Congressional Black Caucus urges DOJ to review Nolan Wells case
Supporters of Nolan Wells’ family announced that the CBC sent a request on Wednesday to the DOJ to launch a federal review into the death of the 18-year-old.
The Congressional Black Caucus is calling on the Department of Justice to conduct an independent federal review into the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells. The request was made public on Thursday by lawmakers, the Wells family, and their supporters. Rep. Lucy McBath, a Georgia Democrat, joined a press conference with family members, lawyer Ben Crump, and Rev.
Al Sharpton at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention in Atlanta to make the announcement. McBath's words echoed her personal experience when her son Jordan Davis was shot and killed in Florida in 2012. Sharpton, however, expressed skepticism about the current Justice Department, highlighting that they had previously relied on federal intervention in past cases.
The DOJ acknowledged receiving the Congressional Black Caucus' letter and stated that they were reviewing it carefully. Wells went missing after a Fourth of July boat trip with friends to a barrier island off the coast of Mississippi. His body was recovered several days later, and a private autopsy commissioned by the family found that the cause and manner of death were undetermined pending further investigation.
The Jackson County District Attorney's office will present the case to a grand jury once the local investigation is complete, but the DA's office emphasized that this does not necessarily indicate criminal activity. Wells' family plans to hold a national day of prayer for their son on Aug. 19, which marks his 19th birthday, as they seek answers about the circumstances surrounding his death.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News (US)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
