Congressional Hearing Weighs Making Noose-Hanging A Hate Crime, Regardless Of Age
http://www.gbmnews.com/articles/1736/1/Congressional-Hearing-Weighs-Making-Noose-Hanging-A-Hate-Crime-Regardless-Of-Age/Page1.html
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Published on 10/19/2007
By Jessica Pupovac
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Civil Rights leaders are calling on Congress Tuesday to expand federal laws to require that noose-hanging always be punished as a hate crime, regardless of the age of the offender at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, in which leaders are exploring the ramifications of the "Jena 6" case. The case led to a shocking wave of noose-hangings throughout the country and highlighted ongoing racial disparities in the U.S. Justice system.
The nooses hung on tree outside of a Jena, Louisiana high school in September 2006 set off a series of racially charged incidents, including the beating of a white student by six black teens that winter. While the students who hung the noose were suspended, the black students, known as the "Jena 6," were charged with attempted murder. Last week, the alleged ringleader of the group, Mycheal Bell, was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Civil Rights leaders are calling on Congress Tuesday to expand federal laws to require that noose-hanging always be punished as a hate crime, regardless of the age of the offender at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, in which leaders are exploring the ramifications of the "Jena 6" case. The case led to a shocking wave of noose-hangings throughout the country and highlighted ongoing racial disparities in the U.S. Justice system. The nooses hung on tree outside of a Jena, Louisiana high school in September 2006 set off a series of racially charged incidents, including the beating of a white student by six black teens that winter. While the students who hung the noose were suspended, the black students, known as the "Jena 6," were charged with attempted murder. Last week, the alleged ringleader of the group, Mycheal Bell, was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
Congressional Hearing Weighs Making Noose-Hanging A Hate Crime, Regardless Of Age
By Jessica Pupovac
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Civil Rights leaders are calling on Congress Tuesday to expand federal laws to require that noose-hanging always be punished as a hate crime, regardless of the age of the offender at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, in which leaders are exploring the ramifications of the "Jena 6" case. The case led to a shocking wave of noose-hangings throughout the country and highlighted ongoing racial disparities in the U.S. Justice
system.
The nooses hung on tree outside of a Jena, Louisiana high school in September 2006 set off a series of racially charged incidents, including the beating of a white student by six black teens that winter. While the students who hung the noose were suspended, the black students, known as the "Jena 6," were charged with attempted murder. Last week, the alleged ringleader of the group, Mycheal Bell, was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
Meanwhile, following a massive march in support of the black teens September 21, at least 18 noose-hanging incidents have been reported throughout the country, according to DiversityInc Magazine.
Rev. Al Sharpton told the committee today, "What has been most troubling is the silence of the federal government in the face of this." He urged the Justice Department to step in.
Donald Washington, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, told the committee that Department of Justice has opened investigations into noose-hanging incidents in five states, adding that it was not prosecuted in Jena because the students were juveniles.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) chided her colleagues for low attendance during the hearing, saying that too many Representatives focused their questions on the civil rights of Justin Barker, the white student who was beaten. "It is not only institutionalized racism that causes disparate treatment, but it is the kind of thinking that goes on in this country by public policy makers," she said.
Nooses are a powerful symbol of America's history of racial violence and allude to the lynching of African-Americans pervasive throughout the rural south during the segregation era. At least 3,500 blacks were lynched between 1882 and 1968, according to "Without Sanctuary," a documentary project currently touring the U.S.
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Civil Rights leaders are calling on Congress Tuesday to expand federal laws to require that noose-hanging always be punished as a hate crime, regardless of the age of the offender at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, in which leaders are exploring the ramifications of the "Jena 6" case. The case led to a shocking wave of noose-hangings throughout the country and highlighted ongoing racial disparities in the U.S. Justice
system.
The nooses hung on tree outside of a Jena, Louisiana high school in September 2006 set off a series of racially charged incidents, including the beating of a white student by six black teens that winter. While the students who hung the noose were suspended, the black students, known as the "Jena 6," were charged with attempted murder. Last week, the alleged ringleader of the group, Mycheal Bell, was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
Meanwhile, following a massive march in support of the black teens September 21, at least 18 noose-hanging incidents have been reported throughout the country, according to DiversityInc Magazine.
Rev. Al Sharpton told the committee today, "What has been most troubling is the silence of the federal government in the face of this." He urged the Justice Department to step in.
Donald Washington, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, told the committee that Department of Justice has opened investigations into noose-hanging incidents in five states, adding that it was not prosecuted in Jena because the students were juveniles.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) chided her colleagues for low attendance during the hearing, saying that too many Representatives focused their questions on the civil rights of Justin Barker, the white student who was beaten. "It is not only institutionalized racism that causes disparate treatment, but it is the kind of thinking that goes on in this country by public policy makers," she said.
Nooses are a powerful symbol of America's history of racial violence and allude to the lynching of African-Americans pervasive throughout the rural south during the segregation era. At least 3,500 blacks were lynched between 1882 and 1968, according to "Without Sanctuary," a documentary project currently touring the U.S.