The Realistik Note

Mychal Bell attending Carroll High School, wants to play football
By Tabby Soignier
Louisiana Gannett News

Mychal Bell, the teenager at the center of the "Jena Six" controversy, wants to play football at Carroll High School in Monroe.

Carroll coach Jackie Hamilton confirmed today that Bell had been enrolled "for two or three weeks."




Bell pleaded guilty in December for his role in the beating of fellow Jena High School student Justin Barker. As part of his plea agreement, he was sentenced to 18 months in the custody of the Office of Youth Development.

Bell is the first of the Jena Six defendants to go to trial.

"He wants to put all that happened behind him," Hamilton said. "It was unfortunate; he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, he wants to be a regular teenager, to move on with his life."

Barker was allegedly attacked by at least six high school classmates on Dec. 4, 2006. Barker is white, and the alleged attackers are black.

Bell, whose 18th birthday was Jan. 18, and the others were initially charged with attempted murder, which sparked a racially charged debate. In June, Bell was convicted as an adult of aggravated second-degree battery and missed the 2007 football season while serving time in jail.

A state appeals court overturned the conviction in September. The court ruled Bell’s case should be handled in juvenile court. He moved into a Monroe area foster home last month.

Louisiana High School Athletic Association commissioner Kenny Henderson said as long as Bell is academically eligible, there wouldn’t be any obvious roadblocks for a return to the football field.
Henderson had not, however, received the required paper work.

"He’s a ward of the state, and under our rules, wherever they place him he’s going to eligible," Henderson said.


Source: http://www.blackcollegebands.com/forums/redirect-to/?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetowntalk.com%2Fapps%2Fpbcs.dll%2Farticle%3FAID%3D%2F20080128%2FNEWS01%2F80128066