The New Jersey 4 Winning Victories

The following article will be a repost from my main blog www.BlackPerspective.net

But first, just to let you know, I'm working on Mychael Bell is free information. If he's not officially free right now, which it seems that he is; it's more than evident that he will be soon as the local High School in Carroll Louisiana is talking about him joining the football team. He was a star athlete at Jena High before all this; getting recruitment letters from major football programs across the country.

Convictions Overturned for 2 of the Jersey 4

Before the Jena 6 there were the Jersey 4. Last summer I brought you their story .

Here is the short of it, you can read the long version in the link above.

As Imani Henry wrote "Venice Brown (19), Terrain Dandridge (20), Patreese Johnson (20) and Renata Hill (24)—received sentences ranging from three-and-a-half to 11 years in prison. None of them had previous criminal records. Two of them are parents of small children." Their were charged in response to defending themselves against an attack by a man who's advacnce they had turned down on a Grenich village street.

Two of them have now had their convictions overturned.

Angry Brow Butch has the story of two of the victims release:

An appeals court on Thursday overturned the convictions of two women accused in the beating and stabbing of a man who they said made unwanted sexual advances to them in Greenwich Village two years ago.

One of the women, Terrain Dandridge, whom a jury found guilty of second-degree gang assault, had her conviction reversed and indictment dismissed; as a result she can no longer be tried on those charges. A four-judge panel of the Appellate Division in Manhattan ruled that there was not enough evidence to support a guilty verdict for Ms. Dandridge. She had been sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

The second woman, Renata Hill, who was found guilty of second-degree gang assault and third-degree assault, had her gang assault conviction vacated, but she can be retried on the charge. The court ruled that the judge’s instructions to the jury on the charge were erroneous and that therefore her conviction could not be upheld.

She was sentenced to eight years in prison, but if the Manhattan district attorney decides against further prosecution, she is likely to be released because the maximum penalty for the third-degree assault is a year and she has already been in prison longer than that.

I'm glad the one can't be tried again. I've suggested to my blogging comrades that we need to go hard and provide political support and cover to help bring pressure on the DA not to retry the other; and for something to be done for the two still locked up.

Mychael Bell is out of jail right now instead of spending years on lock down because of what we did. Shaquanda Cotton http://freeshaquandacotton.blogspot.com/ is home because of our political cover. Determined advocacy works.

I say let's get to it!

NAACP Accounting of Jena 6 Funds

The NAACP spent more than half the Jena 6 money they collected on themselves.

This is a copy and paste from an NAACP PDF file

You can read all of it if you like, but pay attention to the parts in bold. The words in brackets [ ] are my words.

Again, the report below is what the NAACP itself is say about how it spent the money, not what someone is saying about them.

THE NAACP’S ACCOUNTING OF FUNDS COLLECTED REGARDING JENA, LOUISIANA

Members of the NAACP, in keeping with the charge of our founders, stand against all forms of injustice.

Preamble, Constitution of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

For more than 98 years the NAACP has worked to ensure the equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and discrimination. The NAACP calls on all people to support democracy, dignity and freedom. Based on serious concerns about the events occurring in Jena, Louisiana, the NAACP took steps to make its units and members aware of the situation and to use its influence to assist the young men who were charged. Our efforts included chartering an NAACP Branch in LaSalle Parrish Louisiana in May, 2007, to tackle broad based issues affecting the larger African American community.
The NAACP undertook several initiatives:

• At the NAACP National Convention in Detroit, Michigan, delegates passed an Emergency Resolution expressing support and solidarity for the Jena Six, their families and the LaSalle Parish Branch of the NAACP; and demanding that the United States Department of Justice investigate and monitor the trial of the teenagers for any violations.

• On Monday, July 23, 2007, the NAACP began its internet campaign to draw national attention to the events in Jena.

• On Friday, July 27, 2007, the internet campaign was modified to give those visiting the website the option of donating directly to Jean Six defense funds established by the families and by other organizations. Visitors to the website were also given the option of donating directly to the NAACP to support its ongoing programs and initiatives. The modified site was introduced on Monday, July 30, 2007. Data on the webpage were updated as new developments occurred.

• More than 144,000 visitors viewed information about the events in Jena on the NAACP website.

• The NAACP started an on-line petition drive, to collect signatures to present to Louisiana Governor Katherine Blanco. Over 180,000 signatures were collected and presented to the Governor by the NAACP Louisiana State Conference President, Ernest Johnson.

• On September 19, 2007, a web link was placed on the NAACP website to allow visitors to view a live web cast of the historic September 20, 2007 March on Jena.

