Jena 6 Update, Judge Could Get Bounced

Seven months ago, tens of thousands of kinfolk converged on Jena, La., in support of six black teenagers who were charged with second degree attempted murder for a school fight that should have been handled by the school system.

For months, black talk radio hosts and bloggers raised awareness of disparities in the juvenile justice system. But then Barack Obama captured everyone's imagination and attention.

Now a motion has been made on behalf of the Jena 6 to remove a bias judge from their cases. ...

Jena Six Case

Rallies in support of the Jena Six were held in Jena and elsewhere in the United States on September 20, 2007 the date when Mychal Bell was scheduled for sentencing. A girl here listens to Rev. Al Sharpton speak before a civil rights march on September 20, 2007 in Jena, Louisiana. Thousands of protesters have gathered for a march on the Louisiana town of Jena in protest of the criminal trial of six black teens charged in an alleged attack on a white classmate. The fight was sparked between the youths after several nooses were hung from a tree at a high school.

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The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks to a standing-room only congregation at Trout Creek Baptist Church in Jena, La., Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007. Sharpton criticized officials in this racially tense Louisiana town, saying the attempted murder charges leveled against six black teens show "one rule for white kids and one for black kids." Seated with Sharpton are Marcus Jones, left, and Melissa Bell, parents of Mychal Bell. Behind Sharpton are several of the other accused students. (AP Photo/Richard Alan Hannon)

A man holds a newspaper before the start of a civil rights march on September 19, 2007 in Jena, Louisiana.

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Radio host Michael Baisden(2nd L), Rev. Al Sharpton (2nd R) and Melissa Bell (R), mother of Mychal Bell, march towards Jena High school during f a civil rights march on September 20, 2007 in Jena, Louisiana.

An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 demonstrators attended the rally that day, severely overtaxing the facilities of the small town of 3,000 residents. Because of the congestion on the roads leading to Jena, many protesters left their vehicles and walked into town on foot.

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JENA, LA - SEPTEMBER 20: Bryant Purvis, one of the 'Jena Six' listens to the Rev. Al Sharpton before the start of a civil rights march on September 20, 2007 in Jena, Louisiana. Thousands of protesters have gathered for a march on the Louisiana town of Jena in protest of the criminal trial of six black teens charged in an alleged attack on a white classmate. The fight was sparked between the youths after several nooses were hung from a tree at a high school. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Protesters march towards Jena High School on September 20, 2007 in Jena, Louisiana.

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JENA, LA - SEPTEMBER 20: A protester holds two paintings ouside of Jena High School during a civil rights march on September 20, 2007 in Jena, Louisiana. Thousands of protesters have gathered for a march on the Louisiana town of Jena in protest of the criminal trial of six black teens charged in an alleged attack on a white classmate. The fight was sparked between the youths after several nooses were hung from a tree at a high school. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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JENA, LA - SEPTEMBER 20: Brandon Citizen, a student at Prarie View A&M University holds a sign to support the 'Jena Six' during a civil rights march September 20, 2007 in Jena, Louisiana. Thousands of protesters have gathered for a march on the Louisiana town of Jena in protest of the criminal trial of six black teens charged in an alleged attack on a white classmate. The fight was sparked between the youths after several nooses were hung from a tree at a high school. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 16: National Action Network President the Rev. Al Sharpton listens during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee October 16, 2007 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The hearing was to focus on "Jena Six," the six black high school students in Jena, Louisiana who were arrested for a school fight in which a white student was beaten and charged with attempted murder. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

My Afrosphere colleague D. Yobachi Boswell has taken black bloggers to task for dropping the ball:

As we are now upon about the one year anniversary of when bloggers picked up the story after Howard Witt broke it nationally with his May 20, 2007 article "Racial demons rear heads"; you can nary find a Black blogger that even updates on the Jena 6 periodically.

Guilty as charged. So here's an update courtesy of Jeff Chang:

This Friday, special judge Thomas Yeager will consider a motion made on behalf of the Jena 6 to remove Judge J.P. Mauffray from their cases. Mauffray had previously denied motions by 5 of the defendants to recuse him from their cases. But last week, the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeals appointed Yeager to preside over this unusual hearing in Mauffray's own courtroom.

Supporters of the Jena 6 say that the motion to recuse Mauffray is part of an effort to give them a fair trial.

ColorOfChange.org, which played a key role in organizing the march, will hold a press conference following the hearing. James Rucker, the group's executive director, said in a statement:

Judge Mauffray is the man at the center of Jena's broken justice system and now he is forced to justify his bias in a court of law with the entire nation watching. These proceedings are an opportunity to redeem Louisiana's justice system in the eyes of the nation and provide the Jena 6 with their constitutional right to a fair trial.

For updated info, please go here.

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