Hello All,

A few days ago, I learned about a situation in Jena, Louisiana (5 hours
aways from New Orleans) that deserves all of our attention. When I
learned about this situation, of course I felt angry and knew that
something had to be done. As fate would have it, I ran into a
filmmaker who is ..ing the case. I asked her what the families
needed and she responded with two things: publicity and contributions
to their defense fund (they cannot afford lawyers). I will provide
some details of the case below and I encourage everyone to find out
more information.

We cannot let these young men go to prison and lose their young lives.
Over the past few years, we have continually been presented with
opportunities to take care of each other. While we have done so in
the past and are doing so now, I'm sure we will all agree that
sometimes it does not feel like it. Let's create a hailstorm of
publicity so that the city of Jena, Louisiana knows that we are
watching and that we will see justice served.

Please send this e-mail to everyone you know to increase awareness.

The address to the Defense Fund is: Jena 6 Defense Committee, PO BOX
2798, Jena, LA 71342.
To hear more information about this case, go to www.democracynow.org
and type in a search for Jena. You can also go to
http://friendsofjustice.wordpress.com/blog/ for information about
current organizing efforts in Jena.
Petition here: http://www.petitiononline.com/aZ51CqmR/petition.html

The narrative is below:
On September 1, 2006-the morning after 3 black students attempted to
integrate Jena High School's playground by sitting in the
traditionally all white area under a tree-three nooses were left
hanging from the tree's branches. Racial tension rose--a series of
fights broke out around town, a white man pulled a sawed-off shotgun
on black students at a convenience store (they wrestled it away from
him), and someone burned down most of the school. When the boys who
hung the nooses were caught and the superintendent brushed it off as a
"harmless prank," every black student in school crowded under the tree
in protest. The District Attorney was called into the school to end
the protest. Flanked by police officers he held a pen in the air and
told them all "I can end your life with the stroke of a pen." A week
later he tried to make good on his promise. On December 4th, another
fight broke out at school and the DA charged six black students with
attempted second-degree murder. He wrote an open letter to the
students in the town's only paper that "when you are convicted, I will
seek the maximum penalty allowed by law."

The six teenagers are facing 80-100 years in prison without parole.

They range in age from 15-17 years old.

Their names are: Bryant Purvis, Jesse Beard, Carwin Jones, Mychal
Bell, Theodoore Shaw and Rovert Bailey. All of the boys were
college-bound, most with offers of scholarships for various
achievements. Mychal Bell was recently convicted of aggravated
battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery. An all-white jury
took less than 2 days to convict him. He faces up to 22 years in
prison. His sentencing is set for July 31.

Thank you.