• The Louisiana State Conference of NAACP Branches led thousands of marchers to protest injustice in Jena. Joined by representatives of Rainbow Push, ACORN, The American Postal Workers Union, Alpha Phi Alpha, the faith community and

others, marchers made a bold and unified demand for justice. Dozens of NAACP units from Louisiana and from around the country, including Michigan, Arkansas, South Carolina and North Carolina, sent busses of NAACP members to participate in this historic event.

• On September 20, 2007, following the march, the NAACP sponsored a town hall meeting of national experts on the school to prison pipeline. The web cast was viewed by over 35,000 visitors.

Contributions received by the NAACP in response to the Jena Campaign include:

Internet Contributions: $ 8,782.00
Mail Contributions: $11,112.00
Total: $19,894.00 Mail contributions of $11,112.00 include a $10,000.00 donation from celebrity musician David Bowie.[So more than half their donation money came from one rich individual. Sorry, but that's not very effective fund raising by the old guard there]

Expenses related to support to the LaSalle Parrish Branch (travel, meetings and web cast) associated with the September 20, 2007 march and streaming video of the town hall meeting total:

$10,283.00 [I don't recall that site, which I viewed a few times back in the summer and fall of last year, notifying donors that there money would go towards support of branches and for meetings. The industry standard for over head is about 35% and many think that's too high.]

Excess of revenue over expense $ 9,611.00

The NAACP will provide a check in the amount of $10,000.00 in pro rata shares, to
the attorneys providing legal services to the Jena defendants. [So they took in 19,894 and spent 10,283 on themselves. That's 52% overhead. Even if you give the NAACP credit for the $389 they added to the pot, that's still 50% overhead]
Knowing that many young men and women of color outside Jena face discrimination in the criminal justice system, the NAACP has declared a State Of Emergency to call attention to the problem of unequal justice nationwide. We welcome the support and assistance of all likeminded individuals and organizations seeking systematic change and broad based solutions to racial injustice.

The NAACP and its members thank you for your continuing support and dedication to justice.

If I was an NAACP donor I’d be furious; but then again that’s why I’m not an NAACP donor.

Online Afrosphere organization Color of Change collected $212,000 dollars for the Jena 6, and they distributed $210,000 to Jena 6 lawyers.

And Jesse Jackson had the nerve to say:

“Internet bloggers can serve the meal better than they can farm,” Jackson said. “Farming requires tilling the soil, removing the debris, planting, being patient, letting it germinate. That’s the strength of labor unions and churches and civil rights organizations.”

I guess “serve the meal” also means distributing the money. Does generating the funds equate to "tilling the soil"; I think so?

The Black bloggosphere can pat itself on the back, becase we posted that Color of Change donation information all over the place.

Another Delay For the Jena Six - Judge Mauffray Hearing

So whatever happened to the constitutional right to a speedy trial? Charges were first leveled against them more than 17 months ago, and now another month long delay.

Lawyers in Jena 6 case seek judge's ouster

By Howard Witt | Tribune correspondent
8:40 AM CDT, May 31, 2008

OUSTON—Lawyers for the five remaining defendants facing trial in the racially divisive Jena 6 incident in Louisiana presented evidence Friday of what they said was bias on the part of the judge presiding over the cases and sought his removal.

After four hours of testimony, a visiting judge appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to hear the recusal motion against LaSalle Parish District Judge J.P. Mauffray asked for more evidence and postponed a ruling until at least July.

Defense attorneys have long asserted that the white-dominated justice system in the small central Louisiana town was biased against their African-American clients: six high school students who were initially charged with attempted murder in the December 2006 beating of a white classmate...

According to some of those present during Friday's hearing, defense attorneys testified that Mauffray had made prejudicial comments to them about their clients on multiple occasions. David Utter, who represents defendant Jesse Ray Beard, said Mauffray had labeled the Jena 6 defendants "a violent bunch" and had asserted that "crime has gone down" in the months after the youths were jailed on the beating charges.

When he was called to the witness stand, those present said, Mauffray appeared to concede that he had made such statements, testifying at various points that "I probably said that" and "I might have said that." But the judge maintained that he had not formed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the accused youths.

Mauffray "has proven through his testimony that he does harbor prejudice and prejudgment in these cases," said Derwyn Bunton, an attorney for Theodore Shaw. "We want a fair trial with a fair judge, and the hearing illustrated we cannot have that with Judge Mauffray."

Chicago Tribune article

The Jena 6 DVD Is Now Avaliable

Apparently there's a documentary out on the Jena 6 situation. I could find no background info about who produced it, or anything. It doesn't even have an IMDB page (Internet Movie Database)

The Blogger News Network has a short review saying in part that:

"The Jena 6 story is a disturbing one. This DVD explores the story in detail. When you examine the people involved, and the crimes committed, a rather disturbing trend emerges. If you are white, you are just exhibiting youthful exuberance, but if you are black, you are doomed.

