According to Howard Witt of the Chicago Tribune, Judge J.P. Mauffray in Jena, La. threw out a conspiracy conviction against Mychal Bell, one of the Jena 6.  Judge Mauffray granted  a defense motion that Bell's June trial was improperly held in adult court and should instead have been conducted as a juvenile proceeding.

Witt goes on to say that Mauffray let stand Bell's conviction on aggravated second-degree battery.  The 17-year-old faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 20.  On that date protesters from around the nation plan to ascend on Jena in defense of the six African-American males in the case.

See Mr. Witt September 5 Tribune story by clicking here. 

See the more of the Tribune's coverage of Jena here.