Jena Six Case Shows Black Teens Get Short End of Stick

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So let me get this straight. People are not protesting against the violence inflicted by the six towards one guy but because they believe they are being unfairly punished..

It would be a slam dunk 'hate crime' if 6 whites beat-up one black.

i was waiting for someone to say that

According to this the FBI were called in to investigate the noose incident and determined that it was a hate crime, but no charges were filed given that the perpetrators were underage. Given that - the school board decision seems rather bizarre, especially given the principals recommendation that they be expelled.

I didn't realize a noose gives them the right to beat somebody up..

I don't believe it does. I think they should ALL be punished.

For one thing, it seems to me that the beating incident might well have been avoided if appropriate action by the school authorities to appropriately deal with incidents like this thing with nooses. The school board ignored both the principals recommendation for expulsion and the FBI investigation that determined that this would likely have been a hate crime if the kids involved were 'of age'. That wasn't a primary cause - but its illustrative of the unwillingness of local authorities to take race issues seriously until the result is open violence.

Second, per the OP article, while there's no doubt that the kids who did the beating should be punished - I can see a legitimate civil rights argument being made for apparently unequal punishments in general being granted to whites, giving them lesser sentences for equivalent crimes committed by blacks.

Well when they stop committing the crime, at a ratio of 5 to 1, then they will stop being punished.

Punished 'equally' for equivalent crimes.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

From what I've read most of the complaints on behalf of the Jena Six aren't that they don't deserve to be charged at all, but that the charges are excessive compared to similar incidents where the kids were let off with a warning or a small punishment. (And I think the kid with the shotgun got in trouble because after he took it away from the white kid, he tried to give it to the cops.)

The kid who was beat up had a mild concussion and a black eye that was so bad he was able to go to a school party that night. Aggravated assault, maybe, but attempted murder? The kids aren't heroes but sending them to prison for up to 20 years over a black eye seems wrong.

didn't read that above by pedroh?

Bailey refuse to return the gun, and was charged with theft of a firearm, second-degree robbery, and disturbing the peace.

not a thing mentioned about giving it to the cops........

[Caladan 19]

Fair enough. I misremembered the story. Still, it's very weird.

Would you return a gun to someone who had threatened you with it, causing you to flee the scene? That's just bizarre.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

Fair enough. I misremembered the story. Still, it's very weird.

Would you return a gun to someone who had threatened you with it, causing you to flee the scene? That's just bizarre.

i agree that's prudent as it's not a good idea to give it back to the in-duh-vidual that was pulling it out (which brandishing a firearm is a serious charge btw) and that is why i said he should have turned it over to the police. that way it's not in his possession.

[chri'stina 190]

So let me get this straight. People are not protesting against the violence inflicted by the six towards one guy but because they believe they are being unfairly punished..

It would be a slam dunk 'hate crime' if 6 whites beat-up one black.

i was waiting for someone to say that

According to this the FBI were called in to investigate the noose incident and determined that it was a hate crime, but no charges were filed given that the perpetrators were underage. Given that - the school board decision seems rather bizarre, especially given the principals recommendation that they be expelled.

I didn't realize a noose gives them the right to beat somebody up..

I don't believe it does. I think they should ALL be punished.

For one thing, it seems to me that the beating incident might well have been avoided if appropriate action by the school authorities to appropriately deal with incidents like this thing with nooses. The school board ignored both the principals recommendation for expulsion and the FBI investigation that determined that this would likely have been a hate crime if the kids involved were 'of age'. That wasn't a primary cause - but its illustrative of the unwillingness of local authorities to take race issues seriously until the result is open violence.

Second, per the OP article, while there's no doubt that the kids who did the beating should be punished - I can see a legitimate civil rights argument being made for apparently unequal punishments in general being granted to whites, giving them lesser sentences for equivalent crimes committed by blacks.

Something that is really bothering me about all this, is that a lot of the signs on the march said "free the Jena 6". The signs should have said something else, like "be consistent with how you deal with people regardless of race"(I know, long sign, lol) or "punish equally". They should not free people who beat someone up just because someone says so.

I don't know if anyone saw pics of the kid who got beat up but I did, and he didn't look like he just had a simple black eye. I read that he attended the school ceremony but left early b/c of pain.

Of course it's not right that sentencing was harsh on one group of kids while what other kids did was ignored.

As Number 6 said, I think they ALL should be punished.

