Nolan Wells’ parents and their attorneys called for the state of Mississippi to continue pursuing a fuller picture of the “truth” in the teenager’s death at a press conference Tuesday.The press conference was held a day after the Jackson County district attorney said a Mississippi grand jury will not pursue charges in the teenager’s Fourth of July death.“Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McArthur will have you accept that Nolan Wells’ death can be summarized in three words: ‘We’ll never know,’” Attorney Ben Crump said.
“But Nolan’s family offers three other words: ‘We’ll never stop.’”Crump, in his remarks, insinuated that the district attorney’s investigation was not exhaustive and should continue until the cause of Wells’ death is made clear.Wells’ mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, said she received a text message from the district attorney at 7:54 p.m.
Monday, and that the report was released shortly after.“To me, that action shows a lack of empathy,” Wells-Wonsley said.
She continued: “What we have learned is that we still have no answers, and the report reinforced the fact that Nolan was not given a thorough, transparent and honest investigation.” Wells, 18, was last seen celebrating the July 4 holiday with friends on Horn Island, a barrier reef off Mississippi accessible only by boat.The friends he was with that day have said they had to leave the island early because their boat was taking on water, and that Wells opted to stay behind for the rest of the day.
His mother has said he never returned home, even though he told those friends he planned to catch a ride back to the mainland with others.His body was found at the northwestern tip of the island July 6, Crump has said.In the aftermath of Wells’ death, Crump pointed the blame toward the friends Wells was with on July 4, all of whom were white, and alleged that race was involved.
Wells appeared to be one of the only Black people on the island t...