Tweet
Mervyn Marcano of Color of Change sends this:
Mychael Bell’s bail was posted today and it looks as if he will be released soon.
This is great news. This comes after the Governor forced District Attorney Reed Walters to halt his appeal of a 3rd District Court decision to move his case to juvenile court.
Clearly the pressure has worked and we’re well on our way to a complete victory for the Jena 6…
Thanks to everyone who signed the petition to Governor Kathleen Blanco asking her to intervene.
Color of Change also led the online effort to get Kenneth Foster’s death sentence commuted. We hope to have someone from the organization on here soon talking about how they used a combination of online tools and grassroots tactics to organize in Jena. They do great work.
74 Comments
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About Firedoglake
zed?
so was the bail dropped at all or merely paid off?
How come as soon as I get involved the subject changes?
Just kidding.
Thank you, Jane, for making the petition so easy for us to sign.
OT
The Senate passes a children’s health insurance bill by more than the two-thirds majority needed to overturn a threatened presidential veto.
I’m opposed to racial-based prosecution.
What are the facts, stripped of emotion and politics, here?
raven @ 6
Heh, When Hatch and Grassley cross over, Shrub can’t do shit about it, but, sign it!!!
Mychal Bell, a black teenager accused of beating a white classmate and who was the last of the “Jena 6″ behind bars, was released from custody Thursday after a juvenile court judge set his bail at $45,000.
CNN
Clinton is saying that even our Navy Reservists are being called up to serve with the Army in Iraq. Help us all if we need to protect America. Guess I should buy one of those little handguns with a pearlescent handle.
Maybe the NRA is our best friend…
Today is a victory. Tomorrow may be a tragedy. We need to stay vigil so Bell and his family stay safe. Accidents of any genre can happen. I know this part of the country all too well. Wish I could be as enthusiastic. Justice prevailed in that he is out. I pray another kind of justice doesn’t prevail that is so prevalent here. These people are Jim Crow Lite Republicans :-
Loo Hoo. @ 10
Yea, you’ll protect a lot with that!
OT but while we’re talking about Agriculture, check out this sweet deal Monsanto just got:
http://www.herald-review.com/blogs/stuellis/?p=40
A Sweet Deal For Monsanto
By Stu Ellis
September 27, 2007 at 5:30 am
Monsanto has just achieved one of the biggest coups, possibly in the history of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The leading supplier of biotech crop inputs has convinced USDA’s Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board to discount the premium for corn, if a producer buys 75% or more of his seed corn from Monsanto which contains its latest genetic traits. That is a sweet deal for Monsanto, which hopes it will sell more seed corn, with a 24% premium discount on crop insurance underwritten by USDA.
The program could be introduced in 2008 as a pilot program in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota, but although it is a pilot program, those four states produce over half of the US corn crop. To participate, a farmer would have to purchase corn hybrids that feature YieldGard Plus® with Roundup Ready® Corn 2 or YieldGard VT Triple™ technology from Monsanto. Those hybrids contain Bt genetics that are toxic to European corn borer, Corn rootworm and are tolerant of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide.
Monsanto apparently sold the crop insurance administrators on the fact that those hybrids have proven to be higher yielding, and less of a production risk than other seed corn hybrids. While other companies, such as Pioneer, may contest that, there are 250 other seed companies that insert the Monsanto genetics in their products through a licensing agreement. Consequently, those companies will potentially benefit from the decision, but they may also see an increase in the licensing fees they pay to Monsanto.
One observer, aware that the decision was pending internally, said he disagreed with the fact that one company would benefit from the USDA action. Although Monsanto stands to benefit substantially, a 24% discount in crop insurance premiums may cause more farmers to utilize crop insurance than in past seasons. However, premiums rose substantially in the past year because of the higher market prices that made the crop more valuable. The Monsanto discount may roll premium costs back to levels that were seen prior to the increased price of corn. But the discount will also partially offset the tech fees that are charged for the premium genetic package, which will likely be a sales tool used by Monsanto to promote its seed for 2008.
The move by the Federal Crop Insurance Board could really open a Pandora’s Box and set some precedents that will haunt USDA for years to come. If they have not already done so:
1) Pioneer could be seeking a similar discount for producers who buy its Herculex biotech seed that controls rootworms and other pests.
2) John Deere could be seeking a similar discount for farmers who buy Max-Emerge planters, contending there is less risk to the crop.
3) Combine manufacturers who provide special stripper heads could seek a similar discount because less grain is lost in the field, therefore yields a
AND SO ON, FOLLOW THE LINK. I WONDER WHO GOT BRIBED FOR THIS DEAL?
