Jena Six fund may go to Barkers if family wins
by Abbey Brown - The Town Talk (excerpt)

It could be the Barker family, not the families of the "Jena Six," who receive the money from Jena Six Defense Fund.

Pineville attorney Henry Lemoine Jr., representing Justin Barker and his family, said the fund could be used as restitution should the Barkers win their civil suit against the Jena Six and their families.

The suit, filed last Thursday, also seeks unspecified damages from the LaSalle Parish School Board and a seventh student, Malcolm Shaw.

Lemoine said at this point in time, he's not sure how much money the Barkers are seeking, but Justin Barker's medical bills in connection to his injuries from the Dec. 4, 2006, attack alone have totalled more than $19,000.

LaSalle Parish Schools Superintendent Roy Breithaupt declined to comment on the case or say who was representing the school board in the matter. LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters is normally the attorney for the school system but won't be representing them in this case as it could be seen as a conflict of interest, Walters' spokesman Bill Furlow said.

Messages left for several attorneys for the Jena Six students and their parents went unreturned.

Bob Noel, one of the attorney's representing Mychal Bell in his criminal proceedings, said he hasn't been contacted about the civil suit and has no plans to get involved in it.