US Jena - Day after protest, bail denied for black teen held over beating of white student
NAME: US JENA 20070921I
TAPE: EF07/1126
IN_TIME: 10:21:27:02
DURATION: 00:02:06:10
SOURCES: AP TELEVISION
DATELINE: La Salle Parish, 21 Sept 2007
RESTRICTIONS:
SHOTLIST
1. Melissa Bell, mother of defendant Mychal Bell, arriving at courthouse, answering questions from media while walking
2. STILL photograph of Mychal Bell
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Perry Bell, Mychal Bell's Grandfather
"I hope he comes out standing tall just like he's standing"
(Question: What's the future for him, do you know?)
"Big and better"
4. Exterior of La Salle Parish courthouse
5. Tree with ribbon outside courthouse
6. Exterior of courthouse
7. Close of man entering courthouse
8. Media waiting outside courthouse
9. Bell's legal team leaving courthouse
10. Various of Melissa Bell leaving courthouse
11. SOUNDBITE (English) King Downing, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
"Mr. Bell (Perry Bell, Mychal Bell's grandfather) had a very tight face and it was clear that he hadn't gotten good news and then he mentioned the fact that bail was denied. Melissa Bell came out and was in tears and nearly collapsed."
12. Melissa Bell leaving courthouse
STORYLINE
A judge on Friday denied a request to release a black teenager whose arrest in the beating of a white classmate sparked a thousands-strong civil rights protest in this small Louisiana town.
Mychal Bell's request to be freed while an appeal is being reviewed was rejected at a juvenile court hearing, effectively denying him any chance at immediate bail, a person familiar with the case told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because juvenile court proceedings are closed.
Earlier, Bell's mother emerged from the hearing in tears, refusing to comment.
King Downing, a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said: "Mr. Bell (Perry Bell, Mychal Bell's grandfather) had a very tight face and it was clear to me when he came out that he hadn't gotten good news and then he mentioned the fact that bail was denied and Melissa Bell came out and was in tears and nearly collapsed."
Earlier in the day, Mychal Bell's Grandfather, Perry Bell was found saying "I hope he (Mychal) comes out standing tall just like he's standing."
17-year-old Bell was convicted of aggravated second-degree battery, which could have led to 15 years in prison.
But his conviction was thrown out by a state appeal court that said he could not be tried on the charge as an adult.
He was 16 at the time of the beating.
At a separate closed hearing on Friday, a judge refused a request from defence attorneys to remove Judge J.P. Mauffray Jr. from Bell's case, said John Jenkins, father of one of Bell's co-defendants.
Defence lawyers have complained that Mauffray set a high bail for Bell, 90-thousand US dollars, prior to his conviction in the Barker beating.