Who were the Jena 6 accused of attempting to murder?
The Jena Six are a group of six black teenagers convicted in the beating of Justin Barker, a white student at Jena High School in Jena, Louisiana, United States, on December 4, 2006. Barker was injured in the assault by the members of the Jena Six, and received treatment for his injuries at an emergency room. While the case was pending, it was often cited as an example of racial injustice in the United States, due to a belief that the defendants had initially been charged with too-serious offenses and had been treated unfairly. A number of events took place in and around Jena in the months preceding the Barker assault, which have been linked to an alleged escalation of racial tensions. These events included the hanging of nooses from a tree in the high school courtyard, two violent confrontations between white and black youths, and the destruction by fire of the main building of Jena High School. The incidents were often linked in the extensive news coverage regarding the Jena Six. Six
Thousands Protest Over Accused Black Teens Thousands of demonstrators have marched through a small US town in support of six black teenagers who were charged with attempting to murder a white classmate. The case has become a symbol for many African Americans of a wider struggle against racism and perceived discrimination against black males by the criminal justice system. The crowd in Jena, Louisiana, chanted “Free the Jena Six” as civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton arrived at the courthouse with family members of the accused. Protesters, who arrived in buses and cars from cities as far away as New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New Orleans, demonstrating over what they say is injustice for the teens. The case of the “Jena Six” has been highlighted by Mr Sharpton, and been commented on by presidential hopefuls on the campaign trail. Rock star David Bowie, who has donated £5,000 to a legal defence fund for the six, said: “There is clearly a separate and unequal judicial process going