CTuttle @ 8
Hate to piss in the punch here, but *when* Bush veto’s the bill, there will be several Repub’s who will change their vote and stick with Georgie.
Pat Roberts, for example, said today that he was essentially begging the prez to sign, but that if he veto’s it, Roberts will vote to uphold the veto.
Loo Hoo. @ 10
Loo Hoo,
NRA is nonpartisan. If a Dem candidate supports gun ownership, he or she can get NRA support.
Loo Hoo. @ 10
I think the best I can do is a water gun :D
QuakerGirl @ 14
Hey QG, if you get one of the powerful ones, and put bleach in it instead of water…
So much talk here today about whether armed Americans could stand up to a fascist takeover.
I think not.
But I’m in favor of the Second Amendment.
Bush is breaking the military on purpose so that his blackwater guys can take over. IMO
IIRC, Howard Dean had a 100% rating from the NRA.
Loo Hoo. @ 16
I’ll give this serious thought :))
Loo Hoo. @ 10
Preview is my friend.
dumbya @ 13
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it….goddess…something has to be done about these people…it is a crime against humanity the way they operate…chewing glass…grrrrr…(tearing up Mr. LS’s shoe)…grrrrrrr….uh, oh…no really…let me count the ways…rrrrrrrr….
CTuttle @ 8
Don’t we wish. Still 25 votes short in the House. Keep that dialing finger loose and ready to go.
send lawyers, guns and money…
The DA from Jena was asked today how the town had come through the demonstrations so well. He stated that it was the prayers from the town people that had brought Jeebus down from on high (high on what?) to protect the place. Not, of course, the civilized nature of the demonstrators.
punaise @ 25
Carmelita, hold me tighter
I think I’m goin down
F’em. F’em all!!! Make our day…cause there will come a day…there will come one fine day…300,000,000 reasons why there will come a day…grrrrr….I’m heading for the sofa pillows….grrrrr…uh, oh…here comes Mr. LS…I’ll just go lie down in the corner and blame it on the Mastiff…no…I wouldn’t do that…
LS, do you need that “Illegal Smile” vid again? *g*
Poor Tavis Smiley is about to host the third tier Republicans in a “debate.” On PBS, at least in Georgia, starting at 9:00. During the commercial breaks of CSI I may drop in, just for the schadenfreude of it all…
Strange crossroads in history…Mychael…hmmmm…affecting history…wow. I wonder if he was wearing “blue”.
marymccurnin @ 26
Or the prayers of the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton?
LoudounLib @ 29
707…
Peterr @ 21
No comprendo.
Ashamed to admit it
have lustful feelings
Jonathan @ 35
Right now? *s*
Loo Hoo. @ 10
Never thought the day could come when I’d *dream* of reconsidering my support of gun control. Lesson – never say never. I’m revisiting it, gazing through a new lens.
Phoenix Woman upstairs on the illegal “Patriot Act”
raven @ 27
Nuclear arms in the Middle East
Israel is attacking the Iraqis
The Syrians are mad at the Lebanese
And Baghdad does whatever she please
Looks like another threat to world peace
For the envoy
Loo Hoo. @ 34
“Preview is my friend” is an FDL slogan, generally used when correcting a stupid error in an earlier comment that could have been easily caught if the commenter had only hit that little button below the “leave a reply” box to check things out before submitting the comment in the first place.
As I know from personal experience.
New Thread upstairs
way to go van and color of change!!(pumping fist in the air)…maybe the young man will get a fair hearing now…..
FYI, There is a presidential forum on PBS hosted by Tavis Smiley now. Is this a repeat?
SunnyNobility @ 37
The more I hear about Blackwater the more I’m considering having a gun in the house for the first time in my life. I can’t begin to tell you how creeped out I am.
no the debate is live
Everyone needs to read this op-ed by the prosecutor in this case. It seems as though this may have been blown out of proportion.
NY Times “Justice in Jena”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09…..mp;ei=5087
RBG @ 39
Patty Hearst heard the burst
Of Roland’s Thompson Gun
And bought it
ra_e_-Carmelita, hold me tighter
_ar_elita-ju_p-i_to-_y-fire
Great news!
_oy-the-repu_li_a_s-who-did_’t-show-up-for-the-ta_is-de_ate-sure-are-stupid
o_-p_s-right-_ow
this tread ended rather quickly……
repu_-de_ate-o_-p_s
ro_-paul-got-_iggest-_heers-_row__a_k-got-se_o_d
dmac @ 52
It would be justice if Kucinich and Paul were the candidates! I’d drink to that.
WTF?
ccmask @ 19
Yep.
emptywheel had a good point. DOD wouldn’t give STATE protection in Iraq, so a lot of their Iraq contracts were from the State department.
