Black Panthers say they will patrol Jena

The New Black Panther Party for Self Defense has announced plans to patrol the streets of Jena in order to protect the "Jena Six" and their families.

But local law enforcement officials said they have not seen any party members on patrol.

In an announcement on its Web site, the party claims that Jena police and the LaSalle Parish Sheriff's Office "announced that they would not provide protection for the families of the Jena Six under threat." LaSalle Parish Sheriff Carl Smith said Wednesday that is not true. He said his office has additional officers on duty and is receiving assistance from federal officers and the Louisiana State Police. U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., on Wednesday also sent a letter to the acting attorney general seeking information on the Justice Department's efforts relating to events in Jena. In the letter addressed to Peter D. Keisler, acting attorney general, Leahy sought information on the role of the department's long-established Community Relations Service. The Community Relations Service was created in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the important mission of helping to prevent civil disorder and racial tensions. It is the Federal Government's traditional "peacemaker" in community conflicts arising from racial tensions. The U.S. Justice Department and the FBI are aware of the threat allegations and are investigating, said Brian Roehrkasse, a justice department spokesman. Leahy's letter was dated Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, LaSalle Parish School Superintendent Roy Breithaupt held a press conference to clarify information circulating about the Jena Six case. In August 2006, when nooses were hung from a tree at Jena High School, Breithaupt said then-Principal Scott Windham called for an expulsion committee to investigate. The investigation showed the three students involved had no history of behavior problems, had never "demonstrated an inclination toward violence or to do physical harm to anyone," no physical injury resulted and no violent act was intended when the nooses were hung, Breithaupt said in a press release. "In deciding the consequences for the student's behavior the committee determined that expulsion was not appropriate," he said in the release. The boys involved were sent to alternative school for nine days, served a two-week in-school suspension, had Saturday detentions, had to attend Discipline Court, referred to Families in Need of Services and had an evaluation before returning to school as part of the district's Crises Management Policy Procedures. In the December 2006 fight, involving Justin Barker and the Jena Six, Breithaupt said it was not a "school-yard fight." "It was a premeditated ambush and attack by six students against one," he said in a press release. "The victim attacked was beaten and kicked into a state of bloody unconsciousness." An expulsion committee investigated the attack and expulsion was recommended. Four students appealed the decision. The expulsions were upheld by the LaSalle Parish School Board after a hearing. Breithaupt said the expelled students were told they could continue their education in an alternative setting. "I continue to firmly stand behind the actions of the LaSalle Parish School system in regard to these incidents," Breithaupt said. The investigation into threats made against all parties in the Jena Six case remains under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, state and local officials. Tina Jones, mother of Jena Six member Bryant Purvis, said Wednesday that she had received several threatening telephone calls since her information was posted on the Internet. The personal information of the Jena Six families was placed on a white supremacist Web site. "One called the house and said he was KKK and said he was on the way to Jena to come for my son," she said. Jones said other Jena Six family members had also received threatening calls and letters, which had been given to the FBI. A meeting between Jena Six family members and about seven representatives from the New Black Panther Party took place Sunday in Jena to discuss protection, Jones said. Exactly how the New Black Panthers would provide protection wasn't discussed, she said. "They just said they would assist with protecting the families," she said. Catrina Wallace, local NAACP member and relative of one of the Jena Six, said she arranged Sunday's meeting. In a press release posted on the party's site, Malik Shabazz, leader of the New Black Panther Party, said members would begin this week to patrol the streets of Jena to protect not only the Jena Six families but all black residents "against open and imminent threats from Ku Klux Klan and other White supremacists advocating violence." The party is forming a committee called The Security and Protection Committee of the Jena Six that would involve organizations and volunteers from across the nation. Among the organizations noted to be a part of the committee were the Millions More Movement and the Black Muslims in addition to the New Black Panther Party. "The coalition will coordinate and lead an all volunteer effort that will man shifts and provide personal security for the Jena Six families as well as local residents under the threat of Klan intimidation in the wake of the successful Sept. 20 mass demonstration in Jena and around the U.S.," the release states. The release says security will be provided for the upcoming months. "This threat is real," the release states. "The Sept. 20 demonstration, which we aided in organizing, has created a resentment and backlash in certain quarters of Jena's white community. In the spirit of the Deacons of Defense, we intend to exercise our full range of legal rights of defense and protection to ensure that this very real threat of violence is neutralized."