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'Jena 6' Rally Cites Inaction Of U.S. Justice Department

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By DEVLIN BARRETT, The Associated Press

Published: November 17, 2007

WASHINGTON - Marchers surrounded the Justice Department headquarters on Friday to demand federal intervention in the "Jena Six" case and stepped-up enforcement of hate crimes.

On a chilly but clear day, busloads of people packed a downtown plaza to protest charges brought against six black teens accused of beating a white high school student in Jena, La.

Tensions between black and white students had run high for weeks in Jena, including an incident where a noose was hung from a tree at school.

No one was charged with a crime for hanging the noose.

"They need to deem these things hate crimes when it's necessary and obvious," said protester Letrice Titus, 32, of Syracuse, N.Y.

Organizers said more than 100 busloads of people turned out for the protest.

The march, organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton, came only a few days into the tenure of new Attorney General Michael Mukasey.

Mukasey issued a statement saying his agency is working with state and local police and civil rights groups to "investigate aggressively dozens of noose-hangings and other recent racially and religiously motivated" crimes.

The Jena case has angered blacks who say noose-hanging incidents should be forcefully prosecuted.

"Anytime there's a hate crime the Justice Department should prosecute, and a noose is certainly a hate crime," said Martin Luther King III, son of the famous slain civil rights leader.

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