The Jena Six case, involving nooses hung from trees and allegations of unequal justice for six young black students, has been national news in the United States for weeks. It spawned protest demonstrations, MySpace bulletins and petitions, yet the precise facts of the case remain unclear. It has also led to criticism of the TV networks and “parachute journalists” for not practicing a journalism of verification. The Poynter Institute’s Al Tompkins interviewed the editor of the closest small-town paper to Jena to find out how the story is playing out there.

See also: Racial journalism in America: “retelling folk tales”