The language 'all white jury' was from a Washington Post article. That is a question that is best directed to them.
What is interesting, is that the convicting jury was comprised of six citizens. I thought juries were typically comprised of twelve or fifteen citizens.
If one searched for 'ineffective council mychal bell', one could learn that one of those jurors was a classmate with Mr. Barker's father. One wonders if that shouldn't have been cause for a pre-emptive dismissal. (From personal experience, during one enpanelling session, I was read a list of possible witnesses. Just the fact that I
might know someone on the witeness list was sufficient to get me dismissed).
Of course, I must warn against doing that search for ineffective council. The reading becomes quite disturbing. The court appointed lawyer ~ a right guaranteed by our Supreme Court, by the way ~ is reported to be grossly incompetent at Mr. Bell's defense; relevant witnesses not called to the stand, witnesses on the stand not challenged appropriately, the 'green jacket', juvenile charges brought in the adult court system, refusal to allow jurors to consider lesser charges, etc.
I wonder if we have heard about other 'overzealous District Attorneys' anywhere recently, Hmm>
Big Don ~ as to the language of Louisiana law, ~ it does raise some interesting questions. Basically, it sounds as if it is an unwelcome touch, one could bring charges. It seems it would be possible for a non-violent touching incident to result in a criminal charge. In my limited searches so far, I have been unable to find descriptions of Mr. Bell's crimes in these cases (not unexpected considering juvenile court systems and reporting).
Some here have used the prior adjudications to indict Mr. Bell in this incident. (He's a bad apple that can't be fixed - of course some of those making this argument continue to support trying to help the Shi'ite and Sunni's in Iraq - their prior bad acts go back hundreds of years, but we're still trying to fix them. - I digress). There has been discussions about 'why didn't they step in sooner'. I have argued that racial tensions were reported to be high throughout Jena preceeding attack on Mr. Barker. A thoughtful person would wonder if these prior charges indicative of those racial tensions.
Also, the unspoken assumption when mentioning Mr. Bell's prior record, is that Mr. Barker was a 'nice boy', who played no part in the racial tensions in the community. I will point out that Mr. Barker was expelled from the High School for bringing a gun onto the school campus.
In Louisiana Law:
95.2. Carrying a firearm, or dangerous weapon, by a student or nonstudent on school property, at school-sponsored functions or firearm-free zone
A. Carrying a firearm, or dangerous weapon as defined in R.S. 14:2, by a student or nonstudent on school property, at a school sponsored function, or in a firearm-free zone is unlawful and shall be defined as possession of any firearm or dangerous weapon, on one's person, at any time while on a school campus, on school transportation, or at any school sponsored function in a specific designated area including but not limited to athletic competitions, dances, parties, or any extracurricular activities, or within one thousand feet of any school campus.
Further, Title 17 mandates that schools make students aware of this law, and its consequences, in the first week of each school year, since its inception in 1999.
