Congressional hearings held on Jena 6, Rep Jackson Lee get’s aggrevated

I heard some of the testimony regarding the Jena 6 case that was give before the House Judiciary committee on Tuesday.  Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee of Houston was pretty upset about the whole thing.

Ryan Grim of The Politico was on hand for the hearing and reports on the tension filled session.  (See Grim's article Jena Six draws volatile mix).  He details Jackson Lee's emotional interrogation of witnesses from the Dept. of Justice.

“I am almost in tears. Mychal Bell is now in jail. … The tragedy of this case is that it called out for federal intervention for the protection of children,” (Lee) says. “Shame on you.”

…Jackson Lee grows louder, directing her anger now at (Donald) Washington, who she pointedly notes is the first black western district attorney. “I’m asking you to find a way to release Mychal Bell and the Jena Six,” Jackson Lee cries. “What are you doing now?!”

Also, check out Howard Witt's article from the hearings (Justice Department May Probe Bias In Jena).  Witt's Chicago Tribune article also has video attached.

Witt's article, Washington said for the first time that the hanging of nooses from a shade tree in Jena constituted a federal hate crime.   Washington went on the say  that federal authorities opted not to prosecute the case because of the ages of the white youths involved.

It ain't over.