Free the Jena 6

[Danish]

Copied from: http://www.freethejena6.org/

Last fall, when two Black high school students sat under the "white" tree on their campus, white students responded by hanging nooses from the tree. When Black students protested the light punishment for the students who hung the nooses, District Attorney Reed Walters came to the school and told the students he could "take [their] lives away with a stroke of [his] pen." Racial tension continued to mount in Jena, and the District Attorney did nothing in response to several egregious cases of violence and threats against black students. But when a white student--who had been a vocal supporter of the students who hung the nooses--taunted a black student, allegedly called several black students "******", and was beaten up by black students, six black students were charged with second-degree attempted murder. Last month, the first young man to be tried, Mychal Bell, was convicted. He faces up to 22 years in prison for a school fight.

[DBoons Ghost]

Yeah it's ridiculous. Beyond ridiculous.

Free those poor kids.

The dude they beat up was at a party later the same night, and these kids are still in jail.

Louisiana has no hate crime statute, which is why the white kids weren't charged with a hate crime. Either way, it's insane what they are doing to the black kids.

[Mister_Che]

I heard about this on NPR a few weeks back. I thought it was especially messed up when the DA told them he could end their lives.

[Independent_CA]

Yeah it's ridiculous. Beyond ridiculous.

Free those poor kids.

The dude they beat up was at a party later the same night, and these kids are still in jail.

Louisiana has no hate crime statute, which is why the white kids weren't charged with a hate crime. Either way, it's insane what they are doing to the black kids.

Isn't there like a federal hate crime statute that they could be charged under?

Oh and I hate the South...seriously.

[DBoons Ghost]

Isn't there like a federal hate crime statute that they could be charged under?

Oh and I hate the South...seriously.

Not unless they defaced a government building.

Though I'm truly not sure. I can't see how it can be considered a federal crime though.

[WhoDidTheElf]

I don't think they (the jena 6) should go unpunished for what they did (niether should the white kids) but I don't think the current punishment fits the crime...

[Der Übermensch]

Should they be charged with attempted murder? No...


Should they be charged with aggravated assualt and battery, with the additional provision of it being a hate crime? Yes.

Putting them away for 20+ is bull ****, and everyone knows that, but they still committed a violent felony, and SHOULD face some degree of jail time.
It doesn't matter that they were provoked, two wrongs don't make a right.

[Steerpike]

Free them, for ****'s sake. Unbelievable that this goes on in the 21st century.

This just proves one unshakeable fact: never go the South for any reason. Ever.

[DBoons Ghost]

I don't think they (the jena 6) should go unpunished for what they did (niether should the white kids) but I don't think the current punishment fits the crime...


Exactly. If the whire kid pressed assault charges, all well and good. However, the DA ran this and blew it.

Even if, they've been in jail since December. Who gets almost a year in jail for assault, as a teenager? Why did they try to charge them as adults? Attempted murder for a kid who was hanging out with his friends the same night he supposedly almost died from a beating?

[Jude]

Oh ok. I saw this on the BBC but the article didn't give that many details and I just thought it sounded like black people bitching about nothing again.

This is pretty ****ed up though. 22 years over a school fight? ****.

[Akira]

This is so sad.
The DA should lose his head over this one. It was a school fight. Suspend them for a week and get on with life.

[BridgeToSolace]

The DA should lose his head over this one. It was a school fight. Suspend them for a week and get on with life.

Danish was vague as to what "beat up" means, and I'm too lazy to read the link, but when the fight is 6 against 1, it stops being regular old school fight. Especially if it's racial charged. I would be surprised if it was nothing more than a few punches and maybe some tackling or something (which I would consider a regular school fight).

If the kid was heavily beaten, it very well could have been manslaughter (they didn't mean to kill him, but they got damn close).

But yeah, the only person who shouldn't have been punished in this situation was the student who called the kids ******s (Provided he wasn't one of the guys who hung the nooses). The DA should lose his job and the students who hung the nooses should be suspended AT LEAST.

