where are the jena six now

63-88 in Racialized Protest and the State: Resistance and Repression in a Divided America, edited by H. Johnston and P. Oliver. On Dec. 4, 2006, six Black teenagers, now known as the Jena Six were accused of beating up a fellow white student Justin Barker, who was hospitalized and suffered a swollen eye and a concussion . On Tuesday September 5, four students were arrested: Carwin Jones, Robert Bailey Jr, Theo Shaw and an unnamed juvenile. As notorious black youth go, Marshall Coulter can't hold a candle to Theodore Shaw. Blogs listed in this article include Traycees World; http://trayceejackson.blogspot.com ; something nascent21 said on blogspot.myspace.com ; Kevin Covin on Facing South, a blog published on the Institute for Southern Studies website http://southernstudies.org ; Invisible 1 from Princeton, W. Va., said on the Welch Forum at www.topix.net We have not determined whether traces of these blogs can be found now. Beard has since gone on to Hofstra, where he earned an academic scholarship, is pursuing legal studies and business, and plays on the lacrosse team. Kvasney et al. A July 30, 2007 NPR All Things Considered radio show transcript says that Brown reported on the story on his show, which is broadcast throughout most of Louisiana. Nearly 5 Years Later, Most or All of Jena. These local protests were not covered by the AP. The Sacramento Observer quotes Sharpton as saying he would keep coming back to the town until justice rains down like water; this phrasing is not in the AP version. Official Sought to Clear up Jena Six Misinformation. in The Town Talk. He sued the defendants and was awarded $22,000 for medical bills and $7,000 in damages. By Andy Newman. "I'd file a motion and then (the court) would respond," he said. Road closed due to bridge maintenance work on Purdy Rd both ways between Acadia Rd and Kill Rd. Some descriptions say Barker was first knocked unconscious from behind and then kicked. That same retrospective 2008 article continues: Though well-intended, their outcome paled in comparison to the whirlwind of support that followed as a result of Internet campaigns. But where did those Internet campaigns come from? The Jena 6. But beyond that, I dont think of it much anymore., ABAJournal.com (Sept. 2007): 1000s Protest in Jena (and Elsewhere), ABAJournal.com (Nov. 2007): Judge Opens Jena 6 Juvenile Trial, Citizens March on DOJ, ABAJournal.com (Dec. 2007): Bell Gets 18 Months in Jena 6 Plea Deal, We 'live on a pro se planet;' 5th Circuit allows parents to sometimes represent children without lawyers, Rights Work: UChicago constitutional law course brings together incarcerated youths, law students, Former Cohen Milstein partner who led firm's sex-abuse team charged with child-porn possession, Judge Ernestine Gray created a model court that put New Orleans children and families first, Arrests without formal charges or convictions no longer have to be disclosed by would-be lawyers in New York. This fight occurred at a local quick market, although one account moved it to the school. There is vague mention of them being ignored, but no mention at all of the work they did to eventually get attention. The case against the teens became for many a symbol of racial discrimination in the justice system -- attempted murder charges for what supporters called a schoolyard fight. As an anecdotal data point suggesting that the interest was multigenerational and that the mobilizing was done on a short timeline, sociologist Aisha Upton-Azzam said in a personal communication that she took a Chicago bus to the Jena protest after her grandmother learned about it from the Facebook page. Toward the end of August, a few news sources were reporting the information that Mychal Bell had previous juvenile convictions for assaults and was on probation for them. This article also says Civil rights groups, including the NAACP and Friends of Justice plan to rally at the Jena courthouse on September 20, saying Their web sties anticipate busloads of marchers from across the country. On September 13, the Washington Informer called for a day of action on September 20 and described the previous protest at Howard. Flaherty is a writer who is affiliated with the Louisiana Justice Institute, a nonprofit civil rights legal advocacy organization devoted to fostering social justice campaigns across Louisiana. Learn how your comment data is processed. Theodore Show, one of the so-called "Jena 6," now counsels juvenile offenders as part of his job with the Southern Poverty Law Center. early September) and that her grandmother paid her bus fare. About Jena Downtown Tour Historic Tour History of Jena Our Rural Settings Residential Area Tour Community Guide: Recreation Parks Senior Citizen Center Skating Rink Splash Pad Walking Trails Parks and Recreation Tour: General Information . "Jena 6" Case Ends With Plea - CBS News NOTE: Since writing this blog I have gained more information and have written a longer paper with more details that gives a somewhat different slant on some events. These days he works on an oil rig in Texas seven days on, seven off and helps his father cut timber when he's home. A table in the paper lists all the blog titles but not their dates or URLs. Although he was beaten, the Town Talk describes Robert Bailey as involved, not as a victim. Paeyton and Kvasney (2012) report examining five Black blogs with high rankings by the 2008 Black Blog Rankings: Pams House Blend, Nah Right, Bossip, Concrete Loop, And Oliver Willis.They identified 38 blog posts discussing Jena. Although there are references in some accounts to what the local Jena newspaper said, it does not appear to be archived. The names of the juveniles still had not been released. And, if so, how? Three continued to sit in jail. Was it a hate crime or just a prank? Other delegations from across Louisiana included members of INCITE Women of Colour Against Violence, Critical Resistance, Common Ground and Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. All Rights Reserved. Contemporaneous Town Talk accounts say that someone was injured and others arrested. Sponsored: Dr. Phil McGraw Teams Up With Sundae To Help Homeowners Sell As-Is. list ColorOfChange as the crucial organizer and also cite Black political blogs Oliver Willis and Pams House Blend as central. Required fields are marked *. On Wednesday, two more juveniles were arrested. Jena - Wikipedia One of the talks was scheduled for Wednesday March 8 in Jena. In September 2006, Jena became the focus of national news stories in the United States for a racial controversy involving its school system and a group of students known as the Jena Six. A Matter of Colour. Morning Star Online, August 15. Because Jena is so small, those who went to Louisiana on buses generally gathered in Alexandria, where there were additional rallies that supplement the Jena marches. The first news stories about the case were published in May. Most likely bloggers started picking up the story after those May articles and June bloggers may have played some role in amplifying it. The white victim of the Jena 6 attack, Justin Barker, is now 22 and working on an oil rig. The failure to punish the noose-hangers or the attempted murder charge? Shaw also maintained his innocence, claiming he was not involved in the fight. Things have mostly gotten back to normal in this community of about 3,000 people, which became the site of a massive civil rights protest that attracted thousands in September 2007, nine months after six black students who became known as the "Jena Six" were charged with attempted murder after a white classmate was severely beaten. He could only be charged as an adult because of the attempted murder charge; the aggravated battery charge would require that he be tried as a juvenile. An article dated July 26 in the Washington Informer reports that the NAACP passed an emergency resolution at its convention supporting the Jena 6 and saying it will provide resources; the article mentions the prior efforts of the Louisiana NAACP. All rights reserved. News reports specifically mentioned the organizing that was happening to get people to Jena and other locations for rallies on September 20, including claims that the Nation of Islam was organizing, that there was a preparatory meeting in Dallas, and that there were multiple letter writing and petition campaigns. Blogs help drive Jena protest, Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL). The Friends of Justice website[5] says At the request of affected families in Jena, Friends of Justice director Alan Bean conducted a thorough investigation of the case and created an aggressive justice coalition involving Friends of Justice, the Louisiana branches of the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Those who were out on bail cobbled together alternate schooling. Give us feedback, share a story tip or update, or report an error. This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. This small Louisiana town doesn't look much different than it did five years ago: The same small businesses open their doors six days a week, except for Sundays, when most people. [5] https://friendsofjustice.blog/completed-campaigns/. "I have put all that behind me.". The more immediate potential precipitants of the December 4 incident were fights involving some of the same people that occurred on December 1 and 2. Shaw was eager to talk about Coulter not because he believes the teenager is innocent. Indeed, the whole country came to know of the allegations against him. And then the episode was over. "But beyond that, I don't think of it much anymore.". Some sources say that Black and White students blamed each other for the fire. As noted above, talk radio host