Nolan Wells autopsy report: Family attorney reveals major update

Nolan Wells' family attorney says an independent autopsy report on the 18-year-old's death will be released Wednesday, offering the first outside medical findings since the Mississippi teenager was found dead off Horn Island in early July. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump plans to share preliminary results during a news conference at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago.Wells' parents are expected to attend. The teenager disappeared after a Fourth of July boat trip to the island with friends and was found dead two days later, a case that has drawn national attention over questions of race and the circumstances of his death.Nolan Wells' family attorney reveals key update on expected autopsy report releaseCrump has vowed to conduct his own investigation into Wells' death, which followed the July 4 trip to Horn Island, off the Mississippi coast. Wells never returned with his friends, and his body was recovered two days later. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick paid for the independent autopsy, which Crump said would determine whether Wells had injuries beyond drowning.The Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office has conducted its own autopsy but hasn't released results, with officials citing a pending toxicology report. Crump has voiced frustration with the pace of the investigation. "It's always troublesome to all of us when these investigations just take forever," Crump said.Civil rights leaders demand justice for Nolan WellsFamily and friends gathered at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs for Wells' funeral, joined by national civil rights leaders. Wells' mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, addressed mourners at the service. "Share his stories, and never stop saying his name," she said.The Rev. Al Sharpton officiated the funeral and has pressed local authorities not to rule out foul play before completing their investigation. "We can't have someone in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before there was an investigation," Sharpton said.Filmmaker Tyler Perry covered funeral costs, and reported reward offers for information in the case have ranged from $100,000 to $125,000, attributed in different reports to combinations of Sharpton, Perry, Kaepernick and former NFL player Terrell Owens.Why did Nolan Wells' death raise suspicion?Wells was the only Black member of a group of high school friends, all white, who traveled together to Horn Island for the holiday. He was also the only one who didn't return, and questions have persisted over why friends left the island without him, reportedly took his phone and keys, and didn't immediately report him missing.Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said initial interviews indicated Wells chose to stay behind, believing he would catch a ride from someone else, and that the friends have cooperated with the investigation.Sharpton criticized authorities for suggesting no foul play was suspected before an investigation had concluded. The FBI has confirmed it is assisting local law enforcement, including looking into interstate threats made against people connected to the case. Wells' mother has said she tracked her son's phone through a location-sharing app and has raised concerns that messages may have been deleted before it was recovered.Crump's independent autopsy findings, due Wednesday in Chicago, will mark the first outside medical assessment of Wells' death since his body was recovered. Jackson County's district attorney has said investigation results will go before a grand jury, and Crump's team is expected to review data from Wells' phone alongside law enforcement in the weeks ahead.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.