Grand Jury Finds No Criminal Wrongdoing in Death of Black Mississippi Teen

A Mississippi grand jury has determined there is insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges in the death of Nolan Wells, a Black teenager found dead after a Fourth of July boating trip. The panel in Jackson County unanimously concluded that the circumstances surrounding the 18-year-old's death were consistent with drowning, and found no credible evidence of criminal wrongdoing by those who accompanied Wells to Horn Island. The grand jury also explicitly stated there was no evidence to support allegations that Wells' disappearance and death were racially motivated.

Wells' body was discovered two days after he went missing from Horn Island. While the grand jury's report indicated drowning, both the state's chief medical examiner and a forensic pathologist hired by Wells' family listed the cause and manner of death as undetermined, with drowning being a "diagnosis of exclusion." The family, who had retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, had previously raised concerns about the circumstances of his death and contradictory accounts from witnesses, despite authorities initially stating no foul play was suspected.

Despite the grand jury's findings, Wells' family continues to call for further investigation into his death. The grand jury report noted that bruising on Wells' neck was not a fatal injury, and toxicology reports reviewed indicated he did not have cocaine in his system, though he had used a fake ID to purchase alcohol for the outing. The grand jury emphasized that there is no statute of limitations for homicide in Mississippi and any future credible evidence suggesting a non-accidental death should be referred back for consideration.