[iliketoplaydrums10111]

Danish was vague as to what "beat up" means, and I'm too lazy to read the link, but when the fight is 6 against 1, it stops being regular old school fight. Especially if it's racial charged. I would be surprised if it was nothing more than a few punches and maybe some tackling or something (which I would consider a regular school fight).

If the kid was heavily beaten, it very well could have been manslaughter (they didn't mean to kill him, but they got damn close).

But yeah, the only person who shouldn't have been punished in this situation was the student who called the kids ******s (Provided he wasn't one of the guys who hung the nooses). The DA should lose his job and the students who hung the nooses should be suspended AT LEAST.

Not manslaugher, Dboon said that he was hanging out with his friends later that night so it probably was just a couple punches between a black kid and the white kid and the other black kids just watched and cheered on the black kid. That's how I think it went down.

[DBoons Ghost]

I got my info from CNN.com...

CNN reported he was out and about that same night.

[Babble]

this is pretty old news and the situation just changed this week. Something about a sentence being thrown out and trial as minors.

find a new article about it

[Danish]

Danish was vague as to what "beat up" means, and I'm too lazy to read the link, but when the fight is 6 against 1, it stops being regular old school fight. Especially if it's racial charged. I would be surprised if it was nothing more than a few punches and maybe some tackling or something (which I would consider a regular school fight).

If the kid was heavily beaten, it very well could have been manslaughter (they didn't mean to kill him, but they got damn close).

But yeah, the only person who shouldn't have been punished in this situation was the student who called the kids ******s (Provided he wasn't one of the guys who hung the nooses). The DA should lose his job and the students who hung the nooses should be suspended AT LEAST.

I just copied and pasted it. If you're too lazy to read, not only will I not explain it, but I feel badly for you. Reading is very beneficial! I recommend Stickin' to the Union by Doug Smith. Believe me, it's enjoyable!

Ok, so I think the underlying point here is this: racism is alive and well in our society, and that is the real cause of such violence. State institutions permitted this to escalate and their reaction demonstrates the inequalities built into the system extraordinarily well. It won't be enough to fire the DA and pay lip service to the issues; it requires institutional changes. Stronger human rights statutes and sufficient resources to uphold them, strong anti-hate crime legislation, and renewed policies to guarantee income security for workers.

[DBoons Ghost]

this is pretty old news and the situation just changed this week. Something about a sentence being thrown out and trial as minors.

find a new article about it

The point is there should be no trial.

None. No trial. Release them on time served and that's it.

[Babble]

well im glad you told me this

[BridgeToSolace]

I just copied and pasted it. If you're too lazy to read, not only will I not explain it, but I feel badly for you. Reading is very beneficial! I recommend Stickin' to the Union by Doug Smith. Believe me, it's enjoyable!

I read a fair amount, but I pick and choose. Being too lazy to read a link isn't the same as being being too lazy to read IN GENERAL. I tend to stay away from political books, though. The System was a good read, but that's about it. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

renewed policies to guarantee income security for workers.
Wait, what's this have to do with racism? You just kinda slipped this in at the end. (not that I wouldn't support it...)

If has to do with income then it's more about classism than racism...

[Danish]

Wait, what's this have to do with racism? You just kinda slipped this in at the end. (not that I wouldn't support it...)

If has to do with income then it's more about classism than racism...

Poverty is deeply racialized. Likewise, poverty can intensify racial conflict. Race and class are definitely closely connected.

[Mr. Ron]

Free them, for ****'s sake. Unbelievable that this goes on in the 21st century.

This just proves one unshakeable fact: never go the South for any reason. Ever.

^^^^^

[BridgeToSolace]

Poverty is deeply racialized. Likewise, poverty can intensify racial conflict. Race and class are definitely closely connected.

...Race is completely independent of class (although class is certainly not independent from race).

I just don't see what it would change if these black kids were middle class rather than poor (besides how much they could pay for lawyers to defend against the 20 year sentence. More prejudice against poor people than blacks, though, and there are certainly more poor white people in this country than poor black people).

The white dudes would have hung the nooses anyway. Central issue still exists.

[Kage]

Danish just loves throwing in those topical buzzwords so he sounds smart.

[Mr. Ron]

Nah, Danish is a smart cookie.

