Protesters Rally In Support Of "Jena 6"

Black Leaders Blast Justice System In Jena While Many Locals Resent Town's Racist Portrayal In The Media

(CBS/AP)  Thousands of chanting demonstrators filled the streets of this little Louisiana town Thursday in a massive show of support for six black teenagers initially charged with attempted murder in the beating of a white classmate.

Businesses and schools were shut down as demonstrators by the thousands poured into Jena, reports CBS News national correspondent Byron Pitts. Many drove day and night on buses from across the country: A caravan from Los Angeles, activists from Detroit, college kids from Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Houston, Atlanta and cities in between.

The mayor declared a state of emergency just so his city can qualify for the kinds of state resources he'll need to manage an event like this, adds Pitts.

The crowd broke into chants of "Free the Jena Six" as the Rev. Al Sharpton arrived at the local courthouse with family members of the arrested teens.

Martin Luther King III, son of the slain civil rights leader, said the scene was reminiscent of earlier civil rights struggles. He said punishment of some sort may be in order for the six defendants, but "the justice system isn't applied the same to all crimes and all people."

President Bush told reporters at the White House today that the events in Jena have "saddened" him. He says he can "understand the emotions."

The six teens were charged amid racial tensions that had been growing after the local prosecutor declined to charge three white teens who hung nooses in a tree on their high school grounds. Five of the black teens were initially charged with attempted murder in the December beating, but that charge was reduced to battery for all but one, who has yet to be arraigned; the sixth was charged as a juvenile.

"This is the most blatant example of disparity in the justice system that we've seen," Sharpton told The Early Show before arriving in Jena. "You can't have two standards of justice."

"We didn't bring race into it," he said. "Those that hung the nooses brought the race into it."

Sharpton, who helped organized the rally, said this could be the beginning of the 21st century's civil rights movement, one that would challenge disparities in the justice system.

Reed Walters, the district attorney who is prosecuting the teens, denied on Wednesday that racism was involved in the charges.

He said he didn't charge the white students accused of hanging the nooses because he could find no Louisiana law under which they could be charged. In the beating case, he said, four of the defendants were of adult age under Louisiana law and the only juvenile charged as an adult, Mychal Bell, had a prior criminal record.

"It is not, and never has been, about race," Walters said. "It is about finding justice for an innocent victim and holding people accountable for their actions."

The beating victim, Justin Barker, was knocked unconscious, his face badly swollen and bloodied, though he was able to attend a school function later that night.

Bell, 16 at the time of the attack, is the only one of the "Jena Six" to be tried so far. He was convicted on an aggravated second-degree battery count that could have sent him to prison for 15 years, but the conviction was overturned last week when a state appeals court said he should not have been tried as an adult.

Thursday's protest had been planned to coincide with Bell's sentencing, but organizers decided to press ahead even after the conviction was thrown out. Bell remains jailed while prosecutors prepare an appeal. He has been unable to meet the $90,000 bond.

"We all have family members about the age of these guys. We said it could have been one of them. We wanted to try to do something," said Angela Merrick, 36, who drove with three friends from Atlanta to protest the treatment of the teens.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke to a crowd Thursday morning. Dennis Courtland Hayes, interim president and CEO of the NAACP, compared the outcry over the Jena arrests to the controversy that followed racial remarks by radio personality Don Imus.

"People are saying, 'That's enough, and we're not taking it any more,' " Hayes said.

[cmp271]

That''s right there are two standards of justice in this country. When it comes to black beating a white the blacks get off every time. If not they yell and scream race until the justice system bows to them and lets them off. These kids are guilty of a hate crime and should be tried as any white who has beaten a black. They should be in jail. No matter how much you are provoked nothing excuses violence towards another because you can''t keep your anger in check. The nooses were wrong, they did not warrant almost beating a white kid to death.

LA had better do the right thing. The state will never get another dime from the rest of this country and shouldn''t. It is a racist against whites state, and during Katrina many whites stuck in the dome were also beaten by blacks.

The Duke boys should be suing Sharpton and Jackson, why aren''t they???

