NAACP Joins Legal Team Seeking Answers in Nolan Wells Case
The NAACP’s Office of General Counsel is officially joining the legal team representing the family of Nolan Wells, adding more fuel to the ongoing effort to determine what happened to the 18-year-old Mississippi college athlete.
The civil rights organization announced Monday that it will work alongside attorney Ben Crump and the Wells family to push for transparency and accountability. NAACP General Counsel Kristen Clarke said the organization is joining the fight to uncover the truth and ensure “no stone is left unturned.”
Wells disappeared during a July 4 boating trip to Horn Island with friends and was found dead in the water two days later. Local authorities have said they have not found evidence of foul play, but an official cause and manner of death have not been publicly released.
An independent autopsy funded by Colin Kaepernick also failed to determine exactly how Wells died. Forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell found no fractures or significant deep-tissue injuries, but noted unexplained red discoloration behind Wells’ ears and along portions of his skull. The examination was limited by decomposition and because some organs and anatomical structures had already been removed during Mississippi’s initial autopsy. As a result, Mitchell could not definitively determine whether Wells drowned or suffered certain injuries before his death.
Meanwhile, the family’s effort to examine Wells’ cellphone has hit another roadblock. Attorneys say the plan to conduct a joint forensic analysis has stalled over disagreements about who should physically possess and examine the device.
Pressure for outside involvement is also growing. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to launch an independent federal investigation.
More than a month after Wells’ death, his family maintains that too many questions about his final hours remain unanswered. With the NAACP now joining their legal team, the push for those answers is gaining another powerful voice.