[Kage]

That doesn't change the fact that he's a douchebag.

[Mr. Ron]

Wha? I've never seen Danish go out of his way on purpose to be a douche.

[Kage]

He doesn't try to be one, he just is.

[BridgeToSolace]

Overzealous, maybe. Never a douche, though.

[Mr. Ron]

I just don't see it.

[Kage]

Take a look at the following recent post from the Divorce thread:

Like, they're not even legitimate points. You didn't argue my points either. You're using the intellectual equivalent to four-letter words: "pipe dream" "unrealistic" "absurd"

Just because my ideas are against-the-grain doesn't mean they're any of these things. No effort on your part.

More than 50% of marriages end in divorce. When that's the case, it isn't just a problem experienced by individuals, but a social issue.

Great! All good, valid points. Completely well-spoken, etc.

There are underlying reasons why so many marriages end in divorce, reasons that not only require a lot of work to fix, but are major social issues in-and-of themselves (ie. deindustrialization, underemployment, etc.).

Then, BOOM, he has to throw in those "cultured" buzzwords that clearly show a heightened, educated understanding of society and the politics thereof. He fails to either contextualize what he is talking about, draw a tangible connection between the topic and his buzzwords, or present an actual solution beyond tagging the problem with buzzwords.

[Mr. Ron]

Nah, he makes his point and those words are just examples of his point.

w/e debating this is pointless.

[Iskandar]

Underemployment is a basic economic concept, not a buzzword.

[CatfishJones]

this whole thing is stupid. just let the kids go. when it has escalated to the point where al sharpton has reared his ugly head, its time to quit.

[Kage]

Right, but the way he uses it is as a buzzword.

That aside, I've never seen him actually present a tangible solution to anything.

[Danish]

...Race is completely independent of class (although class is certainly not independent from race).

I just don't see what it would change if these black kids were middle class rather than poor (besides how much they could pay for lawyers to defend against the 20 year sentence. More prejudice against poor people than blacks, though, and there are certainly more poor white people in this country than poor black people).

The white dudes would have hung the nooses anyway. Central issue still exists.

I would argue that they're interconnected.

So, if those particular kids were middle class, they probably wouldn't live where they live; they would go to a different school with different people who come from similar, middle-class social locations. This isn't to say the middle-class black kids won't experience racism where they are, but it will probably manifest itself in different ways in their lives.

Generally, you would be less likely to see incidents such as this in more affluent schools. Also consider that race and class are also interconnected with gender, ie. men are more likely to be involved in violence either as victims or perpetrators than women. That's what makes issues like this so complicated. If anything, it requires us to be better listeners and more compassionate people. How we do that is a difficult question.

ps: Hey Kage, thanks for the constructive criticism. :rolleyes:

[Danish]

Right, but the way he uses it is as a buzzword.

That aside, I've never seen him actually present a tangible solution to anything.

I have lots of solutions, but you probably wouldn't consider them tangible.

[Kage]

You're welcome!

[Against Miik!]

Actually I have a better solution. Don't free anybody. Put the white kids in juvi or prison too. Why should anybody be set free? They both committed crimes. And after all, that is the problem here, isn't it? Not that they got punished, but that they got a different punishment than the white kids? So I say, give everybody what they deserve. Actually, give the white kids more time because of the threats they made.

edit: I forgot to say that the charge of attempted murder is way to harsh, and should be lowered. Both parties should get assault charges, maybe more for the white students.

[Danish]

Then, BOOM, he has to throw in those "cultured" buzzwords that clearly show a heightened, educated understanding of society and the politics thereof. He fails to either contextualize what he is talking about, draw a tangible connection between the topic and his buzzwords, or present an actual solution beyond tagging the problem with buzzwords.

I'm sorry for being educated, but I'm not going to dumb it down. Deindustrialization a "cultured buzzword"? I started a thread on it before. If you want to learn more about it, we can discuss it elsewhere, but I wasn't about to gum up a thread about divorce with something that merits its own thread.

[Kage]

Understood. I just thought you failed to properly contextualize it and just dropped it in there, making your argument muddier rather than clearer. I've noticed it a lot.