[buckeye6976 0]

ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana (CNN) -- Authorities in Alexandria, Louisiana, arrested two people after nooses were seen hanging from the back of a red pickup Thursday night, the city's mayor told CNN.

A photograph taken by I-Reporter Casanova Love shows a noose hanging from a red pickup.

Alexandria is less than an hour away from Jena, Louisiana, and was a staging area Thursday for protesters who went to the smaller town to demonstrate against the treatment of six black teens known as the "Jena 6" in racially charged incidents.

Police say the 18-year-old driver of the truck was charged with driving while intoxicated and inciting to riot and also may be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor -- the 16-year-old passenger.

As police were questioning the driver, he said he had an unloaded rifle in the back, which police found. They also found a set of brass knuckles in the cup holder on the dashboard, according to the police report.

The passenger told police he and his family are in the Ku Klux Klan, the police report said. He also said he had tied the nooses and that the brass knuckles belonged to him, the report said. Watch what police found on the truck »

At least one of the nooses was made out of an extension cord, according to the police report.

Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy said those arrested were "from around Jena" and not in the same parish as his city. See where the incident occurred »

Don't Miss

Police report (PDF)

In Depth: The 'Jena 6'

Thousands 'march for justice' in Jena

The police report says a crowd of about 200 people, mostly African-Americans, watched the arrest take place.

Roy said the incident is "not indicative" of Alexandria and that local authorities will look into the matter "completely, thoroughly and transparently."

A photograph of the truck was sent to CNN by Casanova Love, 26, who said he's in the U.S. Navy. He's visiting his family in Louisiana.

Love said he was standing outside a club with some friends Thursday night when he saw the red pickup drive by slowly with two nooses hanging from it.

He said the truck continued up the street and passed by a large group of Jena 6 protesters standing outside a bus stop. Police then pulled over the vehicle.

Love explained why he sent the photo to CNN: "People need to see this. It's 2007, and we still have fools acting like it's 1960."

State police estimated at least 15,000 people gathered in Jena on Thursday to protest what they consider unequal punishments meted out in recent racially charged cases.

Not good

[charlie_brown 0]

Of course they shouldn't be charged. I mean, it's just fair, after hundreds of years of rascism. The whole system is set up against Blacks. What they did is just payback.

Just look how they're trying to frame OJ for something he didn't do, for the second time!!!

[boo boo 1]

I do not agree w/ kids beating this one kid up.....but why should they be facing adult charge's???? They are just kids...thankfully no one was killed...if so, then maybe I would understand the charges. Children...under the age of 18..make some bad choices...because they have a child's mentality. They should have charged as children not adult's...a shoe is not looked at as a deadly weapon. These are children that we are talking about...not grown men!

[Addie_Goodvibes 0]

This is a horrible ordeal for involved,

What I am not understanding in difference in stories behind the gun.

1) if the White kid had the gun how would 6 be able to gang up on him and beat him up.

2) how did the 6 get the gun away from him.

3) how does anyone know if the gun was not always in the hnads of the kids accused of aggravated assault

4) is this their word against his if so I am sure stories are flying.

This white kid should be punsihed and tried as well for racial motivated hate crime.

Of course they shouldn't be charged. I mean, it's just fair, after hundreds of years of rascism. The whole system is set up against Blacks. What they did is just payback.

Just look how they're trying to frame OJ for something he didn't do, for the second time!!!

####### "Payback" that excuse is sorry and worn out old.

majority of minorities use this argument to justify their actions.

You commit a crime you pay the consequences. no matter what race you are.

[Caladan 19]

Different incident, Addie. The incident in question is basically six black kids beating up a white kid. The incident with the gun occurred earlier, where one of the kids was threatened with a shotgun, took it away and ran, and then was charged with theft. The incident with the nooses is also separate, as is the earlier incident with three white guys beating up a black kid and nothing happening.

So a lot of the stories are just background, showing that Jena apparently has some race problems and a history of treating white-on-black crime different than black-on-white crime.

[pedroh 21]

So let me get this straight. People are not protesting against the violence inflicted by the six towards one guy but because they believe they are being unfairly punished..

It would be a slam dunk 'hate crime' if 6 whites beat-up one black.

i was waiting for someone to say that

According to this the FBI were called in to investigate the noose incident and determined that it was a hate crime, but no charges were filed given that the perpetrators were underage. Given that - the school board decision seems rather bizarre, especially given the principals recommendation that they be expelled.

