Jena 6 Update: Conviction overturned, but case not over

Jena (La.) HS student Mychal Bell
now faces juvenile charges.

The NY Times reports this morning that a Lousiana appeals court has overturned the conviction of Mychal Bell, one of the Jena 6, who was facing up to 22 years in prison on charges of conspiracy and aggravated battery.

The appeal was based on the defendant's claim he should have been tried as a juvenile.

In a way, this sets the case back to square one, as Mychal will have to face trial as a juvenile on charges of beating a white student who had taunted him and come after him and a group of friends with a shotgun.

Charges against others of the six have been reduce under the glare of increasing national publicity.

Link to more information and ways to offer support are included with my earlier Plainfield Today post.

---

New York Times: "Conviction in Racially Tinged Louisiana Case Is Overturned"
Plainfield Today: "Jena: 6 you should care about"

-- Dan Damon

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ARCHIVED POSTS OF PLAINFIELD TODAY FROM 11/03/2005 THROUGH 12/31/2006 ARE AT
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