[Iskandar]

Understood. I just thought you failed to properly contextualize it and just dropped it in there, making your argument muddier rather than clearer. I've noticed it a lot.You rang?

[Mr. Ron]

*grouphug*

[Kage]

I don't have a qualm with you. ;)

Now that I've properly derailed the hell out of this thread, I'll go back to lurking.

[Against Miik!]

Hey I actually said something related to the thread. But thats only because I don't read any post past the TS, and am completely lost after the first page.

[iliketoplaydrums10111]

Derailed was a pretty good movie imo

[BridgeToSolace]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jena_Six

The wikipedia article about this is much more thorough than the website.

For example:

A request to lower Mychal Bell's $90,000 bond was denied on August 24, 2007, due to his juvenile record, which showed that he had been previously convicted of four other violent crimes. Bell was put on probation for a battery that occurred December 25, 2005, and he was later convicted of yet another battery charge and two charges of criminal damage to property.[24]

On September 4, 2007, a judge dismissed the conspiracy charge but let the battery conviction stand, though he agreed that Bell should have been tried as a juvenile.[25] However, on September 14, 2007, Bell's battery conviction was also overturned, as Louisiana's Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Lake Charles ruled that he shouldn't have been tried as an adult. Louis Scott, Bell's attorney, has indicated that the charges are dropped for now, but also has noted that the situation may change depending on what path the prosecution takes.[26] The La Salle Parish district attorney, Reed Walters, has said that he will appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court.[27]

Not that anything totally changes the situation, but it tells much more of the story.

[Akira]

I think the most important issue isn't whether or not the 6 were in the wrong, but that the DA is a racist and they are being prosecuted with much more intensity than if it had been the other way around racially.

[griftadan]

hate crimes are bullshit

[Reaganista]

murder is bullshit

[griftadan]

bad comparisons are bullshit

[big80smullet]

Its not a matter of just freeing them. They still need to be tried to determine whether or not they are guilty of a crime. Of course they should be tried fairly and in accordance with the crime commited, but assault is still a crime. when the trial is over and they're being sentenced the year in custody so far can be minused form their sentence.

I think the big issue here is partly racism but also partly the difference between calling someone a ****** and assaulting them. The is a difference in that one is a crime and one's not. If the black guy had called the white guys a whitey or whatever words they use these days and he'd beat up the black guy with 5 of his mates it would be the same execpt they'd be labelled white supremists.

[WhoDidTheElf]

I think the most important issue isn't whether or not the 6 were in the wrong, but that the DA is a racist and they are being prosecuted with much more intensity than if it had been the other way around racially.

No, let the justice system do it's thing. The case is not supposed to be about racism, it's to find if these kids commited a crime. What you said there is exactly what happened in the criminal case against OJ Simpson and look what happened to him...

[Otherside]

No, let the justice system do it's thing.

What do you mean by this?

[WhoDidTheElf]

What do you mean by this?

Try the case, fairly. If you turn a battery case into a race issue then you're just making it easier for any one to do that. If the lower courts are corrupt it can eventually be appealed up to a higher court that isn't.

Edit: Thx dei for negging me, instead of actually discussing it.
Edit2: Thx Chad too.

[iliketoplaydrums10111]

They should take the case to the north...

[WhoDidTheElf]

Not the norths jurisdiction though...

[Danish]

Try the case, fairly. If you turn a battery case into a race issue then you're just making it easier for any one to do that. If the lower courts are corrupt it can eventually be appealed up to a higher court that isn't.

Edit: Thx dei for negging me, instead of actually discussing it.
Edit2: Thx Chad too.

Did you read the whole case? No one is "making" this about race, it is about race. And class. And gender.

[dei]

The case is not supposed to be about racism...

OK.

[WhoDidTheElf]

Did you read the whole case? No one is "making" this about race, it is about race. And class. And gender.

You missed my point, and I think every one did. Do not make their trial, the battery charges, about race. Obviously the reason there is a trial to begin with is because of race, but the case isn't about race, it's about battery. The kid (white kid) obviously was beaten, how much, I don't know, and I doubt what the kids (Jena 6) have gotten fits the crime, and I doubt all 6 had a hand in it.

