Posted October 10, 2007 in
hate crimes
Mike Baron, “Mychal Bell Conviction Tossed In Jena 6 Beating,” Houston Post-Chronicle (September 14, 2007)
NEW ORLEANS - A state appeals court on Friday threw out the only remaining conviction against one of the black teens accused in the beating of a white schoolmate in the racially charged north Louisiana town of Jena, according to AP reports.
The state 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal said Mychal Bell, 17, should not have been tried as an adult and tossed his conviction on aggravated battery.
Bell was to be sentenced Thursday. He could have received 15 years in prison.
Bell, who was just 16 at the time of the beating, is one of the six black students (Jena6) at Jena High School charged in an assault on fellow student Justin Barker. He was also one of five originally charged with attempted second-degree murder.