Des Moines Register
09-22-07
Obama condemns Jena charges
He says the case shows the criminal justice system isn't working as it should.
By LISA ROSSI
REGISTER AMES BUREAU
Ames, Ia. - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, speaking during
an appearance on the Iowa State University campus Friday, condemned the
attempted murder charges that stemmed from what he called a schoolyard fight
in Jena, La.
Obama, a U.S. senator from Illinois, was referring to an incident that occurred in
December 2006, when a white student was knocked unconscious on school
grounds in Jena, and five black teens were charged with attempted seconddegree murder. The sixth was booked as a juvenile on sealed charges.
"I don't condone them beating up some kid," he said, but "a schoolyard fight
should not lead to attempted murder charges."
The charges in Jena have led to thousands of people protesting, accusing
prosecutors of racial bias.
Obama said the charges are indicative of a criminal justice system that is "still not
working as it should be, because it wasn't providing equal justice across the
board."
"If you are convicted of a crack cocaine deal, you'll get a hundred times longer
sentence than if you are convicted of a powder cocaine, which has a huge
disproportionate racial impact," he said. "Those kind of inequities, I don't think
anybody believes in. It's not a black issue or a white issue. I think all Americans
are upset when they see the justice system not working the way that it should."
Andrew Crenshaw, 20, an ISU junior from Albany, Ga., said he appreciated
Obama's comments on Jena, explaining that not many people know about it.
He said Obama did not show a lot of emotion about the subject of Jena, but said
he would expect that in a political campaign.
"He can be passionate about something, but really not show much emotions," he
said. "I think it's emotional, but it's a campaign."
Obama's visit to Ames on Friday was his second to the campus. Obama said his
first visit to Ames in February attracted a crowd of 7,000 people. An estimated
3,000 to 4,000 attended Friday afternoon.
At a "Senior Town Hall Meeting" in Ames later in the afternoon, about 500
attended to observe a question and answer session between Obama and high
school seniors, and senior citizens in downtown Ames, where Obama talked
about his commitment to Social Security, making health care accessible to all
Americans and ending the war in Iraq.