Attorney Ben Crump responded to the release of the Jackson County grand jury's findings there was no foul play involved in the death of Nolan Wells:
Today, the State of Mississippi is attempting to close the chapter on Nolan Wells’ death without getting to the truth.
Mississippi’s own pathologist found two bruises on the back of this young man’s head and informed investigators of them early in this investigation. An independent autopsy documented traces of blood and recent blunt force injuries to the back of Nolan’s head and his back. To this day, not one person has explained how they got there.
Dr. Mitchell also wrote that the record does not establish whether Nolan entered the water on his own or was forced, or whether he was conscious when he went in. We don’t know how Nolan died, and neither does the State of Mississippi. Mississippi must keep investigating, and if it will not pursue this to the end, the Department of Justice should.
We are releasing the final independent autopsy report in its entirety, so everyone can read it for themselves. This grand jury result leaves us with more questions than answers. Nolan’s family will not rest until we know what happened to him, and neither will we.
Mr. Crump will hold a press conference at noon today. He released the findings of the independent autopsy. Highlights are:
Nolan X. Wells sustained recent unexplained blunt-force injuries to the back of the head and additional areas of his back. The “red discoloration” reported in the preliminary report was confirmed as blood and reported as two contusions (bruises) by the original pathologist. Although the original Mississippi forensic pathologist reported these bruises of the head to investigators early in the death investigation, the circumstances, mechanism, and contribution of those injuries to his death remain unexplained. Much of the law enforcement investigation focused on drowning as the primary cause of death, however, drowning is a “diagnosis of exclusion”. This means that all other causes must be ruled out prior to certifying a death as drowning. The available record does not definitively establish the decedent’s condition immediately before entering the water, whether he entered voluntarily or was forced, whether he was conscious or impaired, or why he would have been unable to extricate himself despite reportedly being able to swim and while in the presence of other persons. After review of the available autopsy findings, histology, scene and investigative materials, and postmortem toxicology, the evidence does not presently permit a definitive cause and manner of death to be assigned with a reasonable degree of medical certainty.... The original Mississippi forensic pathologist identified the two contusions involving the back of head but failed to take close-up pictures of the contusions, dissect the area at the back of the head, or take histological sections of the area of bruising. Nonetheless, the original Mississippi forensic pathologist reported the bruises/contusions to the sheriff’s department on July 7, 2026. However, this forensic pathologist could not find any record detailing specific investigation into the blunt force injury to the back of head.... Another area of concern is the toxicology results. The bodily fluid used for testing was decompositional fluid. Decompositional fluid is a highly unreliable source for toxicology testing. Although there are several presumptive positive findings in the decompositional fluid, the results were unable to be confirmed, including cannabinoids. Most important toxicology finding is the ethanol level reported as 270 mg/dL (0.27% BAC). It is important to reiterate that none of toxicology testing were done on blood, leading to increasing unreliability...
The independent autopsy is posted below.
27 comments:
At the very least we KNOW his actual friends weren't involved !! Because they weren't there. My only issue with any of this was the lack of cell phone footage on the island. Kids these days leaving their phones off to party anywhere is simply no done. Most have their record button on and ready . Just saying.
It is so easy to persist in being wrong when the costs of being wrong is paid by others. Thomas Sowell.
Would it have been after sunset when he died? At some point cameras cannot catch everything and even in broad open pools in the daytime people still can drown. At some point can Crump be sued for incitement by those being targeted by the Instagram mob?
As someone who has actually been to the island multiple times, it is the accepted norm for all phones to stay on the boat while the boaters get in the water, walk the island and socialize.
Almost all pics taken of any group will be from the angle of someone standing in the boat and taking the pics.
I understand why you would think "kids don't leave phones" but they absolutely do when they boat to the island.
Add alcohol and cute girls to the equation and the phone becomes number 3 on the list of priorities.
Cue the showboating ambulance chasers to spout “Well, we just don’t know……”.
The position of Crump, the family and the black community will never change. They believe what they want to believe. Truth and the facts have no relevance to their emotions. The good news for those of us who never suspected anything more than an accident is now supported and those 3 boys IMO have been cleared of any wrongdoing. Ocean Springs and Jackson County need to move forward while keeping a close eye on Nolan's supporters and remain vigilant in being aware of who you associate with. That's just the new normal.
Not to mention 10:28 that there is no connectivity out there. Take away the connectivity and the cell phone is no longer "just have."
Sharpton is the token stand-up retard used to bring in more cash for grifter Crump.
Squeeze every dollar you can out of this, Ben.
Now we know the only crime appears to be what Crump is doing to this family.
Someone could make some money by setting up a cellphone repeater there.
This thread needs some entertaining conspiracy theories. Bring it on!
Somebody made a comment on this sad episode sometime in the last weeks that says it all: "He got drunk and drowned." A lot of white men have done it, why can't a Black man do it, too?
Crump needs to be asked what percentage of the Go Fund Me account is he getting.
Krumpus and Sharpton keep milking the same old withered cow. They both need buckets of ripe Crow (or more appropriately, Buzzard) to plunge their heads into for fundraising off this case that just wouldn't meet up with their fairy tale accusations.
