Nov 24, 2007
Chicago Tribune and other media win suit to open Jena 6 case to public
Categories: African-American, Jena 6, Justice/Law Enforcement
Written By: Shawn Williams
See News media win suit to open Jena 6 case, an article that appeared in Thursday's Chicago Tribune.
Some of the highlights from the Howard Witt article:
- A judge ruled Wednesday that the public and the news media should have full access to all legal proceedings involving Mychal Bell…whose prosecution had been shrouded in secrecy on orders of the trial judge.
- …Rapides Parish District Judge Thomas Yeager ordered that Bell's upcoming criminal trial, as well as any pretrial hearings, must be open to the press and the public. Yeager also ordered that the court record and transcripts of any closed proceedings held so far be made available to the news media, and that attorneys for Bell be released from the trial judge's gag order…
- It was the second major setback for Mauffray in the Bell case. Last June, Mauffray presided when Bell was convicted as an adult on the battery and conspiracy charges. An appellate court later vacated that conviction, ruling that Jena District Attorney Reed Walters and Mauffray had improperly tried Bell as an adult rather than a juvenile.
- "It's not discretionary, it's mandatory," Yeager said. "[Mauffray] should open the proceedings and he should open the court records. It's not a confidential case."
There is no doubt that the justice system in Jena is trying to railroad these young men.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:12 pm
On September 13, 2006, a 14 year old African American boy was thrown down and injured by a Paris High school teacher who is also a school police officer. The child received injuries resulting in a visit to the ER because he attended his brother’s football game with assistant principal Althea Dixon claiming he shouldn’t have been at the game because earlier in the year he had been in ISS. Rather than the adult being disciplined, the child was punished. Now a year later, the student is to stand trial for “trespassing”. Is this the type of “education” we can expect for our children now? Its time to stand up for our children. School is supposed to be a highway that leads to higher learning, not a highway into prison.
now the same child is locked up
IN LAMAR COUNTY JAIL FOR AGG ROBBERY,ENGAGE IN ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, UNL CARRYING WEAPON AND BOND SET AT 250000.00 , 250000.00 ,2500.00
This Is The Child That The Officer Beat Up And The Judge That Set His Bond This High Is The Sister-in-law Of The Officer.
It’s Hard On Poor Blacks And White Family To Win A Case Around Here We Have No Chance I’m Not Smart But I See And Hear,Learn.What I Don’t Understand,Is How Much Influence Should Police Be Able To Use If No Eye Witness Is Available Or No Clear Audio Video Tape Can Give A Positive I.D. Of The Accused Defendants! Given What You Find Out From The Discovery You Shall Be Able To Apply Outside Pressure To Ensure Fair Treatment.The Traffic Stop Should Be Examined Closely. If They Stated That They Made The Stop For A Faulty Tail Lite It Should Show The Rear Of The Car Being Pulled Over And It Would Reveal The Tail Lights On The Cruiser’s Video.Audio/Video Is Automatically Activated On The Police Cars When The Red & Blue Lights Come On So It Should Have Been Recorded! If The Police Can Not Prove That A Tail Light Was Out Then A ILegal Traffic Stop Occured And If This Is Shown To Be True Then All Evidence Found There After Is No Good Based Upon The Rules Of Evidence Placed On A Person.
REGARDING THIS CASE AGAINST MY SON THE POLICE IS APPLYING A TACTIC THAT HAS BECOME STANDARD PRACTICE AGAINST AFRICAN AMERICANS IN LAMAR COUNTY.WHEN THE EVIDENCE IS VERY WEAK THEY WILL HAVE EXCESSIVE BOND AMOUNTS PLACED ON THE PEOPLE THEY BELIEVE ARE GUILTY OF SOME CHARGE SIMPLY ON IT’S WHAT THEY BELIEVE NOT ON THE MERITS OF THE CASE ITSELF! THIS STANDARD APPLIES MORE AGGRESSIVELY TO BLACKS. CINDY RUTHART IS THE PRIMARY JUSTICE OF THE PEACE WHO SETS SUCH HIGH BONDS AT THE REGUEST OF POLICE OR D.A. OFFICE.THIS IN IT SELF IS UNCONSTITATIONAL.BAIL IS TO BE USED TO ENSURE A CITIZEN OF THE U.S. WILL APPEAR IN COURT,NOT TO ASSESS A FORM OF PUNISHMENT OF AGGRESSIVE RESTRAINT FROM FREEDOM LAMAR COUNTY JUSTICE SYSTEM TAKES AWAY THE BASIC RIGHTS OF BEING INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY WHEN THEY DO THIS! THE LAW IS BASICALLY BREAKING THE LAW.THERE IS ALSO A PRACTICE OF POLICE CONTACTING THE LOCAL BONDSMEN & INFLUENCING THEM TO DECLINE SIGNING FOR BAIL ON CERAIN INDIVIDUALS.ILLEGAL INFLUENCE AT IT’S BEST.SEE FOR SUCH HIGH BONDS TO BE SET,THERE SHOULD BE EVIDENCE OF A FEAR OF THOSE CHARGED BEING FLIGHT RISKS OR A ABSOLUTE THREAT TO OTHERS (PUBLIC SAFETY).MY SON HAS NO VISA (passport),NO MONEY AND NOT EVEN A DRIVERS LICENSE AND HE LIVES AT HOME,IS A STUDENT ALSO WITHOUT A CRIMINAL HISTORY.THEY CAN’T REALLY JUSTIFY THIS AND ANY DECENT ATTORNEY WILL MAKE THIS FACT KNOW IN A BOND HEARING !