Source: screenshot / Facebook
UPDATED: 8 a.m. ET., May 12
It’s been more than seven months since the mysterious death of Rasheem Carter, and his family still doesn’t have answers.
A fourth set of remains were found this week by Mississippi officials in the same wooded area Rasheem Carter’s first set of remains were found last year. Video of the discovery was taken by a bystander, but the name of the citizen has not been released.
During a press conference on Thursday, civil rights attorney Ben Crump and the Carter family said they have not received adequate information on the investigation and have reached out to outside agencies for assistance.
“We refuse to accept the death of Rasheem Carter was due to natural causes,” said Crump during the press conference. “We believe the new set of remains belongs to Rasheem after being found within the vicinity of other remains. Within the video, you can see an arm attached to a hand. We are thankful for the citizen notifying the Carter family and our legal team. The Mississippi Crime Lab and The Taylorsville Sheriff’s Department have failed to notify us of any information upon finding the fourth set of human remains.”
Crump also said that the family was made away of the fourth set of remains last week, but have been waiting to hear from the Mississippi Crime Lab on whether the remains are actually Rasheem’s.
Rasheem’s mother Tiffany Carter says she just wants answers, and she won’t stop fighting until she gets them.
“I would like to say I am the mother of Rasheem Carter, that made many sacrifices for him,” Tiffany Carter said. “I will continue standing and fighting to get the justice my son, his daughter, aunts and family deserves. No one deserves to go through the things he went through. I am overwhelmed by the oppression the state of Mississippi has failed to help us get justice for my son. I want something done, and I want it done immediately. I am tired of waiting and going through the same things. Although I can’t change what happened, we can make a change so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
The family is offering a $50,000 reward to anyone with crucial information about the death of Rasheem Carter.
On April 30, a protest demanding justice for Rasheem Carter was held in Taylorsville, Mississippi. Friends, family and supporters of the Carter family, including Israel United in Christ, joined the protest to demand answers in the mysterious death of Rasheem Carter.
During the protest, which is the third since Carter went missing, Tiffany Carter, Rasheem Carter’s mother, told the media, “We’re going to keep this fight going, no matter what it takes. We’re going to keep this fight going with God first, and we’re going to get it accomplished. We’re gonna stand in solidarity, we’re gonna stand in unity and we’re doing just that today.”
The family of Rasheem Carter was notified last month by the Mississippi Crime Lab that a third set of remains, which were found on Feb. 23, contained a DNA match to Rasheem Carter.
Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump said it was unacceptable how the family was notified of the crime labs findings and is still demanding answers in the death of Carter.
“The family of Rasheem Carter, while still deep in grief, is being denied adequate information and closure from the Mississippi officials overseeing this case,” said Crump.
“From the beginning of this case, the family has been misled. At first, when the first of Rasheem’s remains were discovered with his head decapitated from his body, officials told the family that it was animals that killed Rasheem. Then, officials admitted that they believed he was murdered.”
He continued, “Now, it is unacceptable that the family had to find out through an email that more of Rasheem’s remains were found, and still, they haven’t been told any other information, been offered a meeting with officials, or received his remains. They continue to be stonewalled at every turn. This family just wants to find out what happened to Rasheem and say their goodbyes – they ask that the additional remains be returned to them so that they can lay him to rest.”
Carter’s boss was also allegedly being targeted by folks online who believe he was involved in Carter’s death.
According to NewsNation, Rasheem’s boss, Luke Clements, says he has received death threats online after the death of Rasheem Carter.
“We started getting death threats … They started making accusations for my wife and my kids, and then it was relentless,” Clements told NewsNation. He also says his voicemail and text messages were filled with “horrific” messages.
Clements insists he had nothing to do with Carter’s death and says he wants to help in any way he can.
“I want to help any way we can. We have made every effort to address any of these accusations that have been made. It’s just unfortunate. It’s been a rough time,” Clements said.
According to reports, there is no evidence that Clements was involved in Carter’s disappearance, but the investigation is ongoing.
After receiving backlash from civil rights leaders, a Mississippi sheriff is slightly changing his tune regarding the mysterious death of Rasheem Carter.
MORE: GoFundMe Created For Rasheem Carter, Black Man Who Mysteriously Disappeared In Mississippi
According to NBC News, Smith County Sheriff Joel Houston says he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of foul play in the death of Carter after initially claiming there was “no reason” to suspect foul play in his death.
Rasheem Ryelle Carter, mysteriously when missing in early October. Carter’s remains were found less than a month later on private property in a wooded area in Taylorsville. His mother claims he was being chased by white men threatening to harm him and using racial slurs.
Although Sheriff Houston backed his initial claims of no foul play, he continued to defend his previous stance in an interview with NBC News.
“Nothing is being swept under the rug,” Houston told the publication. “There’s nothing to hide.”
Rasheem Carter’s unusual disappearance and death have left his family searching for answers.
Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump joined the family to aid them in seeking justice for Rasheem Carter
“We NEED a federal investigation into the killing of Rasheem Carter, he said in a tweet. “An independent autopsy revealed his death was NOT due to natural causes! Rasheem was ignored after seeking help from police, and no progress has been made to find his killers — his family deserves justice!”
Rasheem Ryelle Carter, 25, was last seen outside of a Super 8 Hotel Oct. 2 in Laurel, about 30 minutes outside of Taylorsville, where Carter had been contracted to work.
Carter’s family believes their son was threatened and stalked by white men in the area and demanded a full investigation into their son’s disappearance and death.
According to the family, the day before Carter’s disappearance he went to the police department in Taylorsville and informed officers that men were after him and that he feared for his life.
Carter didn’t have a car at the time and asked the police for a ride to the Super 8 hotel in Laurel, but officers refused, telling Carter it was outside their jurisdiction. He returned to the police station again on foot early the next morning pleading with the police to help him, but once again they refused.
He allegedly informed his mother that there were white men after him and that if something were to happen to him to start the investigation there. “He did speak with his mom Tiffany about a white truck and white males in there threatened to harm him,” his cousin, Shonda Wright told WLBT. “He did give her the names.”
More than three months later, Rasheem Carter’s family still hasn’t gotten any closure on what happened to their son. A GoFundMe was started by the family to raise funds to help defray the cost of seeking justice for Rasheem and to help alleviate the financial stresses that have accrued throughout this process.
How long does this family have to suffer before they can get the answers they deserve? When a Black man dies, does his family not deserve justice?
SEE ALSO:
The Mysterious Disappearance Of Rasheem Carter: Mississippi Man’s Family Wants Answers
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