So there was this tree in Louisiana..............

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

Six black students at Jena High School in Central Louisiana were arrested last December after a school fight in which a white student was beaten and suffered a concussion and multiple bruises. The six black students were charged with attempted murder and conspiracy. They face up to 100 years in prison without parole. The fight took place amid mounting racial tension after a black student sat under a tree in the schoolyard where only white students sat. The next day three nooses were hanging from the tree. [includes rush transcript]
Jena is a small town nestled deep in the heart of Central Louisiana. Until recently, you may well have never heard of it. But this rural town of less than 4,000 people has become a focal point in the debate around issues of race and justice in this country.

Last December, six black students at Jena High School were arrested after a school fight in which a white student was beaten and suffered a concussion and multiple bruises. The six black students were charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy. They face up to 100 years in prison without parole. The Jena Six, as they have come to be known, range in age from 15 to 17 years old.

Just over a week ago, an all-white jury took less than two days to convict 17 year-old Mychal Bell, the first of the Jena Six to go on trial. He was convicted of aggravated battery and conspiracy charges and now faces up to 22 years in prison.

Black residents say that race has always been an issue in Jena, which is 85 percent white, and that the charges against the Jena Six are no exception.

The origins of the story can be traced back to early September when a black high school student requested permission to sit under a tree in the schoolyard where usually only white students sat. The next day three nooses were found hanging from the tree.

I did a search and this didn't come up. I am posting because I asked people around me if they know about it none of them did.

This shit is fucked up.

[Legend]

I posted a story about 6 white people who tortured a african american girl who was mentally retarded and just yesterday they announced that they weren't going to charge any of the 6 people with a hate crime,even though they were using racial slurs while they tortured her.

[blckhaze]

Damn shame. Makes your wonder what goes on in other countries for people to hold America on a pedestal and will give their arm to come here.

[GroobySteven]

Damn shame. Makes your wonder what goes on in other countries for people to hold America on a pedestal and will give their arm to come here.

They don't get the new reports on this! They watch "Rush Hour" and "Different Strokes" and think all is good in this country.

[TomSelis]

The Jena Six case has been swept under the rug and buried. It's making me believe that this country is going backwards racially.

[Baron Of Hell]

Depends on where you get your news. The interesting thing about this story is one of black students was attacked prior to this event. I believe the white kid pleaded guilty but didn't get any time. So many people were thinking the black kids were being treated different from the white kids.

Another thing to note is the white kid that was knocked out went to party that same night. Many of news outlet reporting these story leaves out the part with the kid going out the same night making it seem like the situation was far worst than it was.

[Harrys Boy]

I have heard about this story when I was in the states last week, I also heard another story at the same time about a guy who was in prison for 15 years having DNA test that proved he was innocent but still being re-tried! Crazy justice...

[Felicia Katt]

I posted a story about 6 white people who tortured a african american girl who was mentally retarded and just yesterday they announced that they weren't going to charge any of the 6 people with a hate crime,even though they were using racial slurs while they tortured her.
They were charged with more serious crimes with longer sentences than if they were charged with State hate crimes. And the victim had a prior relationship with one of her attackers, which makes the crime no less hateful, but which negates that it was done just because of race, but instead was the result of a more personal animosity.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5idxqh511E5lHfNvljI2sQ1H52W7g

FK

[Felicia Katt]

Six black students at Jena High School in Central Louisiana were arrested last December after a school fight in which a white student was beaten and suffered a concussion and multiple bruises. The six black students were charged with attempted murder and conspiracy. They face up to 100 years in prison without parole. The fight took place amid mounting racial tension after a black student sat under a tree in the schoolyard where only white students sat. The next day three nooses were hanging from the tree. [includes rush transcript]
Jena is a small town nestled deep in the heart of Central Louisiana. Until recently, you may well have never heard of it. But this rural town of less than 4,000 people has become a focal point in the debate around issues of race and justice in this country.

Last December, six black students at Jena High School were arrested after a school fight in which a white student was beaten and suffered a concussion and multiple bruises. The six black students were charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy. They face up to 100 years in prison without parole. The Jena Six, as they have come to be known, range in age from 15 to 17 years old.

Just over a week ago, an all-white jury took less than two days to convict 17 year-old Mychal Bell, the first of the Jena Six to go on trial. He was convicted of aggravated battery and conspiracy charges and now faces up to 22 years in prison.

Black residents say that race has always been an issue in Jena, which is 85 percent white, and that the charges against the Jena Six are no exception.

The origins of the story can be traced back to early September when a black high school student requested permission to sit under a tree in the schoolyard where usually only white students sat. The next day three nooses were found hanging from the tree.

I did a search and this didn't come up. I am posting because I asked people around me if they know about it none of them did.

This shit is fucked up.
I hadn't heard about it until I saw it on Bill Maher's show. Its like something out of the old South, and its a terrible abuse of power and a miscarriage of justice. Protests are being organized, its started to get some attention and hopefully some action will result soon.

FK

[StaggerLee]

Jason Whitlock on foxsports.com had a great article on this situation-very insightful, and controversial. It's a tragic story no matter how you look at it, but it's scary what it says about race relations in this country.

[TomSelis]

Well, they over-turned Michael Bell's trial and they are going to re-try his case in juvenile court. But I haven't heard anything about the other five boys yet.

[BeardedOne]

I read this and shake my head. :smh

As recently as five years ago, I heard of a southern hospital that still had segregated restrooms. :cry:

I frequently visit some of the regional railway museums and was recently on board one of the old New Orleans cars (New Yorkers may have seen NOPS 850 on display in Times Square recently) when the father of a black family asked me what the holes on the backs of the flip-over seats on the car were for.

Eager to share my knowledge of the old cars (Dating back to the 1920s) I also have some dread when I talk of the subject: The mounting holes, drilled in the brass fixtures on the backs of the seats, were for the old 'Jim Crow' signs. The conductor moved the signs forward and back, according to the direction of the car and the volume of passengers, to designate "White Only" and "Colored Only" seating in the car. Dallas and other southern cities used similar signange on their street railway cars and city buses.

Will we ever get away from this pointless bullshit? :cry:

[TomSelis]

The funny thing is, my family moved from the UK in the early 80's to escape things like that. I remember my older brothers getting in fights for just hanging out in a local chippy. Then I had to fight some kid's younger brother because they fought. We were all starting to get in a lot of trouble.