That loud thumping sound you hear is Crump beating at the ground where the dead horse was.
"An independent autopsy documented traces of blood and recent blunt force injuries to the back of Nolan’s head and his back. To this day, not one person has explained how they got there. "
SHE SPECIFICALLY SAID THERE WERE REPORTS HE HAD SLIPPED OFF THE SIDE OF A BOAT AND HIT HIS HEAD, YOU RACE-BAITING JACKASS
So why did it even go to the Grand Jury anyway. Unless there was evidence of foul play. Good Ol' Mississippi 'justice" strikes again.
"Because no one watched him fall in and drown and recorded it on video, that can't be what happened, no matter how much circumstantial evidence exists" - Ben Crump
"Because of tiny amounts of circumstantial evidence that we can twist and manipulate to fit our narrative, he had to have been murdered." - also Ben Cump
Some courthouse lawyers chase ambulances. Others chase black corpses. Doesn’t matter who’s right and who’s wrong. Twist the facts and play on emotion. $$$$$$$$
1:08 grand juries indict people and bring formal charges, but they also decline to do so if there is no evidence to support a charge. Had this case not been taken to a grand jury, the cries of foul play and cover-up would have been deafening. The DA was right in bringing this to a grand jury. Remember, every official in this case had a specific function. Law enforcement investigates, collects crime scene evidence and witness reports, medical examiners and coroners conduct forensic exams and collect evidence related to the body, along with many others who interviewed witnesses and did investigative work. In a case like this you have other independent efforts like private investigators and forensic pathologists who provide input. It's a lot - and the prosecutor's job to collect all evidence and the grand jury hears and reviews everything. They got it all, and still ruled there was no evidence against anyone that would compel them to indict anyone.
Too many people out there seem to think that when no evidence can be found, they should still find someone to arrest and sacrifice. That's not justice. That is injustice. Be careful what you are asking for.
The moment Al Sharpton offered money for anything that led to a conviction was proof that it was not a murder. He wouldn’t dare put money on the table if he really thought someone would be found guilty. Al and Ben will just go to the next grift.
As a frequent visitor to Horn, here are a few things to keep in mind. I cannot recall ever seeing males, from boys to older men, in anything other than swimsuits or shorts and t-shirts or "golf"-type shirts. Most guys aren't wearing any shirts. About the only way to carry a phone is in your hand or in the pocket of a swimsuit. I know many phones are "water resistant" but I do not know anyone who tests that by carrying their phone while swimming or even just hanging out in waist-deep salt water for several hours. Obviously, I don't know what everyone does, but I do not recall ever noticing anyone "hanging out" with a phone in their hand. Other than getting the phone, taking a picture(s), and putting it back wherever, I have not seen much phone use out there (some do get a signal, some don't).
Very few boats "beach" and remain anchored off the beach, requiring a waist-deep walk in the water to get to the beach. Many folks spend as much time in at least waist-deep water. There is no "natural shade" and no permanent public structure, including restrooms, on the island. People do bring pop-ups, tents, beach umbrellas, or other temporary, transportable shelters, but most either hang out on the beach and cool off by taking a dip every so often, or mostly hang out in the water. Other than heads on boats, any bodily functions are pretty much require one to step over a dune, go off away from the crowd, on land or in the water. While I'm sure some folks might be so drunk as to take a leak right in the middle of the crowd, few crowds would appreciate it. They found the young man's body in a notoriously dangerous area of the water right off the beach and there is a steep dropoff with treacherous currents literally feet away from ankle-knee-deep flat water. It is also known that he bought alcohol and had consumed alcohol.
None of this means Nolan Wells accidentally drowned, but there is nothing from any source to suggest anything or anyone contributed in any way for any reason in attempting to hurt Wells much less kill him. In other words, there isn't even a shred of evidence to suggest this was even an innocent prank that went wrong, much less anything to suggest it was any level of aggression against him. What this appears to many with personal knowledge of Horn and the activities there is almost certainly a tragic situation in which a young man who had been drinking moved off from the large crowd to answer nature's call, picked a very bad spot, and drowned.
Do I understand anguished parents struggling for answers at their missing son then being found dead, especially in the first couple of days? Of course, as does any rational person. Do I understand lawyers doing what Crump, et al, did? No. I've heard about various potential claims by the friends and others but what I haven't heard is potential claims by the parents against Crump and "his team." Crump did not have the a attorney-client relationship with the friends and others, but he/they did with Wells' parents. Crump may have finally stepped into a pile with this one.
Fear not 2:18. The same people who are furious that a group of young white males were not sentenced to death based on conjecture are the same people who think there was not enough evidence to convict Karmelo Anthony.
They want the law to be applied differently when a minority is involved.
You cant rationalize with that level of emotionally driven thinking. Facts dont matter.
Blunt force trauma to the head but the grand jury says consistent with drowning. I smell some bullshit. Mississippi got what it wanted! This grand jury was trying to exonerate not indict.
Whoever challenged Crump with such a penetrating inquiry might find themselves floating face down near Tallahassee.
Horn Island Burning - the movie to be released in 2027. Producer Crump and director Sharpton. Get your tickets now.
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