The Jena Six story is one that everyone needs to understand, and this DVD gets right to the hub of the issue."

You can purchase it here

Louisiana Court To Hear Arguments on Recusing Jena 6 Judge Mauffrey

I told you about the motion to have Judge Mauffrey removed in my last post on May 8th. It Appears arguments will finally be heard on this on May 30th.


Lawyers accuse judge in ‘Jena 6′ trial of racial bias

(CNN) — A Louisiana appeals court has agreed to a request by attorneys for four of the “Jena Six” defendants to hear arguments that the trial judge in the case should be recused because of alleged racial prejudice.

District Judge Thomas Yeager will hear arguments next Friday for the recusal of Judge J.P. Mauffrey Jr., according to court documents released this week.

One of the attorneys, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the case in the small town of Jena, Louisiana, said the lawyers must prove “substantial bias” in their effort to have Mauffrey removed.

May Jena Six Update

This Jena 6 update for May is brought to you by the folks at TownTalk.com:

Motions delayed for 3 'Jena Six' defendants
By Abbey Brown

JENA ­-- On May 2, 2007, close to 20 people gathered in front of the LaSalle Parish Courthouse shouting, "Free the Jena Six!" for the first time.

The crowd, mostly family and friends of the six teens charged in a December 2006 incident at Jena High School, vowed to continue protesting until the students saw justice.

But more than a year later, only one of those six has faced a jury. And Tuesday brought another delay when scheduled motions for three defendants were continued pending an appeal from the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal filed by their attorneys.

Those representing Carwin Jones, Bryant Purvis and Theo Shaw said that 28th Judicial District Court Judge J.P. Mauffray Jr. had previously denied motions before him to recuse himself as the trial judge in their cases without a hearing. The attorneys feel Mauffray has an unfair bias in the case, according to motions filed.

His denial to their recusal request has been appealed to the 3rd Circuit, so Mauffray said he won't hear other motions until that appeal is decided.

Some of the motions scheduled by the attorneys and LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters included change of venue, permission to conduct a poll for change of venue and intent to use Purvis' Texas assault charge in his trial for the Dec. 4, 2006, assault on Justin Barker.

The attorneys said they hoped Jones, Purvis and Shaw's cases could be consolidated with the only pending juvenile case -- Jesse Ray Beard -- since all have the same recusal of Mauffray appeal pending. No trial date has been set for Robert Bailey Jr.'s case either...

Tina Jones, Purvis' mother, said her son is doing well and will graduate from his Dallas-area high school on June 8. Just last week, he went to his first prom, she said. Purvis has been looking at colleges, and the University of Kansas is currently his first choice, Tina Jones said.

Jena 6 Defendant Jesse Ray Beard Motions To Have Judge and DA Removed

Jesse Ray is the defendent who was 14 at the time and was always being handle as a juvenile while D.A. Reed Walters attempted to try the others as adults.

I try to follow up with my contact at Town Talk about the on going status of this motion in the next week.

Motion to remove judge, DA in 'Jena Six' case filed
Town Talk staff

Attorneys for Jesse Ray Beard, the youngest of the six Jena High students who have become known as the "Jena Six," filed motions Tuesday to recuse 28th Judicial District Court Judge J.P. Mauffray and LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters.

The motion to recuse Walters said the prosecutor "has shown on numerous occasions that he is so prejudiced and harbors such personal bias against Jesse Ray (Beard) and the other five African-American youths now known as the Jena 6, that he is incapable of fairly and impartially performing his duties as the district attorney."

The motion to recuse Mauffray said he "has made numerous statements, on numerous occasions, in different procedural postures, to numerous individuals, which make clear he has pre-judged not only Jesse Ray (Beard's) guilt, but the disposition for Jesse Ray (Beard) as well."

In juvenile proceedings, as Beard's case will be handled, there isn't a jury, just the juvenile judge. In LaSalle Parish that person is Mauffray.
"Millions of people turned their attention to the Jena Six last year, but at the end of the day the system itself has to go on trial," James Rucker said in a press release.

Rucker is the executive director of ColorOfChange.org, the 400,000-member group that advocated on behalf of the Jena Six. "Reed Walters and Judge Mauffray have behaved outrageously at every turn and violated the most basic principles of justice. There can be no justice in Jena with these men as its agents."

Beard faces juvenile charges of aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit the same in connection with the Dec. 4, 2006, attack on Justin Barker at Jena High that left Barker unconscious.