Regardless, we have to nip this now. My Federal tax dollars go for arming the military, under civilian control. This back door into private militias is massively unconstitutional. Posse Comitatus never anticipated this.
Appreciate the thread, Jane.
daki_e-at-47-Patty Hearst heard the burst
Of Roland’s Thompson Gun
And bought it”
the-_ost-i_tellige_t-thi_g-you’_e-e_er-said
i’_-sorry-that-_y-key_oard-_rapped-out-i_-order-tosay-that
dmac @ 57
Just quoting the late great Warren Zevon from his song Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner.
ls-at-53-says-It would be justice if Kucinich and Paul were the candidates! I’d drink to that.
i-do_’t-k_ow_why-people-do_’t-just-gi_e-it-up-a_d-gi_e-ku_hi_i_h-their-_ote
i-truly-do_’t
what-the-hell-_ould-happe_-if-we-did-that
wow
daki_e-Just quoting the late great Warren Zevon from his song Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner.
yeah-i-k_ow-_ut-is-worth-_e_tio_ig
I heard the judge say today that gawd intervened last week. I’m assuming he means that gawd told him to grant this kid bail? WTF!!!! What a wackonut…
Marion in Savannah @ 44
The more I hear about Blackwater the more I’m considering having a gun in the house for the first time in my life. I can’t begin to tell you how creeped out I am.
———–
God bless us one and all.
kudos to fdl for leading the way among the big box blogs on this issue.
MsAnnaNOLA @ 46
Thanks for this and it seems the above comments had nothing do with this very serious issue. Wake Up People.
jo6pac
Let’s hope Mychal gets some help. He’s been charged with assault and battery before, in fact it has cost him more than one football scholarship.
This is good news, thanks JH for the update, and for the FDL input on all of this.
As they go, so do we all . . . The Jena 6 are us.
punaise @ 25
Heh, KPIG just NOW playing some Warren. And he was IN the house, when the house burned down!
*G*
Man that kat had it goin on . . . miss him so.
raven @ 27
*G*
” . . . on the outskirts of town.”
LS @ 23
That made me smile, big time.
Rip and tear furniture, open windows, bellow, toss stuff out in pure rage . . . I’m smilin.
N I don’t even HAVE a pet, you can go home and ask my WIFE!!! (eek!)
LS @ 28
Make him pull yer finger . . . ;-)
THEN bite the couch pillows open till they fluff and flutter . . .
MsAnnaNOLA @ 46
I live in Louisiana. I am also an old civil rights activist from the sixties. A lifelong hard core liberal, and will remain so for the rest of the short time I have left on this earth. I know some facts of this case that others may not know or choose to ignore.
I visit this site daily, sometimes three or four times. I absolutely love the community here. But, it is my opinion that the support from this site of those charged in the event in Jena is misplaced.
This “kid” who was charged as an adult has a long history of violence toward others, having been arrested four previous times for such violent actions. Once for punching a girl in the face causing severedamage to her. But, under Louisiana law the details of his “teenage” crimes cannot be divulged. However, the D.A. in Jena knows his history well.
I watched an interview with the Federal Attorney in this district, who, BTW, is African American. And he said that if the ball had been in his court, he would have acted the same as the state attorney and charged the young man as a adult, considering his past history of violence.
It is my opinion (and I hope I’m wrong) that this young man is headed for a long stretch in Angola before the history of his life is written. We need to move on to supporting those who are suffering real injustice. Please.
Thank God that is is Justice for all.
Pat McCollough
Gainesville, Fl
I really feel for the Jena 6 group. I can relate to how they must have felt when they saw the noose hanging on the tree. I am from Gainesville Florida and a teacher.
On the last day of school, 1 Jun 07, I was the victim of a hate crime on campus during the school day. I was traumatized when I saw the hate graffiti spray painted on my car and even more so when I turned around and observed the back of my class room door spray painted with “K.K.K” and a swastika symbol.
The administration was very passive about the overall situation and so was the school district staff. No safety precautions or preventive measures were taken to ensure that I or the students in my classroom were safe for the remainder of the day. This type of behavior by school administration must stop.
The good news is that, a student was identified as a suspect and was eventually charged by the State Attorney’s office with a “hate crime”. Please note that the white student was not arrested and has not been arrested to date. I did not return to teaching this year.
School Boards around the Nation must get a handle on these types of racially motivated acts or many others will have to suffer the consequences for taking matters into own hands as a reaction to such hate.
Thank God that the Governor intervened on Mychal Bell’s behalf and his is finally getting out on bail. My prayers are with them all. Together we stand strong!
Please respond to:
Pat McCollough
mccollo AT cox dot net
Gainesville, Fl