NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana ( CNN ) -- The five remaining defendants in the racially charged `` Jena Six '' case will appear in court Friday and are expected to enter a plea , a spokesman for the district attorney 's office said . Protesters converged on the small Louisiana town in September 2007 after the `` Jena 6 '' were charged . Bill Furlow , spokesman for LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters , declined to say whether the defendants will plead guilty . `` It 's not a done deal until it 's a done deal , '' he said . In December 2006 , six African-American teenagers were charged with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy in the beating of a white classmate . The incident followed months of racial tension in the community of about 3,000 people . Jena , Louisiana , is about 140 miles southeast of Shreveport in the north-central part of the state . The case drew national attention from civil rights groups , who argued that the charges were excessive . An estimated 15,000-plus demonstrators turned out for a rally on behalf of the teens : Carwin Jones , Jesse Ray Beard , Robert Bailey Jr. , Bryant Purvis , Theo Shaw and Mychal Bell . The charges were eventually reduced . Bell pleaded guilty to battery in a juvenile court and moved to Monroe , Louisiana . In January , Bell said he had attempted suicide the month before by shooting himself in the chest but was recovering . Friday 's hearing is set for 1:30 p.m .
`` It 's not a done deal until it 's a done deal , '' spokesman says . 6 teens charged in December 2006 with beating a white classmate . Incident followed months of racial tension in town of about 3,000 people . One of the the `` Jena 6 '' pleaded guilty to battery in juvenile court this year .