Michael Baisden specifically said he heard about the case in August from emails he received, and then decided to promote the case and help organize bus transportation. On December 15, juvenile Mychal Bell was moved into the adult system and given a $90,000 bail. "It was more extreme because I knew I didn't commit the crime. "That first year was very, very hard for him," said Alan Howard, the attorney with whom Beard lives. "I would say we kind of put pressure on the officials and everybody that run the town to make a change," Purvis added. In an August 15 story[8], Jordan Flaherty says that more support for the Jena case has come in after the July 31 demonstration. Our newswire stories dont really pick up again until mid-September and are mostly focusing on the progress of the case, with mentions that a protest is planned for September 20. He was convicted, but that decision was set aside. "I was the only one there voicing support for Justin and his folks.". Some narratives connect the events with the assertion that there were escalating tensions or ongoing fights. [7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVOq-p72vO4 The YouTube video is a screenshot of a White man and woman interviewing Tony Brown over the phone. "That's the only time that whole thing comes up," Barker said, sitting in the dining area of his tidy new trailer. (Most Black newspapers are published weekly rather than daily and many have a lag between when the stories were written and their publication dates.) The Jena Six were Black teens who were charged with attempted murder after the beating of a fellow student at Jena High School in Louisiana. There are at least two interesting narratives to trace in the case. Both took months to heal, and he still deals with TMJ a popping in the joint where the jaw connects to the skull. An article in the Tri-State Defender with publication date July 19, written by reporter Wiley Henry retells the story as it appeared in the May articles, cites Alan Bean as having rallied African American and white churches in Jena in pursuit of justice, and provides updates indicating that money has been raised to post bond for Robert Bailey in April and Theodore Shaw in July. But the narrative about the Jena Six was intentionally constructed by local activists seeking outside support for an instance of what they saw as racially motivated overcharging of Black youths by linking it to a broader story that involved the nooses. What was the impact of the Jena mobilization? Retrieved January 26, 2009 from http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-jena_blog_web19,0,4309628.story, [11] Oliver, Pamela. Robert McDuff and Derwyn Bunton, Shaw's attorneys, later helped him apply to college. 2023 Belmont Stakes results, winner: Arcangelo sprints by National You've heard the news and read the headlines. There are at least two interesting narratives to trace in the case. Several other cases of hate crimes or unfair justice or police violence were folded into the discourse. 'Jena Six' defendant is confident Marshall Coulter can change: Jarvis DeBerry. A few accounts assert that the jury chosen for May 21 was majority Black and assert that the district attorney conveniently became ill. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Reed Walters, the LaSalle Parish District Attorney since 1991, said he believes the incident drew the town closer together, including the march. The trial is scheduled for May 21. December 5, 2007 Mychal Bell, one of the "Jena Six," has accepted a plea bargain as one of six black teenage boys accused of beating a white classmate after a series of racially motivated. Road closed due to bridge maintenance work on CR-150 both ways between OH-195 and Township Road 55. The Town Talk published two more articles on September 12 and 19 that described parents concerned about the nooses seeking unsuccessfully to be heard at a school board meeting on September 11 and then being allowed to speak for five minutes on September 18, with nothing being done afterwards. These days, town officials are focused on ensuring there is a high quality of life in Jena. After the national protests and after the charges were reduced, Shaw and four others eventually pleaded no contest to simple battery, a misdemeanor. 'Jena Six' teen now an SPLC community advocate An article published at the end of August 2007 titled Bloggers put Jena Six case on blast in the Baltimore Afro-American gives an entirely different list of blogs including quotations from what seem to be comments. [4] Brown, Abbey. The APs writer Mary Foster covered the trial with stories on June 26, 27 and 28. Demonstrators were furious with disparities in the criminal justice system, which they said often resulted in harsher, more unjust charges and sentences for Black people compared with white people.
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