JENA, Louisiana (CNN) -- Mychal Bell, the sole defendant who remains behind bars from the group of teens known as the "Jena 6," will not be released Friday, a court decided.
Bell, 17, has been in jail since his arrest more than nine months ago.
It was not immediately clear what happened in court Friday, where Bell's attorneys had planned to push for his release.
"It is our understanding that the judge refused to give bond or bail to Mychal Bell today," the Rev. Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist who traveled to Jena for Thursday's rally, said in a written statement.
A source inside the court said the issue of bond was not discussed at the hearing. Attorneys did not immediately comment. The proceedings, involving a juvenile, are not open to media.
Bell's mother left the courthouse in tears.
"We'll be back," shouted one Jena 6 supporter outside the courthouse Friday.
With thousands of demonstrators converging on the small town Thursday to decry what they call "unequal justice," the state's 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal ordered a bond hearing for Bell within 72 hours. It was set for Friday morning.
Among the calls at Thursday's dramatic protests -- which drew worldwide attention -- was "Free Mychal Bell."
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/09/21/jena.hearing/index.html
See a full timeline of the events here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jena_Six (Thanks,
jwz.) 