Pace Paw Print

Six black High School students, known today as the Jena Six, have been charged with assault and attempted second-degree murder charges and are awaiting trials in Jena, Louisiana.

The students have been accused of attacking a fellow high school student, a white male, last December after a series of racially charged incidents.

Trouble began in Aug. 2006 when a black student at Jena High School sat underneath what is known as the "white tree", which is usually occupied only by white kids.

The next day, three nooses were hanging from the "white tree". The Principal discovered that three white students were responsible for the act, and he recommended immediate expulsion. The Superintendent, however, wrote it off as a joke. "Adolescents play pranks. I don't think it was a threat against anybody," he said.

Black students tried to address the school board with the incident, and were dismissed due to their belief that the incident had been resolved.

Later in the year, five black students tried to get into a private party, but were told to leave since they did not have invitations. A white group of men then jumped out and began to fight the boys. Justin Sloan, the man who initiated the attack, was later charged with battery and was put on probation.

The next day, the black students involved in the fight were reportedly met by a white male student holding a shotgun outside of a convenience store. Although the reports are conflicting, it was established that there was an argument between the two parties, and the white student grabbed a shotgun from the back of his truck. Robert Bailey, 16, was one of the boys involved in the earlier fight, wrestled the gun from the other boy's grasp, and ran. Bailey was then charged with theft of a firearm, second degree robbery, and disturbing the peace.

The assault that the six boys are now being charged with took place just a couple of days after the gun incident.

Justin Barker, 17, had allegedly been laughing about how Bailey was beaten up outside of the party earlier that week. Bailey, Mychal Bell, Carwin Jones, Bryant Purvis, Theo Shaw, and Jesse Ray Beard attacked Barker, leaving him unconcious.

Barker was treated for a concussion and a swollen eye, and was released after two hours. The six students were then arrested, with their bail set at high and unforadable amounts.

Only one of the students, Mychal Bell, has been tried thus far. He was found guilty by an all-white jury during this past summer, and charged with "aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated second-degree battery" (Associated Press). The conviction was then overturned, because Bell was inappropriately being charged as an adult when he should have been treated as a juvenile.

Last Thursday, the 20th, the judge denied Bell's request to lower his bail to $90,000.

Thousands of protestors gathered outside of the court house, including Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. During the protest, which was reportedly peaceful and laid back, an 18 year old boy and a 16 year old passenger were spotted driving with nooses hanging in the truck. They were pulled over, and one was arrested with charges of "inciting a riot, driving while intoxicated and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile" (Associated Press). The arresting officer, Sergeant Clifford reported to the AP his personal wishes on the matter. "I wish we had a charge in Louisiana for aggravated ignorance, because this is a classic case," he said.

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