At a press conference in Jackson, Mississippi, the family of 18‑year‑old Nolan Wells and civil‑rights lawyer Ben Crump demanded that state officials continue to seek the truth surrounding the teenager’s death. The call comes a day after District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath announced that a grand jury would not pursue criminal charges.
Grand jury decision
According to the DA’s office, the grand jury returned a “no true bill,” meaning it found insufficient evidence to indict anyone. A partially redacted copy of the report was posted on the district attorney’s Facebook page. Myers McIlrath emphasized that there is “absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan’s disappearance and death were racially motivated.” She added that Wells’ friends loved him and that there is “not a scintilla of evidence to contradict that.”
Family and attorney response
Attorney Ben Crump criticized the decision, suggesting the investigation was not exhaustive. “Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath will have you accept that Nolan Wells’ death can be summarized in three words: ‘We’ll never know,’” Crump said. “But Nolan’s family offers three other words: ‘We’ll never stop.’”
Wells’ mother, Christine Wells‑Wonsley, expressed disappointment with the timing of the DA’s text message announcing the report. “To me, that action shows a lack of empathy,” she said, adding that the family still has no answers and feels the investigation has not been thorough, transparent, or honest.
Details of the incident
Wells was last seen celebrating July 4 with friends on Horn Island, a barrier reef off the Mississippi Gulf Coast that is reachable only by boat. Friends said they left the island early because their boat was taking on water, while Wells chose to stay behind. He never returned to the mainland, despite telling friends he planned to catch a ride later.
His body was recovered on July 6 at the northwestern tip of the island. An independent autopsy commissioned by Crump and the family listed the cause of death as “undetermined” but noted two bruises on the back of Wells’ head. The state’s chief medical examiner and a forensic pathologist retained by the family also concluded the manner of death was undetermined, describing drowning as a diagnosis of exclusion but not ruling it out.
Official findings
The grand jury report stated that there was no evidence Wells had any physical altercation or argument with anyone on July 4. It added that the position, condition, time of discovery, and location of the body are “consistent with drowning.” Coroner Bruce Lynd declined to release the full autopsy report, citing Mississippi law that limits public release of such documents.
Calls for further action
Crump and the Wells family are pressing the district attorney to release the complete autopsy report and to continue investigating the circumstances of the death. They also plan another press conference in Orlando, Florida, to discuss the status of Wells’ cell phone, which was taken back to the mainland by his friends on July 4.
Rev. Al Sharpton, who has advocated for the family, warned that Mississippi’s history makes it understandable for families of Black victims to demand answers. “Mississippi’s history painfully teaches us exactly why families should never be expected to simply accept unanswered questions surrounding the death of a young Black person,” he said.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
