The Jena Six

[gumby_145]

Soooo there's this news story about an unfortunate incident in a racially tense town down in Louisiana. Apparently a group of black students went and sat at the "white tree" one day on the lawn. The next day, there were three nooses hanging from the tree. Very uncool. The students who did it were suspended for a number of days (an insufficient

Comments

[courtasaurusrex]

I have a plethora of issues with this case. I can see why you think it would be a completely different story if the roles had been reversed, but I don't think the punishment fits the crime at all. Yeah, the black students shouldn't have retaliated, but they hardly beat the shit out of the guy. He was sent to the hospital and treated for bruises and a minor concussion. He was released the same day and out partying that night.

If he was released the same day, why were the black students charged with second-degree attempted murder? That charge requires the use of a deadly weapon, and the prosecution argued that the boys' shoes qualified as deadly weapons. One of the students was also a minor, but charged as an adult. A minor charged as an adult for a school fight? Have you ever heard of a case where a school fight was not only brought to trial, but also on the charges of attempted murder? I feel like that is a little harsh.

And then there's the trial itself. How are a group of black students supposed to get a fair trial with a completely white jury that comes from a town that is known for its racism? If the students were granted a change of venire (which they should have been), it is very unlikely that they would have been charged as such.

If the tree incident followed by the school fight were the only aspects of this case, I would agree that it was blow out of proportion, but other incidents were also involved. How about the black student who was assaulted at a party? None of his attackers were even arrested, let alone charged with attempted murder. Or how about the white kid who pulled a shotgun on the black students at a convenience store? When the black kids wrestled the gun away and brought it to the police, they were charged with theft, but the kid who pulled the gun (which is reported to be unregistered) walked free. Don't they have a right to defend themselves? How is that justice?

In the end, I don't think any of the punishments that were imposed during the whole ordeal were appropriate. No one got what they deserved from the justice system in this case.

[gumby_145]

good points. And yes, I agree attempted murder charge was ludicrous and was rightly dismissed. I also agree that a change of venue would have been appropriate because believing justice is color blind is just naive. And while I do think that 15 years for a school yard fight is severe, the fact of the matter of this being racially charged does require more than a typical slap on the wrist that a playground fisticuff would normally draw. I was unaware of the other things that had taken place in that town and I agree that if those took place it was a failure of justice. As for the minor being tried as an adult, I think a 17 year old assaulting someone in a racially driven confrontation should be tried as an adult. The kid does need to do some time but I don't think 15 years is appropriate.