By Alicia Cruz
Editor-in-Chief
Theblackurbantimes
Editor-in-Chief
Theblackurbantimes
No one knows better than Jesse Ray Beard the importance of making the best of life after a tragic event. Beard is one of the 6 Jena, Louisiana teens who were convicted of beating fellow student, Justin Barker on December 4, 2006 in Jena, La.
A school official called the assault a "premeditated ambush" against one person. The students and their supporters said the assault was brought about after Barker slung a racial epithet at the Jena 6. A claim Barker denies emphatically.
The beating was brutal by all accounts. Barker suffered a concussion a swollen eye and other cuts and bruises that left him in a state of bloody unconsciousness. Today he suffers bad headaches and forgetfulness as a result of the attack three years ago.
The case raised racial tensions in Jena as Barker was white and the six students were black. Many felt that prosecutors were treating the six black students unjustly and harshly.
Five of the students: Robert Bailey, Jr., then 17; Mychal Bell, then 16; Carwin Jones, then 18; Bryant Purvis, then 17; and Theo Shaw, then 17 were charged with attempted murder. All were charged as juveniles except for Mychal Bell. He was charged as an adult (despite his age)
due to his previous criminal record.
On the first day of his June 2007 trial, the judge reduced Bell's charges to aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated second-degree battery. He was convicted and faced 22 years in prison.
With the help of new lawyers, Bell appealed his conviction. The judge vacated the conspiracy conviction on the grounds that Bell should have been tried as a juvenile, but let the battery conviction stand. At the end of all of the legal juggle, Bell pled guilty to a reduced charge of battery, and was sentenced to 18 months in a juvenile facility.
In June 2009, the other five defendants entered pleas of no contest to a charge of simple battery. They were found guilty and sentenced to pay a $500 fine and restitution to Barker.
Five of the six are now enrolled in College and the sixth, Jesse Ray Beard, is still in high school making the most of his new lease on life thanks to one of his lawyers, Allen Howard, who took him into his home and his family. With his mother's blessings, Howard became Jody's legal guardian and today he's #11, a wide receiver on his school's football team where he is a senior.
Purvis, now age 20, is attending Ranger college in Texas, Bailey, now age 20, is attending Grambling State on scholarship, Shaw 20, is at Louisiana Delta Community College, Jones is set attend Tyler Junior college and Bell is now attending Southern University in Baton Rouge after surviving a suicide attempt.
photos courtesy of CNN archives, peachpitproductions, CWalsh2277
Watch the video below:
A school official called the assault a "premeditated ambush" against one person. The students and their supporters said the assault was brought about after Barker slung a racial epithet at the Jena 6. A claim Barker denies emphatically.
The beating was brutal by all accounts. Barker suffered a concussion a swollen eye and other cuts and bruises that left him in a state of bloody unconsciousness. Today he suffers bad headaches and forgetfulness as a result of the attack three years ago.
The case raised racial tensions in Jena as Barker was white and the six students were black. Many felt that prosecutors were treating the six black students unjustly and harshly.
Five of the students: Robert Bailey, Jr., then 17; Mychal Bell, then 16; Carwin Jones, then 18; Bryant Purvis, then 17; and Theo Shaw, then 17 were charged with attempted murder. All were charged as juveniles except for Mychal Bell. He was charged as an adult (despite his age)
due to his previous criminal record.
On the first day of his June 2007 trial, the judge reduced Bell's charges to aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated second-degree battery. He was convicted and faced 22 years in prison.
With the help of new lawyers, Bell appealed his conviction. The judge vacated the conspiracy conviction on the grounds that Bell should have been tried as a juvenile, but let the battery conviction stand. At the end of all of the legal juggle, Bell pled guilty to a reduced charge of battery, and was sentenced to 18 months in a juvenile facility.
In June 2009, the other five defendants entered pleas of no contest to a charge of simple battery. They were found guilty and sentenced to pay a $500 fine and restitution to Barker.
Five of the six are now enrolled in College and the sixth, Jesse Ray Beard, is still in high school making the most of his new lease on life thanks to one of his lawyers, Allen Howard, who took him into his home and his family. With his mother's blessings, Howard became Jody's legal guardian and today he's #11, a wide receiver on his school's football team where he is a senior.
Purvis, now age 20, is attending Ranger college in Texas, Bailey, now age 20, is attending Grambling State on scholarship, Shaw 20, is at Louisiana Delta Community College, Jones is set attend Tyler Junior college and Bell is now attending Southern University in Baton Rouge after surviving a suicide attempt.
photos courtesy of CNN archives, peachpitproductions, CWalsh2277
Watch the video below:
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