Also the white kids should be brought up on charges too, but they aren't. This is were you make a race case, not in the battery charges.

Assuming, of course, that the black kids, or at least most of them, will eventually be exonerated (sp?) by a higher court.

[Danish]

You missed my point, and I think every one did. Do not make their trial, the battery charges, about race. Obviously the reason there is a trial to begin with is because of race, but the case isn't about race, it's about battery. The kid (white kid) obviously was beaten, how much, I don't know, and I doubt what the kids (Jena 6) have gotten fits the crime, and I doubt all 6 had a hand in it.

Also the white kids should be brought up on charges too, but they aren't. This is were you make a race case, not in the battery charges.

Assuming, of course, that the black kids, or at least most of them, will eventually be exonerated (sp?) by a higher court.

The events leading up to the battery are clearly a part of the case.

[WhoDidTheElf]

The events leading up to the battery are clearly a part of the case.

Yes, but some one beat the kid, and some one has to be tried for that. This is what that case was about, and the case showed it to be corrupt. You now bring a new case filling hate crimes as the issue. You can not dismiss the kid beating the other kid. Was it worthy of the sentence? God no, but it's on appeal and the first appeals court overturned the ruling. This is the point to were you file your race case.

[Danish]

Yes, but some one beat the kid, and some one has to be tried for that. This is what that case was about, and the case showed it to be corrupt. You now bring a new case filling hate crimes as the issue. You can not dismiss the kid beating the other kid. Was it worthy of the sentence? God no, but it's on appeal and the first appeals court overturned the ruling. This is the point to were you file your race case.

Simply beating someone isn't enough to be guilty of battery. The context of the situation and the mental state of those involved have to be considered, which they clearly weren't. I mean, does it matter that this was a response to a hate crime? To death threats? Especially when it was overwhelmingly clear that hate and death threats would go unpunished, in fact supported by further threats from the District Attorney?

[Babble]

outlawing certain statements is a pretty slippery slope

[Danish]

outlawing certain statements is a pretty slippery slope

Hmmmm like hanging nooses from trees? Like threatening other people with violence and death? Nah, it's not that slippery.

[WhoDidTheElf]

Simply beating someone isn't enough to be guilty of battery.

If you punch the **** out of some one because they pissed you off, it does make you guilty of battery.

The context of the situation and the mental state of those involved have to be considered, which they clearly weren't. I mean, does it matter that this was a response to a hate crime? To death threats? Especially when it was overwhelmingly clear that hate and death threats would go unpunished, in fact supported by further threats from the District Attorney?

If death threats had been made, and at the time the beating occurred you felt your life was in danger then it is justified. If you just beat some one up because they said "I'm going to kill you" it's unjustified, well maybe not, but it's hard to prove you were in danger. Edit: or they could have filled assault charges right there.

Making racial comments like that does not merit getting your *** kicked. While untastefull and bad, the act of calling some one a racial slur isn't illegal.

Hanging the noose was a hate crime and if they had bid their time, and brought a case like that up, and the judge through it out, they could have appealed it and prolly won.

Also the battery of the kid happened after the initial incident.

[Chrizzle fo' Shizzle]

The battery happened MONTHS after the initial incident

[Danish]

Dude, it's not a list of facts for you to refute.

[WhoDidTheElf]

I'm not trying to refute, I'm just trying to inform you of how the justice system works...

[Danish]

I'm not trying to refute, I'm just trying to inform you of how the justice system works...

lol Dude, I know how the justice system works. Do you? Mens rea?

[WhoDidTheElf]

Apparently you don't, because you've been making a lot of statements that would have you laughed out of court...

[Reaganista]

If you punch the **** out of some one because they pissed you off, it does make you guilty of battery.
actually no it depends on what they did to piss you off

[WhoDidTheElf]

actually no it depends on what they did to piss you off

Well in this case, calling some one a racial slur, does.

But if they punched you, then yeah. But 9 times out of 10 it's not justified.

[Danish]

Apparently you don't, because you've been making a lot of statements that would have you laughed out of court...

You're pretty arrogant for an 18 year old...

