Independent autopsy of Black Mississippi teen Nolan Wells finds 'undetermined' cause of death

Independent autopsy of Black Mississippi teen Nolan Wells finds 'undetermined' cause of death

Report says no evidence of fractures or bruising, but does not rule out possibility of foul play

An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Xavier Wells found the 18-year-old's cause and manner of death to be "undetermined" pending further investigation.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells family, announced the preliminary findings Wednesday in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the annual NAACP National Convention in Chicago.

The autopsy report, he said, showed no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries. It described a "red discolouration" in the back of Wells's skull as "inconclusive" and meriting further investigation.

Without further information, the forensic pathologist, Dr. Robert Mitchell, wrote that he could not rule out the possibility that "non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death."

Wells had traveled to an island off the coast of Mississippi on July 4 with a group of friends, who later returned to the mainland without him. His body was discovered two days later floating off the island's coast.

Who is Nolan Wells, and why has the Black Mississippi teen's death received widespread attention?

In his report, the pathologist pointed to several challenges inherent to the independent autopsy, including the decomposition of the body and outstanding questions about whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water.

Because an initial autopsy was performed by the medical examiner in Mississippi, Wells's body arrived without organs or neck structures — making it impossible to determine if he had suffered a neck injury or whether water had entered his lungs, according to the report, which notes that the practice is not unusual.

Separate autopsy not yet released

Still, the revelation, relayed by Crump, prompted gasps from the crowd of several hundred in Chicago. The attorney called on state officials to provide that evidence for the family to review as part of their own independent investigation.

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office conducted its own autopsy but has yet to release the results.

The second autopsy was arranged by the family and Crump, and paid for by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick. It did not include a toxicology report.

"This is only another part of the puzzle, and even though it tells us significant information, we still have more questions than we have answers at this time," Crump said of the results.

The still-unknown circumstances around Wells' death have touched off rampant online speculation and prompted calls from Black leaders for transparency from local authorities. Wells, who was Black, had travelled to the island with a group of high school friends, all of whom are white.

A reward of $125,000 US — jointly funded by civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, actor and producer Tyler Perry and former NFL player Terrell Owens — is now being offered in exchange for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the death.

The autopsy announcement comes two days after Wells was laid to rest in his hometown of Ocean Springs, Miss.

In his eulogy, Sharpton lamented the "inconsistencies and unanswered questions" that had placed a dark cloud over the grieving family.

He questioned why Wells' friends had left him behind, taken his phone and keys and failed to report him missing. And he suggested local investigators had spoken prematurely in statements to the news media indicating no crime was suspected.

"The reason that a lot of people across the nation are looking at this Nolan situation is because we're looking at the history in Mississippi," Sharpton added. "We can't have someone in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before there was an investigation."

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island and that his friends believed he would get a ride with someone else. He has said the friends were co-operating with the investigation, which remains ongoing.

"We are trying to be respectful and collaborative as much as we can," Crump said. "But it's always troublesome to all of us when these investigations just take forever."