tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133445213403685266.post7919477910795689309..comments2024-03-28T00:14:55.509-07:00Comments on The Jena 6 Blog: Justice should be blind, but unfortunately, prosecutors are notYobachihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16151249328042613857noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133445213403685266.post-53125799787340879602007-10-16T09:39:00.000-07:002007-10-16T09:39:00.000-07:00The latest outrageous example of racial bigotry is...The latest outrageous example of racial bigotry is that Al Sharpton is speaking to Congress asking for tougher hate-crime laws. Imagine! After spending several weeks campaigning to free the Jena 6 from the consequences of THEIR hate crime, he still sees himself as the anti-racial crusader. Last I checked, racism was wrong REGARDLESS of the skin color of those who practice it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133445213403685266.post-11399147855654721842007-10-12T16:05:00.000-07:002007-10-12T16:05:00.000-07:00SO, come to find out the criminal (Mychal Bell) th...SO, come to find out the criminal (Mychal Bell) that we're all trying to save is now sentenced to 18 months for assault and vandalism in a case prior to his beating of the poor white boy (the true victim of racism). Why wasn't this addressed publicly? Stop playing the role of victim. Stop being a criminal. Pay your dues and change your ways.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133445213403685266.post-62833275186699838582007-10-10T19:15:00.000-07:002007-10-10T19:15:00.000-07:00anonymous coward, I’ve already answered all this b...anonymous coward, I’ve already answered all this balderdash before here - http://thejena6blog.blogspot.com/2007/10/claimed-facts-are-not-necessarily-facts.html and here - http://thejena6blog.blogspot.com/2007/09/justin-barker-true-victim-in-jena-6.html<BR/><BR/>Do you believe everything someone in government says? You must still believe there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, that Nixon's wasn't a crook, and that the Pope is infallible. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for looking at this case with your eye of critical thinking.Yobachihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151249328042613857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133445213403685266.post-22580755994912743962007-10-10T19:13:00.000-07:002007-10-10T19:13:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Yobachihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151249328042613857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1133445213403685266.post-20133869513708263222007-10-10T17:18:00.000-07:002007-10-10T17:18:00.000-07:00The Justice Department investigated the noose-hang...The Justice Department investigated the noose-hanging incident and determined that it did not fall within federal guidelines for a hate crime. Following the Jena High School beating incident, the Justice Department reopened its investigation and found no link between the noose-hanging incident and the assault on Justin Barker or other confrontations between black and white students at Jena High School. Donald Washington, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, told CNN that "A lot of things happened between the noose hanging and the fight occurring, and we have arrived at the conclusion that the fight itself had no connection." He added that "We could not prove that, because the statements of the students themselves do not make any mention of nooses, of trees, of the 'N' word or any other word of racial hate." The CNN story ("U.S. Attorney: Nooses, Beating at Jen High Not Related") is<BR/>online at http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/09/19/jena.six.link/index.html<BR/><BR/><BR/>There is no connection between the nooses and the attack on Barker. According to witness statements, the black students were angry because they overhead Barker talking about a fight at a private party that involved Robert Bailey, a member of the Jena Six. Police arrested Justin Sloan, a white 22-year-old male, in connection with the fight and charged him with simple battery. He pled guilty and was place on parole. So far, Sloan is the only person convicted and sentenced for any of the Jena Six events. Police have refuted allegations that Sloan hit Bailey with a bottle, and in his statement to police Bailey merely alleges that Sloan hit him, he doesn't mention being hit with a bottle. (It’s unclear why Windham was not charged.) The simple battery charge was appropriate because Sloan did not use a weapon and no serious injuries were inflicted; Bailey required no medical attention. Virtually everyone convicted of simple battery, regardless of race, is placed on parole provided it's a first offense. Mychal Bell, for example, was on parole at the time of the beating incident at Jena High School. To date, Sloan is the only person to have been sentenced in connection with the Jena Six events.<BR/><BR/>The charge of attempted murder was dropped before Mychal Bell went to trail and should no longer be part of the controversy over whether the Jena Six have been inappropriately charged. They are charged with aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery. One of three circumstances or a combination of three circumstances elevates simple battery to aggravated battery: (1) a deadly weapon was used, (2) sever injuries were inflicted, or (3) the victim was vulnerable (helpless or defenseless). In some states, simple battery becomes aggravated battery if "the offense occurred in a public transit vehicle or station, school zone, or other protected place," but I don't know if this applies in Louisiana. <BR/><BR/>Four of the Jena six were over 17 at the time of the beating incidence. Trying them in juvenile court is not an option; by law they must be tried as adults. <BR/><BR/>The argument that shoes constitute deadly weapons has legal precedence. Courts have ruled that shoes constitute deadly weapons in cases where victims were kicked to death. (Carol Swan, a professor of political science at Vanderbilt University, has posted the story of her brother's death on the university's official website (http://www.vanderbilt.edu/news/releases?id=37643. He was kicked to death by teenagers wearing sneakers.) However, the prosecution will not have to convince the jury that shoes qualify as deadly weapons to prove aggravated assault.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com