive that it is incidents like Jena six that will cause all good Americans to rise up an voice their oppinions and let their voices be herd on the internet, at the White House lawns, in Jena and all over the World. Thank God For MARTIN lUTHER kING AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHICH DID BRING ABOUT REAL CHANGE IN AMERICA. We as African and White Americans owe a big thank you to the King Family for the Great Sacrifice they have made in showing us how to stand up for freedom. My prayers and support is with the Jena Six families. I know that God through all the great supporters in the African American Community will bring justice for these African Americans in Jena La.