This post was originally written by Malia Litman and posted on Aug. 23, 2012 to malialitman.wordpress.com. After becoming aware of the post made to Cop Block on Nov. 20, 2012, Did Chavis Carter Kill Himself?, she reached out to share her write-up in the hopes that Carter’s death wouldn’t be overlooked.
________________________________
Chavis Carter
Five days ago we wondered why more people weren’t talking about the shooting of Chavis Carter. He was a 21 year old black man who was arrested, searched twice, he was in police custody, handcuffed behind his back, sitting in a police car, having been arrested by two white police officers in Jonesboro, Arkansas because there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Mississippi. Chavis Carter was shot in the head and died while in custody, with his hands still in handcuffs behind his back.
The police indicated that the death was a suicide. The idea that a man could shoot himself in the head, while handcuffed, was so outrageous, that I hoped that it must be true. Surely if the police were going to shoot a suspect, and claim suicide, they would be smart enough to do it when he didn’t have handcuffs on! This story was so hard to believe that the police themselves created a video demonstrating that it was theoretically possible for a man, handcuffed behind his back, to shoot himself in the head. Here is the video:
What is interesting to notice from the video is that even the police re-enacting how this was theoretically possible, demonstrate that in order to accomplish this magic act the victim must move his hands to the right side of his body, holding the guy in an upright position, and the victim must lean his head downward in order to shoot himself in the head. It is physically impossible for the victim, while handcuffed behind his back, to keep his head upright, and position the gun next to his head and shoot pointing the gun in a downward, and backward direction. The autopsy of Chavis Carter confirms that the shot was fired next to Mr. Carter’s head and in a downward and backward direction! It is the autopsy that proves that the death of Mr. Carter was not a suicide, but in fact an execution of a man restrained, and in custody. Here are the details which prove that Mr. Carter was executed.
A. Inexplicable Facts
Even if Chavis Carter intended to shoot himself, it is problematic that he shot himself in the right side of his head, when he was left handed.
If Chavis Carter was suicidal, it seems unlikely that if he was about to shoot himself that he would call his girlfriend to tell her he’d been arrested, and would call her when he got to jail.
Even though the autopsy report showed evidence of drugs in the blood and urine of Chavis Carter, there was no indication that he resisted arrest or was engaged in any type of violent behavior at the time of his arrest. Even if he was under the influence of drugs, he was able to spell his name, ask the police questions, and “walk fluidly like any normal person.”
Even though police searched Mr. Carter twice they did not find a gun. Their search was sufficiently thorough to locate a small plastic bag of pot, so it would seem that if they could find that small baggie, they could find a gun. While we might imagine the possibility that the police might miss a weapon during a search, it seems likely that if the weapon was so concealed that the police would miss a gun that it would be virtually impossible for a man detained in the back of a car, with handcuffs holding his hands behind his back, to retrieve the weapon.
B. Missing Evidence
The autopsy report documents at page 2 that the hands of Mr. Carter “were enclosed in paper bags at initial examination.” Putting the hands of a suicide victim in paper bags would be important to preserve evidence of the residue left when a gun is fired. If Mr. Carter had in fact shot himself, there should be some residue from the gun shot on his hands. It might include burnt and unburnt particles from the explosive primer, the propellant, or components of the bullet or cartridge, but there would surely be residue. Testing for gunshot residue was not performed on Mr. Carter’s hands.
The police car in question had a camera mounted to record the activities of the police on the occasion in question. Video from the arrest has been produced. The video shows Mr. Carter being patted down, but it ended before officers found Carter slumped over and bleeding in the back of a patrol car. Miraculously the police have also produced video from after the moment Mr. Carter was found slumped over with a bullet hole in his head. Mysteriously, the video of the moment police say Mr. Carter shot himself is missing.
C. Revelations From the Autopsy
Hundreds of articles have appeared across the internet reporting that the autopsy confirmed that the “manner” of Mr. Carter’s death was “suicide.” Page one of the autopsy report lists the “cause of death” to be “gunshot wound of head” and the “manner of death” to be “suicide.” However the more revealing comment of the coroner comes at the end of the report, at page 7. The report states:
“The manner of death is based on both autopsy findings and the investigative conclusions of the Jonesboro Police Department.” The “cause of death,” determined by autopsy, was “a perforating gunshot wound of the head.” (Page 7) Thus the coroner based his decision of the “manner” of death on the report of the Jonesboro Police who reported that it was a suicide, not an execution.
The autopsy report itself reveals that this was an execution, not a suicide. The following are excerpts from the report itself:
1. Pg. 3 – “DESCRIPTION OF GUNSHOT WOUND:
An entrance gunshot wound was present on the right temporal scalp, situated just into the hairline, located 4 inches below the top of the head , 2 inches above and ¾ inches in front of the right external auditory canal…..