[pghlady3]

people need to be informed of the entire story before they make a*& of themselves protesting.
Why were new orleans colleges (xavier, dillard) allowing a ''group'' to come in and bus the students to a ''field trip'' ''as long as they held our signs'' ''you will get credit for being in school''. Just making the crowd look bigger than it really should have been. Shame on you mr sharpton!

[ms38654ob]

Call me crazy, but I can''t understand what the big deal is? A group of 6 thugs beat the heck out of a kid and they get arrested. End of story. It doesn''t make one whit of difference why they beat him, that isn''t even relevant, it''s the fact that they laid a single finger on the kid. That is called assault and there is no excuse under God''s earth or man''s laws for this behavior.

They should all serve time for their animal acts.

[ritabelle2]

We can''t have anyone - white or black - deciding to dispense their form of "justice". This is no different from OJ deciding that he could go in and take back "his stuff" under threat of violence. We have a enforcement system. If six whites had ganged up on a black teenager, Sharpton would be down there making sure they were punished and speaking out against the whites. Where is the justice in that? Is Sharpton saying it is only ok to beat up someone when you are black today in our country. Lets try for equal rights and real justice for everyone.

[feelfree1]

This is great to see! The racist scum in this country must know that their ignorant hate-based foolishness will not be tolerated!

Best of luck to the Jena 6, and nice job to these demonstrators!

In solidarity!

[sharncedar]

This is great to see! The racist scum in this country must know that their ignorant hate-based foolishness will not be tolerated!

Posted by FeelFree1 at 04:51 PM : Sep 20, 2007

I don''t think America''s leading racist, Al Sharpton, does know that. Actually, he seems to be tolerated pretty well, and this mob of violent rioters is being tolerated pretty well. I guess y''all ran out of black-on-black targets in your own neighborhoods, and decided to go "be black" in Jena, which means not working and committing acts of violence and intimidation all day. What''s the matter, didn''t have enough ho''s to beat this week? So y''all decided to go down to Jena and beat some whiteys?

[feelfree1]

SharnCedar,

I think that this is the first point that I have sharply disagreed with you on (the Jena 6, not necessarily about Sharpton).

Is a SharnCedar a "white only" tree?

[edward1975-2009]

I want to know why these youths have not been charged with a hate crime. Had it been 6 whites beating up a black, Jackson and Sharpton would have been screaming race. But neither find it racial when blacks committ this crime. And we wonder why race relations are so screwed up. Though I find the fact that nooses were hung at the high school, this does not give anybody the right to assault anyone. As a vet, I find it offensive to burn the flag, does this give me the right to assault everyone who does it? Absolutely not. So what gives here? And the fact that the Dumb Duo of Jackson and Sharpton are involved just makes it worse. We all seen how right they were in the Duke case, which is just a recent achievement to these two who promote racial disharmony.

[zootallures2]

White humans vs. da Black humans.... who will win the conquest for the planet? Tune in next week for more action and drama on: As The Morons Turn.

[waterandsand]

yea im not even sure why there protesting. I dont even think they know why thier protesting.

[besttyper]

People need to look at intent. They did not nearly beat him to death, otherwise he wouldn''t have been able to attend a school function later that same day. If 5 people have intend to harm one person, then that one person will be badly injured. Yes, battery is a crime and they should be punished, but I certainly do not see where they intended to "murder" anyone.

[samthetvcat]

I still can''t get over the fact that there are ''whites only'' trees and that if a black kid dares to sit under it there''s going to be a noose greeting him the next day . . . sickening! Maybe Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson shouldn''t have wasted so much time chasing cameras for photo ops the last decade or so and rooted out places like this so this didn''t have to happen in the first place. Aren''t there also still places that have segregated proms? wow

[silverfox126]

It is wonderful, the Reverend Al Sharpton (what congergation is he a reverend of his own?) and the other reverend, are endorising six teens that have beaten, one other teen. Now if Six WHITE teens BEAT One black TEEN they would be screaming life in prison. SIX BLACK TEENS BEAT ONE WHite teen they want the blacks freed. Funny how these reverends which are suppossed to be holy men, are endorsing violence, they display ignorance and make complete ***** of themselves once again on national TV. I dont think anyone told the residents of JENA LA that the circus was in town this week. Who''s selling popcorn, look honey here come the clowns.

