Teens in Brawl Face Felony Charges

Felony charges were filed against four teenage boys over a brawl at a Decatur, Ill., high school football game that led to expulsions and brought the Rev. Jesse Jackson to town. Jackson, whose protests led officials to close Decatur’s three public high schools for safety reasons for a second day, called the charges “attacks on these students.” While the expelled students are all black, Jackson has said fairness is more at issue than race. The four boys were all charged with mob action, a felony. Two of those charged with mob action were among six high school students expelled after the Sept. 17 fracas in the bleachers at Eisenhower High School. Meanwhile, an attorney for six students involved in the fight asked a federal judge to order the district to immediately reinstate them. A lawsuit filed on their behalf said their exclusion from school was a “gross injustice and has caused irreparable harm.”