[WhoDidTheElf]

Just out of curiosity how many law classes have you taken? Have you sat on a Jury before?

[Danish]

Just out of curiosity how many law classes have you taken? Have you sat on a Jury before?

Two in high school, many in university. I mostly deal with labour law, and I'm on the Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee at Brock University, where I'm employed as a teaching assistant in the Labour Studies department.

Why do you want to be right? I just want to talk about the issues at play. I don't want to argue about who's guilty, I don't want to judge those involved. That's not why I started the thread.

[Reaganista]

Well in this case, calling some one a racial slur, does.
actually all they have to demonstrate is extreme emotional distress

[WhoDidTheElf]

Two in high school, many in university. I mostly deal with labour law, and I'm on the Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee at Brock University, where I'm employed as a teaching assistant in the Labour Studies department.

Why do you want to be right? I just want to talk about the issues at play. I don't want to argue about who's guilty, I don't want to judge those involved. That's not why I started the thread.

Nice, I'm in business law. You been able to sit on a jury yet? They're an incredible learning experience. I got stuck on one 2 weeks after I registered to vote. Thought it was going to be hell, but it was actually very...I don't know if fun is the right word, but educational to say the least!

And I'm not trying to be right, I'm just saying, they could have played their cards better, and that a battery case isn't the place to try hate crimes, that's all. I'm not saying none of those happened, just that the justice system should be blind to race, and regardless of who committed the battery, should be tried.

actually all they have to demonstrate is extreme emotional distress

Last time I checked extreme emotional destress isn't grounds for battery. For it to be self defense your persons has to be in danger, not stressed out.

[Reaganista]

Last time I checked extreme emotional destress isn't grounds for battery
um check again lol
For it to be self defense your persons has to be in danger, not stressed out.
lol it's not self defense

[WhoDidTheElf]

um check again lol

lol it's not self defense

Um if some one puts you in "extreme emotional distress" and you commit battery, it's usually labeled as a "crime of passion."

[Danish]

Nice, I'm in business law. You been able to sit on a jury yet? They're an incredible learning experience. I got stuck on one 2 weeks after I registered to vote. Thought it was going to be hell, but it was actually very...I don't know if fun is the right word, but educational to say the least!

So you are literally on the opposite side (business law). Have you learned much about "union avoidance" yet?

And I'm not trying to be right, I'm just saying, they could have played their cards better, and that a battery case isn't the place to try hate crimes, that's all. I'm not saying none of those happened, just that the justice system should be blind to race, and regardless of who committed the battery, should be tried.

Ok, but I don't think that was really ever in question.

[Reaganista]

Um if some one puts you in "extreme emotional distress" and you commit battery, it's usually labeled as a "crime of passion."
um wtf are you talking about 'crime of passion' is not a legal concept anywhere in the US
'extreme emotional distress' is however

[WhoDidTheElf]

So you are literally on the opposite side (business law). Have you learned much about "union avoidance" yet?

Irony much, last week we had a discussion on unions and if avoiding them was a wise move.

um wtf are you talking about 'crime of passion' is not a legal concept anywhere in the US
'extreme emotional distress' is however

note the quote part. Also extreme emotional distress is prolly done of a case by case basis.

I mean you walk in and you find your gf ****ing another guy and you kill them both. Later you use the defense that she caused you extreme emotional distress. I really doubt that'd hold up in court.

[Danish]

Irony much, last week we had a discussion on unions and if avoiding them was a wise move.

In the short term, definitely. But in the long term, workers are going to cause major problems.

Whether avoiding them is right and should be outlawed is another question altogether.

[Reaganista]

note the quote part. Also extreme emotional distress is prolly done of a case by case basis.
um everything in law is done on a case by case basis wtf are you talking about


I mean you walk in and you find your gf ****ing another guy and you kill them both. Later you use the defense that she caused you extreme emotional distress. I really doubt that'd hold up in court.
actually that is literally a textbook example of what extreme emotional distress is

[Der Übermensch]

I mean you walk in and you find your gf ****ing another guy and you kill them both. Later you use the defense that she caused you extreme emotional distress. I really doubt that'd hold up in court.
Usually people manage to get off on that by pleading temporary insanity, or at least bargain it down to manslaughter.

