I'm having a problem with accessing variables using JSTL ...

First, I started web development only a few months ago.  So, my question may seem generic, but I need help.

I have a filen events.jsp with 2 forms.  The first form is an input form, the second form is a search form which pulls query results into a datagrid (I'm using displaytag for the table).  These records can be edited in the first form.  When I select a record in form 2, in my control.jsp, I pull the record from the DB, and c:redirect to events.jsp using the reults as parameters (in results, .  When I make changes to the record, my control.jsp completes the action and I c:redirect the results and msg to events.jsp from control.jsp.  

Everthing works, except I not able to use ${param.results} to take action.  I've put debug code to display the value and my results shows in events.jsp.  But, my condition (c:if) cannot see the value.  I even tried using a session scope variable declared in control.jsp, but this doesn't seem to work either.  

My c:set statements from control.jsp:
   <c:set var='results' value='Event Add Error!' scope='session' />
   <c:set var='msg' value='${errMsg}' scope='session' />

I tried to access the sessionScope variable in events.jsp by using the following with no luck, results is empty:
   <c:if test="${!empty sessionScope.results}" >
         <script language="JavaScript">
         <!--
                   //Do some things here ...
      if ("${sessionScope.results}" == "Event Add Error!"){
          validateEventForm(document.eventsEditform);
          messageWindow("${sessionScope.results}", "${sessionScope.msg}");
      }
          //-->
         </script>
   </c:if>

I also tried to access the parameter variable in events.jsp by using the same code with simple change as follows with results being empty:
   <c:if test="${!empty param.results}" >
         <script language="JavaScript">
         <!--
                   //Do some things here ...
      if ("${param.results}" == "Event Add Error!"){
          validateEventForm(document.eventsEditform);
          messageWindow("${param.results}", "${sessionScope.msg}");
      }
          //-->
         </script>
   </c:if>


Is there something I'm not understanding about using the c:set?  If I set a session variable in control.jsp, shouldn't I be able to see it in events.jsp?  Why would the param.results and param.msg be empty (but print out in my debug statements?  Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.