[pezzman3]

I think it''s reverse racism to see a white kid get beat nearly to death and have a huge demonstration from black america saying, "the rules don''t apply to us". Shame on you.

[edward1975-2009]

What have Jackson and Sharpton ever accomplished other then to promote race hatred. Jackson is so above water he fathered a child out of wedlock ands tried to pay the mother off. Pillar of morals. Sharpton can''t find a microphone quick enough to see his face on TV. Has anyone heard them to date apologize to the Duke players yet, and you won''t. Boy did they slither out of town when that unravelled. And here we go again. I agree, here comes the clowns, I wonder which ones Bozo.

[samthetvcat]

Edward1975

The law and the justice system does not exact punishment for actions that were justified. If somebody commits a hate crime (hangs the noose) and isn''t held accountable by the justice system, then a hate crime that is perpetrated in response (the beating) then loses it''s moral right to be dealt with by that same justice system. The reason for this is because the US (and State) Constitition provides equal protection under the law . . .

As well, it''s a common remedy for Constitutional violations for people who have committed acts as high as murder to be acquitted even when they are guilty because the greater good of holding law enforcement and the powers that be in check is served. If police beat a guilty criminal to get a confession and that''s the only reason he was found guilty even though he was in fact guilty, that''s grounds for a reversal because police need to be taught that they need to make their case using other methods and that if the person is in fact guilty those other methods always exist but that they need to look harder . . . same lesson here - society can''t let racism fester and think that in today''s day and age this isn''t going to foster resentment.

[cryonbrian]

Once again you all sound like idiots! When it comes to racism in America....... no one ever is to blame! Just like the song says! Sad!

[mcvet]

What have Jackson and Sharpton ever accomplished other then to promote race hatred. Jackson is so above water he fathered a child out of wedlock ands tried to pay the mother off. Pillar of morals. Sharpton can''''t find a microphone quick enough to see his face on TV. Has anyone heard them to date apologize to the Duke players yet, and you won''''t. Boy did they slither out of town when that unravelled. And here we go again. I agree, here comes the clowns, I wonder which ones Bozo.


Posted by Edward1975 at 05

Why do you fascist always and I do mean ALWAYS attack the messenger? This isn''t about Jackson or anyone else but those blacks who attend that school. Anyone who was associated with this trashy area during the 60''s fully knows what those Ropes in that Tree were all about and THAT you pathetic NAZI is HATE, PURE outright HATE. People do NOT put Ropes in Trees in that part of the country for any other reason... so they got what they wanted and deserved. As for you? Try actually LIVING the meaning of our Constitution. Sieg Heil Y''all.

[rudy654-2009]

"Now if Six WHITE teens BEAT One black TEEN they would be screaming life in prison."

And if it were six BLACK teens that hung up three hangman nooses, threatening WHITE kids, you would be screaming for the dealth penalty instead of calling a silly kid''s prank. It goes both ways sweety!

[mercyme884]

Don''t you people get it yet. This is not about six black men beating the *** out of one white dude. Or is it about a shade tree to sit under.IT IS THE *** DEMOCRATS TRYING TO STIR THE LAZY BLACKS IN TO TROUBLE TO HIDE ALL THE FAILINGS OF THE DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR OFFICE. THESE DUDES REALLY WANT THE PRESIDENTS CHAIR BACK. And Hillary is promising health care for all Americans AGAIN. Didn''t Bill promise the same thing back when and even set Hilary up in a big government job to make it happen,HOHUM same old, same old still no national health care. But you gotta admire their persistance and for the young blacks trying to kill a young white dude, Send them up the River for 15 to twenty or maybe send them to Iraq to fight for their country.

[zootallures2]

How about applying the gay thing to race? Make going with the same race taboo or gay. Then we''ll all be mixed. Going with the same race is closer to incest even, right?

[pezzman3]

this vigilanti justice you speak of is nothing other than chaos. someone should have sought a legal remedy for the nooses. beating a kid severely who may or may not have had anything to do with it is not the answer and it deserves a more severe punishment than the nooses alone. It was the blatant disregard for the law and for life. It was the disregard for justice and equity. And above all it was personally directed at one individual they had deemed worthy of death. I say, lock them up and throw away the key.

