Independent Autopsy of Black Teen Nolan Wells Raises Questions About Foul Play in Mississippi
An independent autopsy of Nolan Wells, a Black college freshman who disappeared on July 4 near Mississippi's Horn Island after a boat party, has raised new questions about his death. The autopsy, funded by Colin Kaepernick and requested by civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, found the cause and manner of death 'undetermined' but did not rule out foul play. It revealed a 'red discoloration' on the back of Wells's head. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter had prematurely stated there was likely no foul play before the official autopsy was completed. The state's autopsy findings have not been released. Speculation about racial motives has been fueled by the sheriff's dismissal, the involvement of a local judge's son, missing photos from Wells's phone, and a photo of him with three white peers. Crump highlighted Mississippi's history of anti-Black racism, referencing the Emmett Till case and recent controversies over state medical examiners ignoring police brutality.
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