Nolan Xavier Wells’ parents and the family’s civil rights attorney, Ben Crump, are demanding answers as an independent autopsy confirms findings, like “blunt force injuries,” that the initial State-conducted autopsy found.
On Monday evening (September 21), the nation learned that a Mississippi grand jury declined to charge anyone in Wells’ July 4 death. A Mississippi grand jury reported that it found no foul play and no criminal or racial motivation in the 18-year-old Black boy’s death. Instead, they have ruled that it is “consistent with drowning,” the initial claims made by local authorities in Horn Island.
Despite Wells’ family and attorney Ben Crump long-arguing that the manner of his death is unusual and non-congruent with drowning — no one will be charged for Wells’ death this time. Although the teen had vanished from a large 4th of July boat party and had his body found two days later in the water — no one will be charged at this time.
Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said the decision by the grand jury had been unanimous after considering a large amount of evidence from witnesses and other sources. This included elements of the independent investigation launched by Wells’ family. Prosecutor McIlrath, said:
“The death of Nolan Wells has devastated our community. Outsiders and influencers have attempted to exploit Nolan’s death to divide and create chaos here, but we are better.”
RELATED: Nolan Wells’ Mother Speaks Out After Grand Jury Decision
Nolan Wells’ Parents And Ben Crump Call Out Mississippi Grand Jury After Declining Criminal Charges In Death
As a grand jury declines to file an indictment in Wells’ case, his parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, and attorney Ben Crump want to know why the jurors didn’t address the “blunt force injuries” to the teen’s head and back. Instead, they claimed he “drowned,” despite “two contusions by the original Mississippi pathologist.”
They also wonder how can the jurors rule a “drowning” when officials listed his cause and manner of death as “undetermined.” In a statement, Crump wrote, “McIlrath is attempting to close the chapter on Wells’ death without getting to bottom of what caused the blunt force trauma to the back of his head and body.” Crump said:
“Mississippi’s medical examiner found evidence of injury to Wells’ head early in the investigation. Later, the independent autopsy conducted for the family by forensic pathologist Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., found that Nolan ‘sustained recent unexplained blunt-force injuries to the back of the head and additional areas of his back.’”
RELATED: Ben Crump Says Nolan Wells’ Family ‘Will Not Rest’ After Grand Jury Clears Investigation
#Socialites, be sure to check out the post below, then leave us your thoughts in a comment after!