Dash cam video released from night of Chavis Carter's death

(WMC-TV) - The Jonesboro, Arkansas police department released dash cam video from the night Chavis Carter was shot and killed in the back of a police cruiser.

Police say this video gives important testimony from witnesses on scene that night.

But Chavis Carter's family says they do not know anymore now than they did the night Carter was killed.

Dash cam video shows Jonesboro police officer Ron Marsh getting out of his car and walking up to a white truck containing Chavis Carter.

Carter gets out of the car.

Marsh asks if Carter has ID before patting him down and escorting him back to the patrol car; but, what happened inside the patrol car after that is still a mystery to many.

"I don't think your officers shot him, no, I don't think he shot him," said witness Jamie Anderson.

In addition to dash cam video, Jonesboro Police also released several interviews from witnesses on scene the night Carter was shot inside the cop car.

What's not seen or heard on the video is a gunshot.

There is no video or audio of Officer Marsh finding Carter shot in the backseat.

"I heard a gunshot, I don't know if it was a gunshot, but I heard a pop but don't know if it was a gunshot or something," said witness Casper Gibson. Jonesboro detective Mike Branscomb then asked Gibson, "Was that before the officers opened the door?" "Right," answered Gibson.

The Carter family attorney issued a statement about the video's release:

"Unfortunately, with the release of the dashboard camera video, Chavis Carter's family and I do not feel that we know more than what we did. There is simply nothing on the video that shows us what happened in the moment Chavis was shot and killed. We are still conducting an investigation to learn why this young man is dead, because there is still a mystery to how he was shot while in police custody. If there is more to the video that could tell us that, we would like to see it. What the video shows is irrelevant because it doesn't answer that question the Chavis family deserves to have answered."

There will be a prayer vigil for 21-year-old Chavis Carter Monday night, August 20 at 6:30.

It will take place in the National Civil Rights Museum courtyard. It's open to the public.

Carter's mother, Teresa and others including the Rev. Jessie Jackson are expected to be in attendance.

Copyright 2012 WMC-TV. All rights reserved.