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Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia
The other events, such as the shotgun event, have nothing to do with the Jena 6. The shotgun event, YES, that was racist, but that doesn't mean the Jena 6 event was racist.
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I think that what the defense it trying to negotiate, is that the defendant claims that the last event (the assault) was racially motivated, but was in retaliation for other crimes being committed against them.
It's a weak defense, but it does bring some interesting things to light, and may at least grant leniency from a higher court.
The shotgun incident is probably the most disturbing, because while it's easy for teenagers to convince themselves they're tough and do stupid things, it's an entirely different thing for that stupid thing to be attempted murder.
The fact that the police reaction was exactly the opposite of what should have happened does speak a good deal to a pattern of racism in the town. What is also disturbing is that leaders like Al Sharpton are focusing on the nooses and not the shotgun incident. This is indicative of shock tactics, and shows how little he is actually interested in helping the kids. Unfortunately, exposure and understanding are still the best tools we have in preventing racism.