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.

The article doesn't say, however a gang size jumping of a person is never okay, regardless of what he said or did. Even if he put a noose up, he did not physically harm anyone. Can't see how one action justifies a beat down by a group of people and beating a person after they are knocked out.

Why would it not be attempted murder? A group beating someone after he passes out from the beating? What is the goal there? The person already was physically beaten so bad that they are no longer 'awake', and you continue to beat them. IMO, there should be very little tolerance for this type of act. Fighting with someone is one thing, beating them to the possibility of death is another.

__________________

An unwavering defender of those I see worth protecting.

"promote the general welfare, not provide the general welfare"

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Let the punishment fit the crime. Yes I agree there should be no tolerance for this brutal crime. Fact is to be attempted murder there would need to be some proof that they intended to kill the victim.

He did not die and I doubt the intent was to kill this kid...Sure it very well might have killed the kid in which case the charge would be murder.

I think aggravated assault with a stiff penalty and restitution would do here.

If your first time hearing abouth this incident is through CNN, then you do not know the whole story. I have first hand knowledge and information regarding the incident from its inception. A am a Louisiana attorney who knows very well the attorneys who were asked to take up the defense of these young men after the public defender railroaded the first trial.

What you see is a bunch of black kids beating down a white kid (what CNN wants you to see). What you do not see is the injustice that has been dealt. For instance, a white kid in Jena brandished a loaded gun at a group of black kids. Black kid wrestles the gun away... black kid charged with theft of a fire arm. What?!? Are you serious?

I don't know what part of the country you are from or what part of the civil rights movement you missed to think that hanging nooses in a tree was nothing more than a practical joke. I would say that the act alone is synonomous with burning a cross on someone's lawn or painting a Swastika on someone's property. The act itself is a tool used to intimidate and to invoke fear in those it was meant to target. It is an act of terrorism, and should be handeled as such.

You'd think that the black students and community overreacted... until it happens to you.

BTW, both Jessie (Rainbow Push) and Al (Black Action Network) are involved. And no, they do not speak for all black people, but are the voice for those who cannot.

Wow, I just reread the board, and most are commenting on and are upset about the beating of the white kid (Wagner). I agree with all of you that they should be appropriately punished for the fight. However, are y'all telling me that you are ok with the noose thing, or maybe you kinda glossed over that point. Or that the kids were originally charged with attempted second degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, and the dangerous weapon was listed as shoes? Or that in 2007 you are ok with a school in America practicing de-facto segregation?

Ah wrong. I'm concerned with the beating of an individual past consciousness being regarded as just a 'fight'. No, it is more then that. I don't care what else has happened in the town, I care about this incident (as per this post). Ah de-facto segregation is apparently practiced by the town as a whole, stop trying to play it off as someone is oppressing this upon the citizens.

And who the hell said they were "ok with the noose thing" (quoting you there). Nobody. Try to read the whole post and not place your opinion on it if possible...unless you are going to state that it is all IMO.

__________________

An unwavering defender of those I see worth protecting.

"promote the general welfare, not provide the general welfare"

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

I agree the act of hanging a noose is an act of intimidation and should be punished. I'm not sure if the kid who was severely beat was involved in that incident so I don't think it would apply to this case.

As for the gun incident that is ridiculous. The prosecutor should be investigated and thrown out for that indictment if true. As for the shoes...Yes, when attached to a feet they make a formidable weapon which is capable of inflicting death on a victim.

Agreed...That was not a "fight". Beating would better describe the incident.

The problem with these cases seems to be the "Agendas" attached to the overall issue. As long as people defend such actions to back the "Side" they are taking we won't progress beyond the violence.

When a student has to go to the vice principal to ask permission to sit under the tree... who's practicing the segregation.

Past unconsciousness... he attended an awards ceremony a few hours later.

"I don't care what else has happened in the town..." We forget that before this fight, and sparked by the whole noose incident, a black kid was badly beaten by a group of white kids at school, and their punishemnt was in-school suspension.

Some white folks do not like black folks... they just tolerate them.