The path of the bullet was perforating …, exited the left temporal skull and scalp 1 ½ inches directly above the left external auditory canal , and 4 ½ inches below the top of the head…
The direction was primarily right to left, with slight backward and downward deviation.”
2. Pg. 7 – “FINDINGS:
A. Entrance: Right temporal scalp.
B. Perforating gunshot wound of head, going through the right temporal scalp and skull, …
D. Contact range of fire, with soot and scaring of entrance gunshot wound and dense soot deposition in the underlying soft tissues. …
F. Path: Primarily right to left, with small backward and downward deviation.”
The detailed findings of the autopsy are specific, documented by measurements, and unequivocal. The bullet that entered Mr. Carter’s skull was the result of a gun being held next to his head, and pointed essentially straight but with a slight downward and backward direction. If a man was standing next to the police car, holding a gun to Mr. Carter’s head the path of the bullet would be almost directly straight through the head. However if the arm of the shooter was at a higher level than Mr. Carter’s head, we would expect to see a slight downward and backward movement of the bullet. We saw that! If however Mr. Carter was struggling to take his own life, while handcuffed, he would be unable to shoot himself in the right temple in anything but an upward and forward direction. He would be physically unable to shoot himself at point blank range without bending his head in a downward direction, which would require the bullet path to be forward and toward the top of his head.
Mr. Carter was executed. The only remaining question is ‘By whom?’ Perhaps somebody should ask the two white policemen who were the only people reported to be present?
Well, I think it’s pretty damned obvious WHO did it. Just add up the missing factors and it points directly to the cops.
As I have but a just a bare basic understanding of forensics, I will just say it seems suspicious. I can say however one thing that would help with this type of thing would be to have the digital recorder for any vehicle locked up and completely inaccessible to the officers. Then once ANY shooting takes place an internal affairs officer is dispatched to the scene to retrieve the recordings from all vehicles at the scene. If any attempt is made to access the locked up recordings then the officer is immediately terminated. Seems like would help with the string of so called missing video evidence that we hear a lot about. I also really liked an article I saw about wearable recorders some departments are trying out. Things like this would help tremendously with both the public and the officer as it would prove or disprove claims of wrong doing.
Sadly Carter was one of 38,000 people to commit suicide last year. And don’t forget, a witness stated they saw/heard the shot, and neither officer were near Carter.
http://www.wmctv.com/story/19541216/final-report-released-in-chavis-carter-death-investigation
http://www.kait8.com/link/577814/pdf-police-report-of-chavis-carter-death
Keep swinging. There is NO reason for the officers to do it, and NO evidence that they did. He killed himself.
Lets face it ‘t’, you are nothing but a paid shill puppet being manipulated to sell out your fellow man! Your thoughts on any of these topics are best kept to yourself to save you energy as nobody on here takes notice of the dribble that comes from you the others doing the same disgusting job.
This filth is so brazen that they can execute someone in handcuffs with no thought for being prosecuted! If we the people do not kick up enough fuss about this, it will be a green light for the corrupt police out there to commit whatever crime they like! This is the worst of the worst and my thoughts go to the family. God bless us all.
What filth? ALL of the evidence says / points to him having killed himself. No REAL questions about it. Just because you don’t want to accept that doesn’t legitimize your posistion. It like every conspiracy theory…regardles of the facts and evidence…in defiance of the truth…some poeple cling because they just cant believe it. 911 really happened, and it wasnt an inside job. We really went to the moon. The sky is really blue. Truths. Some people still wont buy it regardless. so keep playing ostrich, hope the sand around your head is comfortable
Right away these idiot activists call for racism as the cause. It wasn’t’. He shot himself because he was a coward. He knew he was busted for the outstanding warrant and instead of owning up like a man, he chose to be a coward and shot himself.
@T
” Keep swinging. There is NO reason for the officers to do
it, and NO evidence that they did. He killed himself.”
Correction, there is no known motivation for either party.
Though as i joked last time, it could be as simple as offering up carnal knowledge of the officer’s wife and knowing what he was talking about.
“That is a pretty blue butterfly tatoo under your wife’s left BANG!”
Even the officers involved understood how suspicious it looked. “Don’t touch anything!”
Exactly. And why would they say that if they killed him? Oh, they wouldn’t.
@T
You don’t find it odd that everything but what happened to him got recorded? Would you be quit so trusting if it weren’t cops standing over a handcuffed dead body?
I don’t know if there was any way to authenticate the cops’ recording for date and time, but you have to know how suspicious this looks. Especially with cops’ reputation for sticking together when one does wrong.