I didn't realize a noose gives them the right to beat somebody up..

I don't believe it does. I think they should ALL be punished.

For one thing, it seems to me that the beating incident might well have been avoided if appropriate action by the school authorities to appropriately deal with incidents like this thing with nooses. The school board ignored both the principals recommendation for expulsion and the FBI investigation that determined that this would likely have been a hate crime if the kids involved were 'of age'. That wasn't a primary cause - but its illustrative of the unwillingness of local authorities to take race issues seriously until the result is open violence.

Second, per the OP article, while there's no doubt that the kids who did the beating should be punished - I can see a legitimate civil rights argument being made for apparently unequal punishments in general being granted to whites, giving them lesser sentences for equivalent crimes committed by blacks.

Well when they stop committing the crimes, at a ratio of 5 to 1, then they will stop being targeted.

oh so that's a good reason why they should be punished harsher than a caucasian? .. lol, again with the 'statistics' boo-yah? generalizations usually solve all these questions right

[Caladan 19]

I wonder if anyone noted in the article the DROP in crime since 1993 according to the FBI.

[Addie_Goodvibes 0]

Different incident, Addie. The incident in question is basically six black kids beating up a white kid. The incident with the gun occurred earlier, where one of the kids was threatened with a shotgun, took it away and ran, and then was charged with theft. The incident with the nooses is also separate, as is the earlier incident with three white guys beating up a black kid and nothing happening.

So a lot of the stories are just background, showing that Jena apparently has some race problems and a history of treating white-on-black crime different than black-on-white crime.

Sorry, thank you for the clarification.

[mandp 0]

So let me get this straight. People are not protesting against the violence inflicted by the six towards one guy but because they believe they are being unfairly punished..

Yeah, what a world. A group of thugs beat a lone boy half to death in a racist hate crime, and the group of thugs are somehow the "victims"? This is the opposite sort of protest that one would expect based on all logic. If violent racist hate crime occurs, one would think the victim's group would protest at what's going on, not the attackers'!

It bears mention that the ringleader of the attacking group of six, Michael Bell (17), has no less than four previous convictions for violent crimes. Four violence convictions already before age 18...

Something that is really bothering me about all this, is that a lot of the signs on the march said "free the Jena 6". The signs should have said something else, like "be consistent with how you deal with people regardless of race"(I know, long sign, lol) or "punish equally". They should not free people who beat someone up just because someone says so.

Good point. A lot of those protesters are simply Al-Sharpton-style racial-advocates..i.e. they don't care too much about equality under the law, they just want lenient treatment for one of their own. You can bet your next paycheck that if the races were reversed in the attack, these same people would be furiously arguing the opposite of what they are now, in favor of attempted murder charges and federal 'hate-crime' charges against the hypothetical 6 whites.

.

Edited September 21, 2007 by mandp

[The_dip_sticks 0]

6 guys beat the ####### out of one guy. Who cares what their respective colors are. The 6 should be punished.

Gary, I often agree with you but this time I think you should do a bit more diging into the whole story. Not all 6 kids beat the ####### of the one kid at once. Also the white kid was not beaten up that bad because he was treated and released a few hours latter. The alleged wounded kid was not so hurt as he sas able to attend a school fucntion that night.

Also why didnt the white kids get punished for a hate crime when they hung nooses to warn off the black kids from sitting underneath their "whites ONLY tree" again when all they wanted was to get some shade from the hot sun? All the black kids wanted was to get some to get some shade for the love of God. Fair is fair no? They were all equally fighting and I dont see why blacks should get locked and whites a slap on the hand. The black kids acted in self defense in countless ocassions in which the white kids started the fights, and the blacks kids acted in self defense. I think that if a ANY ONE CHASED ME DOWN THE STEET WITH A GUN TRYING TO KILL ME I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME. Wouldnt you struggle with the person pointing a gun at you, trying to kill you to take the weapon away? In that instance all the black kid did was struggled with the white one to take the the weapon away from him, and then he want and turned the gun into the police. What do the cops do then? Jail the black kid for theft of a fire arm, when in reality he took it away from a guy trying to shoot him down. Hello the kid went straight to the police to tell them what happened and to turn the gun in from some oen trying to kill him JUSTICE???? JAJAJAJA I have been following this story since last year and Im glad that it has finally broke into national attention. Maybe now justice can be served equally for ALL involved. BLACK AS WELL AS WHITE!