The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #104934   Message #2153827
Posted By: Azizi
20-Sep-07 - 06:48 PM
Thread Name: BS: The Jena 6 Controversy
Subject: RE: BS: The Jena 6 Controversy
Note that there is some dispute about whether the six Black students {Jena 6} or any other Black students kicked White student Justin Barker when he was knocked down to the ground.

See these comments from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jena_Six that I have put in italics for emphasis:

The assault
On December 4, 2006, Jena High School student Justin Barker, age 17, was assaulted by other Jena High students. According to reports, earlier that day Barker, a white student, bragged about how one of his alleged attackers, Robert Bailey, Jr., had been beaten up by a white man the Friday before.[3] Barker, who denies making the comments,[15] was then knocked to the ground after being hit in the back of his head. From there, according to white witnesses, a group of black students followed suit by repeatedly kicking him, though black witnesses deny that this occurred.[15] Barker, who was left unconscious after the attack, was examined by a doctor at the local hospital. In the meantime, the six students accused of the attack, eventually dubbed the "Jena Six",[16] were arrested.


Barker's injuries
After two hours of treatment and observation for a concussion and an eye that had swollen shut, Barker was released from the hospital. He was able to attend his school's Ring ceremony that evening,[7] though he later testified, "I waited 11 years to go to it. I wasn't going to let that get in my way," and that he ended up leaving early due to pain.[17]

During the trial, Barker also testified that his face was badly swollen after the attack and that he temporarily lost vision in one eye for three weeks. He also stated that he suffered recurring headaches since the attack, though he admitted that tests have shown no medical cause.[17]