Friends of Nolan Wells sue NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Owens for defamation

Three friends of Nolan Wells have sued former NFL star Terrell Owens for defamation following a September Instagram post. The post suggested that the trio, Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour, had tampered with evidence in the death of Wells, a Mississippi teen who drowned after a July boating trip. The Instagram caption read, "Arrest them immediately!!

Like yesterday." Owens, a Hall of Famer, filed the lawsuit, alleging that the post harmed the reputation and safety of the three young men, who are plaintiffs in the case due to their minor status. The complaint states that the post led to thousands of death threats, harassment, and public ridicule, causing "their lives, and the lives of their family members, will never be the same."

Owens did not respond to requests for comment. The friends' lawyers also plan to sue other public figures, such as Al Sharpton and Sunny Hostin from The View, for their vocal public statements about Wells's death. The circumstances surrounding Wells's death have been met with suspicion, as he was African American while the majority of his friends were white, a detail that gained attention online.

A Mississippi grand jury declined to file criminal charges in late September, stating the death appeared "consistent with drowning." However, the state's autopsy report indicated that Wells's airways and stomach were empty, contradicting the drowning determination. Wells's family has called for further investigations, expressing frustration with the ruling and seeking answers.