Officials from the hometown of Nolan Wells are rallying behind their sheriff after the NAACP accused Mississippi authorities of being "derelict in their duties" during a news conference on Wednesday. The accusation came as attorney Ben Crump announced the results of an independent autopsy on the 18-year-old, whose body was found on a barrier island off the Gulf Coast earlier this month.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson did not hold back in his criticism, stating that local and state officials failed to properly handle the case. "We're not accusing anyone of anything other than the state of Mississippi and local officials. We're accusing them of being derelict in their duties," Johnson said. He added that the goal was to ensure a proper investigation so that the family and community could be confident that anyone involved would be held accountable.
Mississippi State Senator Jeremy England, who represents part of Jackson County where the incident occurred, pushed back strongly against the accusation. In an interview with Fox News Digital, England called the criticism "completely unfair." He praised the integrity of Sheriff John Ledbetter, District Attorney, and other law enforcement officials involved in the case. "Our sheriff and our district attorney here in Jackson County, our DPS commissioner over the state of Mississippi law enforcement, our crime lab, the offices they put together, I know many of them personally and professionally, and they have the utmost integrity and they want to get the facts correct," England said.
England emphasized that Mississippi investigators are not swayed by public pressure, even as the case draws national attention. "There's not always someone to blame," he said. "And here in Mississippi, we don't have and we don't follow what you see in some other states and some other communities where you have activist district attorneys and activist sheriffs, and they're listening to the public and they're wanting to respond to the public." He added that the officials are taking their time to ensure a thorough investigation out of respect for the family and the community.
Congressman Mike Ezell, a Republican from Mississippi and a former sheriff, also expressed confidence in Sheriff Ledbetter. "I have full confidence in Sheriff Ledbetter and all of our law enforcement officials as they are working hard to do a thorough investigation. As a former sheriff and police officer, I know firsthand the demands and pressure of their job, and I know they will handle this matter with integrity," Ezell told Fox News Digital.
The controversy stems from the death of Nolan Wells, who disappeared on July 4 after going on a boat trip with friends to Horn Island, a barrier island off Mississippi's Gulf Coast. Search crews, including National Park Service rangers, located his remains on July 6 on the island's northwestern tip. Authorities have said that foul play is not suspected, but the independent autopsy has raised questions.
During Wednesday's news conference, Crump revealed that an area of "red discoloration" was found on Wells' head. However, Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed the independent autopsy, could not determine a cause or manner of death "pending further investigation." The official autopsy has not yet been completed. Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, when asked about the head injury, said it does not point to foul play. "So that could be from bumping into something in the water. There's a lot of debris in the water, for example. It depends how deep it is, but it's describing a really superficial impact that could have happened before death or after death," Baden explained. He described the injury as minor and potentially innocent.
Mitchell's report noted that he could not rule out the possibility that "non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death," but without additional information, no conclusion could be reached. The release of the independent autopsy comes as Reverend Al Sharpton announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Authorities have previously stated that foul play is not suspected. Sheriff Ledbetter has said that investigators believe Wells chose to stay on the island while his friends returned to the mainland that afternoon. It was not until later that night that Wells' mother learned he was missing from one of his friends and reported it to authorities. The case continues to draw scrutiny, with local officials maintaining their confidence in the ongoing investigation.