[mcvet]

I think it''''s reverse racism to see a white kid get beat nearly to death and have a huge demonstration from black america saying, "the rules don''''t apply to us". Shame on you.


Posted by pezzman3 at 05:30 PM : Sep 20, 2007
+ report abuse

Ahhh Come on Klan Man! Don''t you want to talk about the WHOLE story there KLAN MAN? ROFLMAO You left out the part that CAUSED the White Kid to get his butt whooped didn''t you? You left out the part about the Ropes in the tree and all that. But what''s new about you in the Klan and leaving things that you don''t want to discuss OUT! They asked for this and they got it.... One thing is for sure, the next time one of these Trailer Trash Klan Members wants to hang a rope in a tree I''ll bet he THINKS a while on it! ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Grand Wizard!!

[rudy654-2009]

"By the way, where were all the black people in Mayberry?"

I don''t know about the black people, but one segment some gypsies came to town, and sheriff Andy was trying to run them off. Maybe that''s what happened to the African Americans, as well.

[mcvet]

Don''''t you people get it yet. This is not about six black men beating the *** out of one white dude. Or is it about a shade tree to sit under.IT IS THE *** DEMOCRATS TRYING TO STIR THE LAZY BLACKS IN TO TROUBLE TO HIDE ALL THE FAILINGS OF THE DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR OFFICE. THESE DUDES REALLY WANT THE PRESIDENTS CHAIR BACK. And Hillary is promising health care for all Americans AGAIN. Didn''''t Bill promise the same thing back when and even set Hilary up in a big government job to make it happen,HOHUM same old, same old still no national health care. But you gotta admire their persistance and for the young blacks trying to kill a young white dude, Send them up the River for 15 to twenty or maybe send them to Iraq to fight for their country.


Posted by Mercyme884 at 05:43 PM : Sep 20, 2007
+ report abuse

So in your very small and insignificant little mind this is about the White House? ROFLMAO You can''t imagine people actually caring about the Constitution and about Racism so bad that a tree is called a White''s tree and blacks being under that tree cause''s Ropes to be hung from it? You are really a Fascist aren''t you... I mean to you its about party and the Fuhrer. It also sounds like you agree with your fuhrer on the Constitution as well.... It''s just a piece of paper huh? ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Grand Wizard. Say sparky do you still have the hood and sheet? I know you types always hated to give them up... Sieg Heil Bush!!

[cryonbrian]

Only in America!

[ehearn1]

I would like to know what type of evidents did the attorney have to get the sentence that these young men recieved. I also want to know if the judge was asleep on the bench as all this was going on in his or her court. Because anyone with eyes can see the the punishment does not fit the crime. I think that the State Bar for Attorney''s in to investgate all the case that he has done where blacks are involved. Maybe all of his cases to be infact. I hope that these young men get the best Attorney''s so that theycan live good lives after this. My prayers goes out to all involved in this mees it should have been taken care of in the beginning andit would not have making it to this point. I blame everyone who is affiliated with the school district in Louisiana for all that''s happening in that state.

[rudy654-2009]

"beating a kid severely who may or may not have had anything to do with it is not the answer and it deserves a more severe punishment than the nooses alone."

Uh huh. And say some Muslim kids just happen to hang some nooses out in front of a bunch of white "Christian" students, and as a a result they got beaten for it? Then you would say, they got what they asked for, and you know you would.

[mcvet]

this vigilanti justice you speak of is nothing other than chaos. someone should have sought a legal remedy for the nooses. beating a kid severely who may or may not have had anything to do with it is not the answer and it deserves a more severe punishment than the nooses alone. It was the blatant disregard for the law and for life. It was the disregard for justice and equity. And above all it was personally directed at one individual they had deemed worthy of death. I say, lock them up and throw away the key.



