For Immediate Release

	September 6, 2007 NBA NEWS BRIEF National Bar Association, 1225 11th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20001 CONTACT: Stephanie White @ 202-842-3900 E-mail: associate@nationalbar.org NATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT VANITA BANKS CALLS FOR JUSTICE IN JENA WASHINGTON, DC - (September 6, 2007) …National Bar Association (NBA) President Vanita Banks calls for justice in Jena, Louisiana following several racially charged incidents that culminated in a school yard fight and six African-American Jena High School male students facing stiff prison terms. NBA President Vanita Banks will travel to Baton Rouge and Jena in a few days to meet with attorneys and Louisiana public officials, and to hold a press conference. "We are closely monitoring this case which has captured national and international attention because of the gross disparity in treatment of these youth," said President Banks. The NBA has appointed a special task force on this matter. On September 20, 2007, the NBA will participate in a rally along with civil rights organizations, the media and citizens from across the nation in Jena to provide support to the families of the young men. After black students had received permission to sit under a tree traditionally used by white students, the following day three nooses were hung from the tree. The white students received a few days suspension, and the incident was considered to be a harmless prank. "The injustice that these youth have been subjected to in Jena shocks the conscience," said President Banks. The six African-American teens, commonly referred to as the "Jena 6," include Robert Bailey, 17, Theodore Shaw, 17, Carwin Jones, 18, Bryant Purvis, 17, Mychal Bell, 16 and a sixth underage, unidentified teenager. An all-white jury recently convicted Mychal Bell of aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated second-degree battery in a trial where his public defender called no witnesses. On September 4, 2007, the conspiracy conviction was vacated, but Bell faces up to 15 years in prison on the aggravated second-degree battery conviction when he is sentenced on September 20, 2007. Founded in 1925, the NBA is the nation's oldest and largest national association of predominately African-American lawyers and judges. It has 84 affiliate chapters throughout the United States and affiliations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Africa and the Caribbean. It represents a professional network of over 40,000 lawyers, judges, educators and law students.