[BridgeToSolace]

um wtf are you talking about 'crime of passion' is not a legal concept anywhere in the US


They call it voluntary manslaughter.

According to the United States Sentencing Commission, a person found guilty of voluntary manslaughter could be sentenced to a maximum amount of 10 years. (United States Sentencing Commission, 1997).

[Reaganista]

thanks for the tip
i dont know wtf your point could possibly be however
seenig as the phrase 'crime of passion' is not contained anywhere in the statute for voluntary manslaughter or anywhere else in america

Usually people manage to get off on that by pleading temporary insanity, or at least bargain it down to manslaughter.
extreme emotional distress is an insanity plea

[BridgeToSolace]

thanks for the tip
i dont know wtf your point could possibly be however
seenig as the phrase 'crime of passion' is not contained anywhere in the statute for voluntary manslaughter or anywhere else in america

Yeah, they use the term 'heat' of passion.

http://www.lectlaw.com/def2/m012.htm

[Reaganista]

wat state is that
and i still dont see wtf your point could possibly be

[Yield]

Hey guys, they're looking for the people who hung four nooses at a high school in High Point, NC. That's about thirty minutes away from where I am, and it is yet another reason why I hate this goddamn state.

http://wmfr.com/Nooses-Found-At-High-Point-High-School/980211

Officials found four nooses hanging at Andrews High School this morning. Two of the nooses were hanging from a tree, another from a flag pole, and another was found hanging in a parking lot. School officials don't know if the nooses were hung as a prank, or were related to the national attention that's been given to a similar incident at a school in Jena, Louisiana. The school district is offering counseling to any student who might have been traumatized by seeing the nooses.

[Lupus]

extreme emotional distress is an insanity plea

What happens to people who are acquitted for "extreme emotional distress"?

[Der Übermensch]

They go free... Excusable homicide :)

[Reaganista]

yeah it's just temporary insanity

[Lupus]

Seems like a pretty silly law. I bet defence lawyers try to plea for extreme emotional stress all the time.

[Otherside]

Hey guys, they're looking for the people who hung four nooses at a high school in High Point, NC. That's about thirty minutes away from where I am, and it is yet another reason why I hate this goddamn state.

http://wmfr.com/Nooses-Found-At-High-Point-High-School/980211

It's 5 minutes away from me :(

[iliketoplaydrums10111]

I'm glad I live in Chicago and not the south :)

[Yield]

It's 5 minutes away from me :(

o fo'real man, where you at

I'm glad I live in Chicago and not the south :)

you know, I thought that Chicago was the Atlanta of the north

[Reaganista]

Seems like a pretty silly law. I bet defence lawyers try to plea for extreme emotional stress all the time.
not really

[Otherside]

o fo'real man, where you at


greensboro repin twenty fo seven

[Hedgedive]

in Texas it is legal to hang someone if they try to steal your cattle!

[Lupus]

not really

So what actually constitutes extreme emotional distress anyway?

[Reaganista]

um whatever the judge/jury think it is
if you cared you could find some precedents on the internet im sure
but i dont care so i wont

[ringworm]

This just proves one unshakeable fact: never go the South for any reason. Ever.
lol


i saw a long story on this last night

even a few hispanics said the town didnt have a racism problem, but the media and certain activists have convinced the black community to sell the nation that because a a handful a bad people reside there, the entire town is racially split

but racially charged activism shouldnt be needed in such a simpe case. one white kid actually attempted to brandish a shotgun at a convenient store, he was wrestled to the ground and never charged w/anything. they did however, beat the whale **** out of the one white kid, but nothing deserves the treatment the 6 are facing.

it looks to me like the DA is primarily at fault here and should receive the only punishment, and severly at that, disbar him, release all the kids and get over it

[Akira]

Yes. The DA should have his law license permanently revoked, and the kids should be let go on the grounds that they have already been through enough punishment for the fight.
I believe that the six should have been suspended, because after all they did beat the crap out of a kid, but to bring the police in was ridiculous.