Posted by pezzman3 at 05:44 PM : Sep 20, 2007
+ report abuse

You either know very little about American History or are part of the lower than life creatures who play to the racial hatreds that make up this area...hard to say which. To a Black in LA those ropes in that Tree MEANT one thing, they were going to be KILLED. These people put those ropes in that TREE for ONE reason... to show the Blacks in that school that they were second class citizens and yes they could be killed. The White that was attacked was NOT beaten to the point that he couldn''t attend a school function that night by the way. How about let''s get real here... and that State, to this DAY has NO hate crime law on the books making those ropes Illigal... wonder why? Sieg Heil Grand Wizard.

[pezzman3]

It''s interesting that MCVET has to be offensive and personally attack me. Thats what people do when they aren''t smart enough to argue the facts. And don''t think you can judge me. My family is biracial. You my friend are the bigot.

[rudy654-2009]

"I blame everyone who is affiliated with the school district in Louisiana for all that''''s happening in that state."

One thing people have to learn is that violence begets violence. That''s why the nooses resulted in more violence. One act of violence (it was no silly kid''s joke - in some countries you will go to prison for such jokes) resulted in more unfortunate violence. Somewhere, people have to learn to break the cycle, and not justify it.

[olebd]

Yeah boy, Sharpton doesn''t like the violence in rap music but it''s okay when some young brothers actually do beat up on a white boy.

[olebd]

Sharpton and Jackson do nothing but cheapen this demostration. Shame on MLK''s son for joining in. His dad was better than that.

[rudy654-2009]

"Yeah boy, Sharpton doesn''''t like the violence in rap music but it''''s okay when some young brothers actually do beat up on a white boy."

When did Sharpton say that?

[mcvet]

It''''s interesting that MCVET has to be offensive and personally attack me. Thats what people do when they aren''''t smart enough to argue the facts. And don''''t think you can judge me. My family is biracial. You my friend are the bigot.


Posted by pezzman3 at 05:53 PM : Sep 20, 2007
+ report abuse

How so sparky? I, as a young man, got on that bus at my college and rode it to Selma. I confronted these sub human creatures and said with a loud and strong voice YOU WILL stop Lynching, you will stop Bombing and you will stop Terrorism. I did this when it was perfectly acceptable to kill us in that part of the country, so tell me about how I''m a bigot there swastika Breath? What have YOU ever done to make sure that no black has to EVER see those ropes in the tree? Come on Klan Man tell us all about how you''ve worked for equal justice. My bet? You got to a Klan Rally every weekend. Sieg Heil Grand Wizard.

[vastr-wcon]

.
Fresh from their failure to lynch the innocent Duke Lacrosse players, the hypocrite, racist, hate-mongers "Hymietown" Jackson and the God Bigot "Tawana Brawley" Sharpton are once again trying to cash-in by spreading a pack of lies about a crime just to serve their own interests. (Only DickNBish are more chronic liars.) When this Amos and Andy team tried to lynch the innocent Duke Lacrosse players based solely on the word of a lying h''o they became responsible for that gross miscarriage of justice. They are again trying to pervert justice by getting six racist black racists set free after their heinous hate crime. Their actions are racism in its purist form. Americans have had enough of their lies, distortions and self-serving BS.

.

[Krazcarl]

The war protesters relieving the 60''s the blacks reliving the 60''s as I remember it wasn''t that much fun. Theres a picture of the white guy on yahoo news if you want to see what they did it was a severe beating.

[rudy654-2009]

"When this Amos and Andy team tried to lynch the innocent Duke Lacrosse players based solely on the word of a lying h''''o they became responsible for that gross miscarriage of justice."

Amos and Andy? Why, you''re no racist, are ya?

[mcvet]

The war protesters relieving the 60''''s the blacks reliving the 60''''s as I remember it wasn''''t that much fun. Theres a picture of the white guy on yahoo news if you want to see what they did it was a severe beating.


Posted by crzmeat at 06:01 PM : Sep 20, 2007

Well no it wasn''t that much fun for you fascist but it was a blast for those of us who actually BELIEVE in Equal Justice. Because you didn''t care enough to stop the Lynching and Bombing by these sub human creatures OF COURSE you don''t see the problem... why would you, being a fascist and all? Sieg Heil Grand Wizard.

