US News
Lawyer Ben Crump shares Nolan Wells cellphone findings after grand jury report
Attorneys question findings that the teen's death was consistent with drowning, citing autopsy reports and demanding federal review.
The short version
- Civil rights attorney Ben Crump released details from a forensic review of Nolan Wells' phone following a Mississippi grand jury's finding of no criminal conduct.[ABC News · The Guardian]
- Wells' family and legal team dispute the grand jury's conclusion that the death was consistent with drowning, pointing out that official and independent autopsies left the cause undetermined.[ABC News · The Guardian]
- The legal team highlighted empty airways and unexplained head bruising, calling on federal authorities to investigate the case.[ABC News · The Guardian]
Key facts
- Civil rights attorney Ben Crump released details from a forensic analysis of Nolan Wells' cellphone and official autopsy findings.[The Guardian]
- A Mississippi grand jury reviewed the cellphone data, including 282 pages of Snapchat conversations, and found no evidence of criminal conduct.[ABC News · The Guardian]
- The grand jury concluded that Wells' death was consistent with drowning and that no altercation had occurred.[ABC News · The Guardian]
- Both official and independent autopsies concluded that the cause of Wells' death could not be determined.[ABC News · The Guardian]
- Official autopsy findings showed Wells' stomach and airways were empty, and both autopsies noted fresh head bruising.[The Guardian]
- Wells' family and attorneys have asked federal authorities to open an inquiry into his death.[ABC News · The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- The exact cause of Wells' death remains undetermined according to both official and independent autopsies, leaving the grand jury's drowning conclusion disputed.[ABC News · The Guardian]
- The full report containing all sent and received messages around the time of Wells' death has not been made publicly available.[The Guardian]
- It remains unconfirmed whether federal authorities will take up an investigation as requested by Wells' family.[ABC News · The Guardian]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.