The two things that jump out at me are the fact that this victim was left-handed but was shot in the right side and that no tests for residue was performed on his hands. By themselves, they can be explained away, but, taken together, I would hope that even the most ardent police apologists on here would have some difficulty in swallowing the official line. As to why he was murdered; he was a black man arrested by two white officers in Arkansas. ‘nough said. And, yes, I am a Southerner and no, I am not black.
You do understand, there was someone watching, from their home apparently, heard/saw Carter kill himself? Then saw the officer find the suicide, then get the second officer.
T. and Common Sense and the rest of the cop enablers in this forum are the type of personalities that will follow orders to confiscate guns when the feds try……..When they do, shoot them in the face.
@BED
“T. and Common Sense and the rest of the cop enablers in this forum are the type of personalities that will follow orders to confiscate guns when the feds try……..When they do, shoot them in the face.”
Given the general opinion of cops here, most would consider that a wounding shot that improved their appearance. If you want to kill them, aim a lot lower and to the rear. That is where the brain pan is.
Devil: I have tried to caution the foolish (such as yourself) that irresponsible gun owners are a serious problem…but the tools like you keep saying its all good for idiots to want to run around sporting AR’s and AK’s where ever they wanted. “Exercising their rights”.
Even a lot of the most conservative politicians, leaders and judges are starting to talk / discuss how the 2nd amendment, like all other rights, aren’t limitless. While I don’t think you will a move to confiscate guns, I do absolutely think you’ll see court decisions and laws that start limiting where you can carry a gun.
The unreasonable actions of some, defended by many, will now begin to effect all.
I am sworn to uphold the constitution. But the same document that has the amendments…also allows not only the federal government, but states (and therefore local) governments the ability to pass laws and regulate behaviors. I’m just as sworn to that as I am the rest of it. So if laws start getting enacted that limit behaviors…like where you can carry a gun…and then YOU decide to violate that….by by gun. And so it should be. If you can’t act reasonably, you shouldn’t be respected. This is one of the reasons I’m not a member of the NRA. As much as I can appreciate people being armed, I want to insist on responsibility and reasonableness. And that group is too willing to throw that aside.
So while I don’t relish the idea of having to take guns from people, I’m afraid the unreasonable behaviors is going to force that. And as I said, I’m sworn to uphold all of the constitution, not just the pieces I personally like.
T.,
Here is the problem, all the rights in the bill of rights are inalienable, which means that I don’t care what some ass clown judge or some douche bag politician or some asshole cop thinks these rights are god given and if you “mr. I follow orders” holier than thou don’t like it feel free to move to a place where you can live not in fear, no one is making you stay here. Having said that, come take my shit see what happens. I believe their are millions of armed grown men in this country, from my brother veterans to grandmas shotgun to the good ol boy down the street to the brotha living in the ghetto trying to protect his family, that feel the same way I do. You want a war, just follow unconstitutional orders and you will get one that you will loose. You can call me on the fringe or an extremest all day, don’t mean shit to me. At this point I and many like me don’t care because we know that this is going to come down to violence. All the posturing and threats are nothing more than empty and a foregone conclusion. We are geared, trained and ready for you to just try it, we dare you. You must be blind or think that we are blind to not see the writing on the wall.
One more thing, you swore to uphold the constitution only to how another man interprets it, I swore to uphold the constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic, including you. You and I are different. Your a drone and I am a Patriot. Like I’ve always said your arguments are weak and you should hang your head in shame because your last ramblings are a contradiction. I believe you are a scared little man on a power trip. Are you scared of other men who are armed? What do you think your the only one who should be armed? I can guarantee you that I have seen more men die because of gun violence than you ever will. I’ve fought on two fronts and believe that I am much more qualified to walk around responsibly with reasonableness while being armed. Who are you to dictate to me what the law is. When the supreme law of the land shall not be infringed!!!!!!!!!
T.,
By the way I am an NRA member and think that your definition of the 4.25 million members is fucking insulting. Just the NRA members alone outnumber law enforcement 4.5 to 1. That right there is a formidable army in itself. Not to mention the non member gun owners in this country far, far outnumber NRA members and LE. Go spit your politics to someone who gives a fuck.
Devil: I have no doubt you stand at the lunatic fringe. And as usual, you can’t read or comprehend. I don’t think it will be anyone coming for anyone’s guns. But if you decide to take them out and to some place you shouldn’t…that’s a different story.
But even worse…you are just missing the point because you want to be an ass. I have consistently said that I want responsible gun ownership,carry and use. And so should you. And I know for a fact that you’re opinion ISBN hatofh 4.5 million. For just you think union leaders who support various candidates with union funds don’t really represent what the members want…so. goes the NRA.