[tibu987]

Until Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton stop inciting crowds for their own selfish and political reasons, the racial turmoil will continiue. Marches like the one in Jena does more to hurt the blacks than it does good.
Granted, there is not judicial parity for blacks. But feeding the flames of racial hatred often incurs more of the same.
There is an answer, better education for blacks and whites. All the marches, hallelujah''s, amen''s, and loud, righteous screaming, will do nothing to solve the problems.
Speak like an American, dress like an American, get an education like an American, those are the things that will aid in combatting rascism. Turn in the drug dealers and users in your neighborhood''s, stem the tide of pregnancies for the sake on receiving welfare money, find jobs for working fathers, and educate them so there will less fatherless children.
A lot of things to do, but they have never been tried. Jackson and Sharpton should turn their efforts to that. Rascism will not go away in our lifetime, but perhaps, one day, it will go away.

[lckmstr4u]

once again ,white america has covered up and tried to justify there racist attitudes and actions, no where other than the american south, can a black person get double/triple the punishment for a crime that white folks get a slap on the hand or just some stern words for the same offense., T o those who don''t know or have the facts twisted, this happened last year, with a noose being hung in a tree on a public ,integrated high school, then, a so-called armed robbery of a white dude who was brandishing a shotgun ,the youths took the shot gun fom him ,instead of the white guy being charged with carrying without a permit or pointing a weapon or assult by pointing, the black kids were charged with theft,robbery...then it was a party of mostly white kids,were some black kids got beat up for trying to attend this party ...THEN the single white kid got his *** whipped in retaliation for the fight at the party...so wheres the equal justice, as any one can see the racist attitude run deep in Jena,la and yes the white citizens really do want this to go away, whenever you expose a racist they always run from the light like roaches,the towns 3000, residents are waiting for all the news stations and black folks from out of town to go back where their from so things can go back to normal.

[name_verify]

IS THIS ABOUT THE NEGRO PROBLEM AGAIN?

[name_verify]

MCVet got locked out of posting comments on CBS News for the previous day because he is a hated Lib.

LMAO

[rudy654-2009]

"Until Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton stop inciting crowds"

What is it that they are supposedly "inciting crowds" to do? Could you elaborate, please?

[whatithink-2009]

rudy654,

"Demonization is the characterization of individuals, groups, or political bodies as evil or subhuman for purposes of justifying and making plausible an attack, whether in the form of character assassination, scapegoating, legal action, circumscribing of political liberties, or warfare. he purpose of demonization is to facilitate oppressive actions against the demonized individual or group, ranging from ostracism to genocide. One purpose of the demonization of individuals - as opposed to groups - is to divert attention from their arguments, and discredit them personally by ad hominem attacks. Alleging that they are fascists, communists, racists, religious fanatics or some other despised category of individuals is particularly effective not only in undermining individuals with controversial views, but in isolating them from public support."

- As long as the focus can be kept on a few individuals, discussing the real problems can be avoided.

[rudy654-2009]

lckmstr4u: thanks for putting it into to proper perspective. You are exactly right. Once some white men beat to death and Native American kid, and all they got was 6 months for unintentional manslaughter, despite the fact that their intention that day was to find an Indian and beat him. As you can see, when punishment goes in the reverse, it''s much more lenient for those who are white. Research has shown this to be true over and over again.

[whatithink-2009]

ImpeachNOW,

If you want to know about lynchings read Without Sanctuary. Many people got away with murder and nobody complained.

[rudy654-2009]

"The NAACP, which is aligning with La Raza (as in the Kansas City Minuteman issue), seems determined to create a race war in the US with their outrageous efforts in creating miscarriages of justice ("lynch the Duke Lacrosse players".)"

Could you please show proof that the NAACP or La RAZA want to incite a race war? I know that neo-nazi skinhead and militia organizations do indeed promote that, so please elaborate.

[griggsy1947]

What about the victim? Justice for him and them!

[whatithink-2009]

A town having a "Whites Only" tree is not about racism, it''s about state''s rights. This is all being trumphet up by that *** race-baiting NAACP and that commie agitator Martin Luther King.

Oops. Flashback 1960.