Mychal Bell

Mychal Bell is one of the Jena Six, a group of black teenagers who were initially charged with the attempted second-degree murder of white classmate Justin Barker in Jena, Louisiana.

Five days after Bell was arrested on Christmas Eve for shoplifting in a Louisiana mall, he shot himself in the chest with a 22-caliber gun. His injuries were not life threatening. Bell later spoke out about the shooting, saying that there was mounting pressure to be perfect after the Jena Six incident and that he collected Christmas money with the intent to purchase a gun and commit suicide.CNN.com: Jena 6's Bell: I Sought Suicide Gun with Christmas Money

In December of 2006, Bell, along with five other fellow black students, allegedly attacked white classmate Justin Barker, sending him briefly to the hospital. Earlier in the school year, three white students had been suspended for placing nooses under a tree on the grounds of Jena High School, and several racially charged incidents had occurred throughout the semester.

After the attack, Bell and four of his alleged fellow attackers were charged with attempted second degree murder. The charges sparked outrage among African-Americans and others who felt the charges were disproportionate to the crime. While Bell's charges were later reduced to aggravated battery, they were subsequently thrown out because the judge agreed that Bell should have been tried as a juvenile. He then served an 18-month sentence for his role in the attacks.