I think one of the worst ideas to ever come along is the “gun free zone” concept. That’s UST setting up victims. But idiots (like your demonstrated comments) so often now want to answer every question with a gun. Big problem for everyone. And its those people who have the problem coming. It BEHAVIOR, not the gun. You behavior can be regulated. And that’s why I say you see what I predicted….regulation on behavior with guns….which will result in people who do those behaviors with a gun having their guns seized. It won’t really be us coming for your guns…it’ll be you doing something dumb with your gun and it being taken. Big difference.
And as for you supreme law of the land…..
Think all of that through. The rest of the constitution…the articles that divide the powers, and allow for the the passage of laws by the federal and state governments…you do know that they are in the same document right? I see you are exactly what I commented on…only wanting the parts that you like and support you position. Idont have that luxury. I have to support all of it. But what are you gonna do if your (self described) supreme law of the land” gets changed? I certainly dontthinkthis will happen, but what if the 2nd amamedment gets changed or repealed? What would yo do then?
Ha ha ha, listen to the nutters. Amazing. Perhaps they aren’t old enough, but there was a AWB in 1994. It lasted 10 years. The same argument was raised then, and guess what, shockingly, there was no mass confiscation.
Just so you understand, Common Nonsense and other cop bootlickers, witnesses have been known to lie, known to be intimidated into lying, and even just been honestly mistaken. Look at how many innocent men and women sent to prison by eye witnesses have later been exonerated. The two points I mentioned before, the right-side wound and the lack of testing for residue, are, to me, far more noteworthy than the testimony of one witness.
SFC: You are very right. That’s why I give you your chance to tell me what happened. When you chose not too….am I just supposed to forget about it? Think about what you just wrote and you will see that I’m right.
Perhaps you’re correct, the old man who lived on that corner was ‘pro-cop.’
And when Carter told a girlfriend he was armed (while inside the police car)
A yet another person who knew Carter who expressed if caught, he’d either kill the police or himself.
You might be correct, they were all lying.
Sorry, spin it whatever way you want. It was suicide. You are of course welcome to FOIA the 76 page final report and read it for yourself.
@T
“I have consistently said that I want responsible gun ownership,carry and use”
The same thing Obama and company says. Problem is, who gets to define responsible? For them, responsible means they get the guns, and we get to hope the cops aren’t staking out the Crispy Cream waiting for the hot lamp to come on. And that assumes the cops don’t shoot us because they jump to conclusions, and of course officer safety is god.
I’ve been there. OK, I don’t know if it was Crispy Cream. But we called the cops because some nutter was so messed up he thought it was his home, and he was making an issue of it. Took over an hour, and I’m in the Tampa Bay area, not some glorified village.
Give a mouse a cookie…
Shawn: I’ve said that I don’t know the answer.. but I do know that blindly defending people stalking through neighborhoods and towns just sporting there AR’s and AK’s because they think its cool is very responsible and my guess is, those folks will find themselves starting to get arrested. People are scared and rightly so. You walking around with a handgun to defend yourself isnt the problem. Its these other idiots that want to play G.I. Joe and “exercise” their rights.
But it isn’t me that wants all that. Its a remainder of irresponsible gun owners. Think back tomany of the articles that have been posted here. EDP’s with guns maurding through the streets. Gun owners whose drug addict kids get their guns. People who are “exercising” while spouting hate. Or while protesting. Far to many people want answer every question with a gun…heck just read the comments here. Devil, SFC, others, all have the I’ll kill you first attitude. Last I checked…only 1 guy was able to get over being killed, just saying.
The answers aren’t going to be found at the extremes. Neither the “everyone should have a gun all the time, and a gun answers all questions” extreme, nor the “no one should ever have agun” extreme. Neither of those positions are good or acceptable.
BTW about your crispy creme story. Are you advocating an increased police force / presence? A call for the “police state”?
I’m honestly appalled by the things grown men say on here. There’s a right and wrong.. your opinion isn’t one of them. Cops are people too and we are here not to bash others but attempt to enforce accountability for ones actions as adults regardless of title or badge. If you call yourself American than you shouldn’t be talking about gun control. One person isn’t special over another based on opinion or geographical law. There are no two sides in cop vs civilian and this is not a game. The cop took responsibility as a protector of THEIR fellow people. That means they are mentioned to serve the people but the issue is clear that some cops are on a power high and fail to be accountable for their actions and harm their own. We can all agree there is corruption from appointed responsibility and the government isn’t going to do much if they can cover it up so it’s our duty, everyone’s duty as the people, to protect others from alienation of rights. With responsibilities there is accountability so we seek accountability for all who are responsible for their actions regardless of a badge.