Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Responds to “Day of Blogging for Justice”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Responds to “Day of Blogging for Justice”

Office of the Governor
Attn: Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
P.O. Box 94004
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9004

RE: Pardon Mychal Bell & Free the Jena 6

Monday, July 30, 2007

Dear Governor Kathleen Blanco:

Please stop the prosecution of the Jena 6. Drop all charges and pardon Mychal Bell.

This is a classic case of racial injustice much like the Scottsboro boys. Do realize that these are children, high school students, who were caught up in a race tense situation. The Jena High School administration is the blame for allowing a white prank to go unpunished. The Jena police have acted as protectorates of white wrongdoers. The Jena district attorney’s office leveled some of the heaviest criminal offenses against six young black boys. Reading the sequence of events, you cannot help but realize that the “alleged” crimes were nothing more than a schoolyard fight, common to most high schools. But every high school does not take racial sides when administering punishment, as in the case of Jena, Louisiana.

The reputation of this great state is at stake.

Sincerely,
Eddie Griffin (BASG)

[Posted by Mary Mitchell on August 30, 2007 11:47 AM]

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's statement re Jena 6

From Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's press office:

“I have received hundreds of calls, letters and emails from citizens concerned about the situation involving the case of the high school students in Jena, La. As Governor, as a citizen of the State of Louisiana, and as a mother, without rushing to judgment, I condemn racism in any form, and I fully expect that those involved in this case, including all parties, will act with fairness and in complete good faith.

“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.

“Again, the oversight regarding how this case was handled, from arrest to prosecution, lies within the Justice System. Therefore, I have consulted Attorney General Charles Foti and Donald Washington, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, regarding these events in Jena. As a result, General Foti has been and is in consultation with U.S. Attorney Washington and other members of the Justice System. Regardless of the outcome of this case, the Jena community has much healing ahead of it, and I urge all those citizens to come together for the common good of their community and their state. Our children deserve nothing less.”

[Posted by: Yolanda, August 30, 2007 02:57 PM]

It's ashame that we go through the things we do as African Americans. It's a shame the Jena 6 had to experience the torture they experienced. Where are our leaders? Yea. That letter sounds very nice. It's professional and for sure its POLITICALLY correct, but how can Gov. Blanco say that she expects ". . .that those involved in this case, including all parties, will act with fairness and in complete good faith."… If we leave Mychel Bell and the other young men's fate strictly in the hands of Blanco and Walters, we may as well do nothing. We need to write the congressman who represent that parish or ward in Jena, we need to petition the US Dept. of Justice and hell - tell Bush about it. Maybe if Condi whispers in his ear, he'll make a call to one of his good ole boys down in LA and they'll "act" like they care and do something like investigate the OBVIOUS miscarriage of Justice.

Eddie Griffin responds:

The Governor says:

Regardless of the outcome of this case, the Jena community has much healing ahead of it, and I urge all those citizens to come together for the common good of their community and their state. Our children deserve nothing less.

For the Common Good

The community of Jena can come together, as the Governor suggests. This is hindsight leadership that led to the Hurricane Katrina hysteria. Isn’t this the Queen of New Orleans who had a nervous breakdown and issued the order to “shoot to kill” all looters and scavengers during those hectic days. And, now she “urge” Jena to come together, but she does not lead in order to pull them together, as a community.

Much of this nonsense can cease with good leadership, a quality I hope the State of Louisiana will find in their next governor.