A year ago, Mychal Bell was known in Jena, La., simply as a 16-year-old sophomore at Jena High School and a winning starter on its football team. Today, known as one of the young men called the Jena Six, he stands convicted of aggravated second-degree battery and faces up to 22 years in prison. A rally is scheduled in Jena on Sept. 20 in conjunction with universities and individuals who wish to support the six.
According to accounts of the developments, their case began on Aug. 31, 2006, when a Black student in Jena asked permission to sit underneath what was understood to be the “white” tree at school — and he did. The next day, three nooses were found hanging from the tree. Three White students were held responsible and the principal recommended that they be expelled. The school board and superintendent, however, decided that an in-school suspension would suffice.
Outraged, Black students organized a protest and, again, sat underneath the “White” tree. Two incidents took place the next weekend.
On the Friday night, Robert Bailey, one of the six, was punched and kicked at a party attended by mostly White students. Then, Saturday, a confrontation took place between a group of Black students and one of the White students involved in Friday’s fight.
Once back at school, Justin Barker, a White student, teased Bailey about getting beaten Friday night and used racial slurs to do so. One student punched Barker in the back of the head and others kicked him while he was down, leaving him unconscious. An ambulance arrived to pick Barker up, but he was never officially hospitalized and, later that night, went to a school function.
Six Black students were arrested over the Dec. 4 school fight and their bonds were set. The highest reached $138,000.
Bell and the other five were charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy in the fight with Justin Barker. On Sept. 4, charges for Carwin Jones and Theo Shaw were reduced to aggravated-second degree battery, The Associated Press reported, citing a media report.
