Louisiana's Black Legislators Appeal to Gov. Blanco for Intervention on Behalf of Jena Six
The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus asked Gov. Kathleen Blanco to intervene in the case of the Jena Six, but the governor maintains that state law prevents her from acting at this time.
Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Juan LaFonta wrote Blanco a letter on Monday and said he spoke with the governor personally to ask for clemency for Mychal Bell, a 17-year-old jailed following his conviction in connection with a Dec. 4 fight that followed a series of racially charged incidents in the small town of Jena, Louisiana.
In a statement from Blanco made available to BlackAmericaWeb.com, the governor said, "I must clear up a widespread misunderstanding of my authority in this case. Our State Constitution provides for three branches of state government -- Legislative, Executive and Judicial -- and the Constitution prohibits anyone in one branch from exercising the powers of anyone in another branch. This issue is currently a matter in the Judicial System, and should those involved in this case suffer any defects, it is their right to address them in that system through the appeals court.” (Continue Reading)
No Hate Crime Charges in Black Woman's Torture Case
BIG CREEK, W.Va. - (AP) Authorities decided Wednesday not to pursue hate crime charges in the kidnapping and weeklong torture of a black woman, instead going after the suspects, who are white, on state charges that carry stiffer penalties.
While federal civil rights or state hate crime charges remain an option, a state kidnapping count that carries a sentence of up to life in prison will provide the best chance for successful prosecution, officials said.
The victim was a 23-year-old woman who was forced to eat rat and dog feces and drink from the toliet. She had stab wounds on her left leg and bruises around her eyes.
"Deputies found her with two black eyes, part of her hair had been pulled out, she had lacerations on her neck, and she had been physically, mentally and sexually abused," Logan County Sheriff W.E. Hunter said. (Continue Reading)
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