CBC Demands Pardon for Jena Six

My grandfather was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus back in the day. I supported the efforts of the CBC when I served as national president of an association of Black information technology professionals. However, it has been a long time since I've seen anything positive come from the CBC. As such, I was pleasantly surprised when fifteen CBC members asked Gov. Kathleen Blanco for clemency on behalf of Mychal Bell and the five members of the Jena Six. [source]

"We believe Mychal Bell and the Jena 6 have paid a sufficient debt to society for any transgressions they may have committed," Barbara Lee (D-CA) wrote in her letter on Wednesday. "The pardon power was regarded by the Founding Fathers as the 'power of grace' because of its capacity to bring about healing and reconciliation. That is what is sorely needed in Jena today."

Blanco's spokeswoman, Marie Centanni, is quoted by the Associated Press as saying that the governor is unable to grant pardons without a recommendation from the Louisiana Pardon Board. Oddly enough, a similar request made by the caucus to Blanco in September was received with a statement from Blanco's office saying the governor can only grant pardons after a person has been convicted and sentenced.

Scooter Libby received a commutation of his jail sentence ... and he will likely be pardoned in full by the president next year at this time. It is a shame that Gov. Blanco is a spineless government bureaucrat and not a true leader.

Anyhow, Villagers, do you agree with the CBC ... have the Jena 6 suffered enough punishment? Is a pardon the way to go at this point?

Mychal Bell of Jena Six Released Today

Mychal Bell was released from prison in Jena, LA today when his bail was reduced and the district attorney, Reed Walters, finally stopped piling on new charges and new excuses.

Villagers recall that Walters vowed to appeal the decision to turn Bell's case over to the juvenile system because of Bell's previous criminal convictions. He caved on that decision when he got a call from Gov. Kathleen Blanco, Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III.

However, Walters couldn't leave well enough alone. He got up at his press conference today and said,

"I firmly believe, and I'm confident of the fact that had it not been for the direct intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ last Thursday, a disaster would have happened."

The momentum continues to build for racial justice in Jena, LA. However, The AfroSpear remains vigilante. We can count on the mainstream media to go back to ignoring racial INjustice as soon as OJ emerges from hiding.

Any thoughts on the developments since the Jena march last week?

Mychal Bell of Jena Six Gets Good News from Kathleen Blanco, Al Sharpton and Reed Walters

Good news today for Mychal Bell. Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco announced that LaSalle Parrish DA Reed Walters would not contest the state appeals court ruling throwing out the adult convictions (calling for up to 15 years in prison) on Mychal Bell. The decision now must be made by Reed Walters on what he plans to do next with Bell and the other Jena Six juveniles.

Drumbeats came to us from Too Sense about the selective amnesia shown by Reed Walters in his recent New York Times op-ed. dNa wrote,

After completely ignoring the incident for months, a few white progressive bloggers declared Walters "reasonable" in his op-ed for the Times. But of course, since they just learned about the case on CNN, they have no idea how many other incidents of violence on behalf of white students Walters refused to prosecute. I wrote a very thorough rebuttal which notes that while Walters apparently thought the Jena Six's sneakers were deadly weapons, a beer bottle and shotgun in the hands of white person were not deemed to be similarly dangerous.

Click here to see the full rebuttal from dnA.

The momentum appears to be rolling in favor of the Jena Six. Hopefully this matter can be brought to a just conclusion in the near future. In the meantime, The AfroSpear will continue to monitor the situation.

Villagers, what is your take on the current Jena Six situation?

Support Jena 6: WEAR ALL BLACK on September 20

UPDATE: Click here to see videos of the Jena, LA protest!

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The lives of six young black men are being ruined by Jim Crow justice in Jena, Louisiana.

Community activists, concerned citizens and The AfroSpear will descend on Jena next week in protest of the barbaric felony charges filed on the Jena Six. It is estimated that up to 50,000 people will arrive in Jena 6 intent on having the charges reduced from felonies to misdemeanors, so these students can go back to school and not to jail. The destination of the protestors on September 20 will be on the steps of LaSalle Parish courthouse where Mychal Bell, 17, will receive his sentence. Take a moment to read the full story from The Washington Times.

We can help turn things around by making it a political liability for the authorities of Jena to continue the racist status quo, and by forcing the Governor of Louisiana to intervene. It is stunning to note that Gov. Kathleen Blanco continues to display stubborn and stupidity in her handling of this matter. She refuses to display leadership. Barack Obama spoke out on the Jena 6. Hilary Clinton and John Edwards issued statements a little later. The republican candidates won't even speak to African Americans at political debates ... so we are not surprised that they ignore the groundswell of anger and protest over the Jena 6.

Now the situation flows into this growing protest movement. Hopefully, Gov. Blanco will provide security for the 50,000 visitors to Jena, LA. After all, we already know that the District Attorney has refused to protect the rights of Jena's Black population and has turned the police and courts into instruments of intimidation and oppression.

Villagers, I'm going to pull out my black dress shirt and black pin-stripe suit that morning. How do you plan to show your support of the Jena 6 on September 20? Will you WEAR ALL BLACK on that day? Will you be able to travel to Jena, LA on that day? What say u?

Gov.Blanco Responds to Jena Six Pressure

I understand that part of the Jena 6 convictions have been reversed. However, the situation is still an example of small-town racist behavior much like we saw with the Scottsboro Boys. Click here if you need an overview of the Jena Six case.

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco's statement re Jena 6 has been shared by her press office. She writes,

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“I have received hundreds of calls, letters and emails from citizens concerned about the situation involving the case of the high school students in Jena, La. As Governor, as a citizen of the State of Louisiana, and as a mother, without rushing to judgment, I condemn racism in any form, and I fully expect that those involved in this case, including all parties, will act with fairness and in complete good faith.

“I must clear up a widespread misunderstanding of my authority in this case. Our State Constitution provides for three Branches of State Government - Legislative, Executive, and Judicial - and the Constitution prohibits anyone in one branch from exercising the powers of anyone in another branch. This issue is currently a matter in the Judicial System, and should those involved in this case suffer any defects, it is their right to address them in that system through the appeals court.

“Again, the oversight regarding how this case was handled, from arrest to prosecution, lies within the Justice System. Therefore, I have consulted Attorney General Charles Foti and Donald Washington, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, regarding these events in Jena. As a result, General Foti has been and is in consultation with U.S. Attorney Washington and other members of the Justice System. Regardless of the outcome of this case, the Jena community has much healing ahead of it, and I urge all those citizens to come together for the common good of their community and their state. Our children deserve nothing less."

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Villagers, have you ever seen such bureaucratic bullsh*t? The governor has the power to stop the prosecution of the Jena 6. She can drop all charges and pardon Mychal Bell. The governor must think that we are all as dumb as Booboo-the-fool. What good faith have we seen from the citizens or prosecutors in Jena? What is a rush to judgement when this racially-based prosecution has been allowed to proceed for almost a year.

It is no wonder that Gov. Blanco has been unable to rebuild New Orleans and other damages in her state from Hurricane Katrina. She is not much of a leader judging from her wimpy statement shown above.

Villagers, what say u? Will any of you be able to attend the march on September 20th?