Another Town Talk article – this time on the latest court proceedings: Judge throws out one of Bell’s convictions
On more than one occasion as the attorneys and judges were arguing a motion, the packed courthouse audience reacted loudly with cheers or sounds of disbelief or disgust.
“I’m feeling strange because I’m arguing with your honor instead of the district attorney,” Scott said to Mauffray. The audience greeted this with cheers of agreement.
Mauffray said he was showing Scott what Walters had already pointed out during his arguments.
The judge was restating the DA’s arguments, and arguing with the defense attorney? He doesn’t sound very impartial to me. That is just as troubling as the statement, “the packed courthouse audience reacted loudly with cheers or sounds of disbelief or disgust.” Evidently the tension continues to mount as people continually become more entrenched in their positions – as I do, lacking any evidence to the contrary that the Jena 6 are being unfairly railroaded. In fact, the report that the judge is openly siding with the DA on this instead of acting as a fair arbiter between the two parties adds credibility to the Jena 6 defenders, and puts the lie to all the commenters here who insist that we should trust and let the justice system work. The only encouragement I’m seeing in this article is from Carwin Jones father, who sounds very reasonable:
Carwin Jones’ father, John Jenkins, said he was glad to hear the charges were reduced but that he will be even happier when they are reduced further.”I just wish we could sit down somewhere, all the families involved, and work this out, get it down to simple battery,” he said. “It is a blessing that (Barker) wasn’t hurt more. I just think we need to take care of this.”
Jenkins said the families weren’t trying to make excuses for their children, that some punishment needs to happen, but not what has been presented. He also said those responsible should take care of Barker’s thousands of dollars in medical bills.
“We’re not out here trying to make a fuss or make this a black and white thing,” he said. “The only objective is to get these charges away from our kids for a school fight. Something happened at that school that needs to come out. We aren’t trying to make excuses for our kids, just standing up for them.”
Jenkins said if the charges had remained at aggravated battery — what the boys were initially charged with — or were simple battery, “all this wouldn’t be here,” he said gesturing to the courthouse lawn filled with reporters and cameramen from local and national media.
Indeed.
On the contrary, I am finding less and less evidence that these six are being unfairly railroaded. One is still playing football, after all.
The judge is well within his auspices to remind an attorney that their arguments are without merits. The DA explained certain things to Bell’s attorney that Scott apparently didn’t accept. The judge is merely having to re-school Scott in the law that Walters already explained.
I was provided an excellent link by “From Jenna” in another post. Here it is:
http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/stories/KTVKLNews20070629_heat-death_baby-in-car.28b2b7df.html
States around this nation are struggling with dealing with increasing incidents of violent juvenile crime and what system in which to best deal with them.
The 14 y.o. is or has been dealt with in the juvie system, and the school system seems just fine with his playing football to no ill effect … shame
Perhaps had Bell seen his “athletic star” treatment dimmed just a little bit following any of his four priors, we wouldn’t be here today.
I don’t think all of the six are equal. I’m satisfied that Bell was treated fairly and given opportunities along the way to take responsibility for his actions. He rolled the dice and, so far, has lost. No, I don’t think 15 years is necessarily justice, but neither can I abide by giving him a slide as one of the “Free the Jena 6″ because there are white racists in this world.
Sorry to keep doing this, but there’s no ability to edit or preview posts and sometimes I jump the gun
From my link in the previous post:
To me the bolded statement says it all. Only in retrospect have racists manufactured a “timeline” of racial tension to justify thuggery.
Ok ER, let’s set the race issue aside (I’m tired of the racial banter by now anyway). Do you feel charging these youths as adults was fair? You and others have already explained a thousand times why Mychal Bell should have been charged as an adult. Though I do not agree with you, I can follow the validity of your argument.
So really, do you think this should be tried in juvenile court (excluding Bell and the other juvenile that is being tried in JC), or do you feel the crime and punishment of a possible 15 years is appropriate?