Was the white student one of the three who put the noose in the tree? I could not tell from the article.

Violence is never a solution but I'd expect he was asking to get beat up if he indeed participated in the hanging of the nooses as a prank. If that is the case I think the charges are a bit on the extreme side for the black student who beat him up.

Don't get me wrong...He should be punished for his crime and responsible for the kids medical bills but attempted murder?

If he was an innocent bystander I could see charges of aggravated assult...But not attempted murder.