Tuskegee Lynching Update: Family Members Don’t Believe Carter’s Death Was Suicide

Earlier today, on Tuesday, September 7, Scott B went back to Tuskegee, Alabama and talked with members of Winston Carter's family. The family is very upset by the public statement of the Tuskegee Police concerning Mr. Carter's death. Family members in Tuskegee whom Scott B spoke with supported the statement of Winston Carter's aunt, who wrote in to HungryBlues last week: the family does not believe Winston Carter would have committed suicide. Winston Carter's family has further stated that they will take any legal measure necessary to contest the coroner's report if the coroner declares Mr. Carter's death a suicide.

Winston Carter's family has also raised some concerns about the police investigation of his death. Mr. Carter's family reports that the crime scene was never sealed off. The scene, where Mr.Carter was found hanging from a tree by County Road 65 in Tuskegee, was contaminated by passers through, making it impossible for anyone to cull proper evidence from the area. It has been distressing to Winston Carter's family that the Tuskegee Police does not seem interested in a true investigation.

As I have noted before, outside of blogs that have picked up my coverage of the event, the only news report of Winston Carter's death was one article that appeared in the Montgomery Advertiser six days after Mr. Carter's body was found. Scott B reports that this news black out extends to the Tuskegee News, the local weekly that covers the events of Macon County, Alabama. It is hard not to wonder why the local paper that covers community affairs in Tuskegee has not made any mention at all of the hanging death of a Tuskegee resident.

Scott B also inquired at the office of Hal E. Bentley, Macon County Coroner in Tuskegee. Mr. Bentley replied that he cannot make any comment because all details concerning Winston Carter's death are part of an "ongoing investigation." When asked by Scott B to name a date when the information in the coroner's report will be available, Mr Bentley replied that he could not do so.