No criminal charges in death of black Mississippi teenager, grand jury says

A grand jury has decided not to bring criminal charges in the death of 16-year-old Nolan Wells, a black teenager from Mississippi. His body was found two days after a July 4th boating trip with friends. The family hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who had questioned whether the incident was racially motivated due to conflicting witness statements.

Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath stated that there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone with a crime. Crump expressed that the result left more questions than answers, as his client's family continues to seek answers. Police initially said Wells drowned accidentally, while friends claimed he chose to stay behind when they decided to leave early due to a boat issue.

The grand jury report found that the position, condition, time of discovery, and location of Wells' body were consistent with drowning. There was no evidence to support allegations of racial motivation, according to the report and District Attorney McIlrath. The 25 jurors heard testimony from 43 witnesses, including an independent forensic pathologist hired by Wells' family.

Those who traveled with Wells on the boat were cooperative and provided evidence such as GPS devices, surveillance footage, and cell phones. It is not uncommon for visitors to Horn Island to leave on different boats than the one they arrived on during busy holiday days.