January 3, 2011

Was Frederick Jermaine Carter Lynched in Mississippi?

Frederick James Carter
America is not a post-racial nation yet. That fact is especially true in Mississippi.

Soulclap to JuJuBe for letting me know about the controversial case of Frederick Jermaine Carter.  Last month 26-year old Frederick Jermaine Carter was found hanging from an oak tree in Greenwood, Mississippi. Prior to his death, Carter’s stepfather, a painter, said he and Carter were working in Greenwood and that Carter wandered off after he was instructed to go and get some tools.

The county sheriff ruled the death a suicide and most white folks in Mississippi agreed with him. These folks note that Carter had spent eight months in the state mental hospital in 2008, and tried to kill himself by drug overdose and cutting himself.

County Coroner Debra Sanders said that the autopsy’s preliminary finding of suicide is consistent with what was observed at the scene: that “Carter dragged the frame of an old table from one side of the tree to the other, propped it against the tree trunk, and then tied himself to the lowest limb.” In addition, there were no other footprints by the tree.


Most Black folks in Mississippi disagree. After all, Greenwood is about 12 miles from Money, Miss., the place where 14-year old Emmett Till was lynched after he allegedly made remarks to a white woman. The Black community has a long memory of the horror known as lynching in America.

The NAACP and others feel that Carter was lynched. State Rep. Willie Perkins, president of the Leflore County branch of the NAACP, says that group also "will keep a high scrutiny and watch on any investigative report regarding what was the cause of death."
"There are a lot of concerns there, No. 1 that this individual could not have (hanged) himself without the assistance of someone, if it’s being declared a suicide," he says. "Why would someone from Sunflower County come to North Greenwood, the predominantly white housing area of Greenwood? Why would someone that far away come and hang themselves in North Greenwood by a river? That does not pass the smell test to me."
Another local elected official, state Sen. David Jordan, says the African American community in Greenwood is “very much concerned.”
"This is in a white wealthy area, and Black people just don’t go over there," he says. "There’s not a single Black that’s talked to us who believes that he hanged himself."
I suspect that we will never know the full story of this man's death. However, I do know that America is not yet post-racial.

What are your thoughts on the Frederick Jermaine Carter case? Was it a lynching or a suicide?

16 comments:

Joanna said...

I have spent time in a hospital for mental health reasons. I have attended programs for mental health for years. I have never met someone who committed suicide in a public place that was miles away from their own home. The only time i knew of someone who committed suicide in public was an individual who walked out his door and stepped in front of a nearby train. There is no way this man would travel so far from his home to an all white neighborhood to kill himself. Not to mention that he could not have done it on his own.

SjP said...

Suicide? Yeah! Right!

Unknown said...

Joanna and SjP - Yeah, it is doubtful in my mind that any Blackman ... even a troubled one ... would emulate a LYNCHING ON A PUBLIC TREE ... as a way to commit suicide.

tha artivist said...

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Interviewed The Honorable Min.Abdullah Yasin Muhammad, The Son Of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, About The Frederick Jermaine Carter Hanging case.

please check out the powerful video of that interview here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHpOt_BoDsI


To Listen to the entire interview please click on the following link:


W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio: Suicide Or Strange Fruit? You Decide. A Bro. Frederick Jermaine Carter Update.

Show:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe/2011/01/13/tha-artivist-presentswe-all-be-radio



Summary:

http://weallbe.blogspot.com/2011/01/we-all-be-radio-special-weds-1122011.html

Unknown said...

All - I don't have any sense that this story has progressed since the young man was found hanging from the tree. What is your take on it?

tha artivist said...

***Breaking News: Frederick Jermaine Carter Hanging Update***Direct Action Needed!
http://bit.ly/fXq3ba

Unknown said...

The Artivist - I'm going to ask my blog readers to take the action you suggest in order to get the first autopsy released to the public. Thank you for letting us know about this issue of non-transparency by the state of Mississippi.

tha artivist said...

The Villager: I am glad that you are part of the solution rather than the problem...I got another update for you...

(3/16/2011) Frederick Jermaine Carter Update: Tha Artivist Confronts Coroner's Office Over Autopsy Delay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H4oQj-eU9A

tha artivist said...

(3/18/2011) BREAKING NEWS! Miss. Deputy Medical Examiner Signs Off On Frederick Jermaine Carter’s First Official Autopsy Results…Apologizes For Delay & Offers Condolences To The Family

Press Release

http://weallbe.blogspot.com/2011/03/3182011-breaking-news-miss-deputy.html


YouTube Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn9zeOJrf-M

tha artivist said...

(3/25/2011) Breaking News! Dr. Adel Shaker: Frederick Jermaine Carter's Death Ruled A Hanging And Not A Suicide.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvOgugWY06s

Press Release:
http://weallbe.blogspot.com/2011/03/3252011-breaking-news-dr-adel-shaker.html

Unknown said...

Ron - Thank you very much for continuing to stay on top of this story. Your recent interaction with the deputy state medical examiner in Mississippi made a difference in moving this story forward. Thank you again...

tha artivist said...

No problem just doing my part.

tha artivist said...

Some more updates on the case...We must never forget and we must also act!
Frederick Jermaine Carter Update: Family Doubts Suicide In Case Of Hanged Black Man
http://weallbe.blogspot.com/2011/04/frederick-jermaine-carter-update-family.html

Video: The Frederick Jermaine Carter Family Press Conference Jackson, MS (3/31/2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXOI3DaO3FE


Weds. 3/30/2011 @ 9pm c/10pm e/ 7pm p*** W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio: Seeing Justice @ Daylight: Frederick Jermaine Carter Hanging Update
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe/2011/03/31/tha-artivist-presentswe-all-be-radio


(3/29/2011) Operation Help Civil Rights Group's Press Conference On Frederick Jermaine Carter's Autopsy Results
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjdMQmAyfvw

tha artivist said...

More Fred Carter Hanging Updates:

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Exclusive! Update Interview With Miss. Medical Examiner Dr. Adel Shaker On Frederick Jermaine Carter Hanging (4/19/2011)
http://blip.tv/file/5057532

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Exclusive! Interview With Leflore County Coroner Debra Sanders On Frederick Jermaine Carter Hanging (4/19/2011)
http://blip.tv/file/5057462

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Exclusive! Interview With DA Dewayne Richardson On Frederick Jermaine Carter Hanging (4/20/2011)
http://blip.tv/file/5054057

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Exclusive! Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks On Frederick Jermaine Carter Hanging (4/21/2011)
http://blip.tv/file/5053963

More Frederick Jermaine Carter On W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News
http://weallbe.blogspot.com/search?q=frederick+jermaine+carter

tha artivist said...

Read The W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News Special Report: "Frederick Jermaine Carter 7 Months Later": http://bit.ly/n4jetc and finally view Frederick Carter's first autopsy report: http://bit.ly/mVeDAh You Must Be A Hellhound For Truth & Justice...One ♥!

Unknown said...

Ron - I appreciate you for the work that you continue to do on this story. Stay strong my brother!