Renowned attorney Ben Crump has disclosed the findings of an independent autopsy concerning Nolan Wells’ death, stating they remain “inconclusive.” A former medical examiner indicated that these findings do not suggest any “cover up” or misconduct.
Announcing the autopsy results at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday, Crump highlighted an area of “red discoloration” on Wells’ head. Dr. Roger Mitchell, who conducted the autopsy, determined that a definitive conclusion is unattainable “pending further investigation.” Meanwhile, the official autopsy report is still underway.
“Why does this dark red mark appear on the back of his head?” Crump questioned. “This pathologist cannot rule out the possibility that any external, non-accidental factors may have contributed to or caused Nolan Wells’ death.”
Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, when approached by News Media, said that the head injury does not suggest any foul play.
“This injury could stem from accidentally bumping into something in the water, which might contain a lot of debris,” explained Baden. “Although the depth of the impact is unclear, it appears to be superficial and could have occurred either before or after death,” he added.
Nolan Wells smiles on the field while playing wide receiver for Southwest Mississippi Community College. (Christine Wonsley/Facebook)
“What he’s describing is a minor injury that could be… totally innocent,” Baden said.
Nolan Xavier Wells disappeared on the Fourth of July while boating with friends, according to authorities. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Department via Facebook)
Baden said Mitchell was “reaching for straws” in the independent autopsy report, adding that the findings are consistent with accounts from local law enforcement that his death was accidental and no foul play was involved.
Wells, 18, initially disappeared July 4 after he went with friends on a boat trip to Horn Island, which is a barrier island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Officials and search crews searched for two days before a National Park Service ranger located his body on July 6 while on the island’s northwestern tip.
Attorney Ben Crump speaks at a press conference outside the federal courthouse on July 15, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Getty Images)
Officials haven’t released a cause of death as officials continue to investigate.