By Westside Gazette Staff
PASCAGOULA, Miss. — A Mississippi grand jury has declined to charge anyone in the death of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old whose body was found near Horn Island two days after a Fourth of July boating trip. For his family, the decision leaves the central question unanswered: How did Nolan die?
Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath announced the unanimous “no true bill” decision on Sept. 21. The grand jury found insufficient evidence of criminal conduct and reported that the position, condition, and location of Wells’ body were consistent with drowning. Both the state medical examiner and a pathologist hired by the family, however, listed his cause and manner of death as undetermined. (reuters.com, wlbt.com)
At a news conference the following day, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, said, “The grand jury left us with questions.” He called for further investigation into injuries documented on the back of Wells’ head and said the Justice Department should examine the case if Mississippi does not pursue those questions. (ksla.com)
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who stood with the family at Wells’ funeral, rejected the idea that the grand jury’s decision brought closure. “We will not confuse the absence of an indictment with the presence of an answer,” he said. Sharpton pledged to continue supporting Wells’ parents as they seek an account of their son’s final hours. (wlbt.com)
The NAACP has also joined the family’s call for more information. “Your job is not done,” its general counsel, Kristen Clarke, told the district attorney at the news conference. Clarke urged continued investigation and greater access to the state autopsy report and investigative records. (ksla.com, ksla.com)
Wells’ parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, have questioned how their son came to be separated from the friends with whom he traveled to Horn Island. His father asked the public to keep seeking answers. “He’s not a hashtag, he’s our son,” Elmore Wonsley said. (ksla.com)
The grand jury reviewed testimony from 43 witnesses, as well as physical and digital evidence. Its decision means no charges will be brought based on the evidence presented. It does not change the medical finding that Wells’ cause and manner of death remain undetermined. The family and its supporters say they will continue pressing for an explanation. (mississippitoday.org, ksla.com)
Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861
