Tyler Perry Will Help Pay For Funeral Of Nolan Wells, Lawyer Says

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Billionaire director Tyler Perry will help pay for the funeral of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old from Mississippi whose body was found days after he went missing on the Fourth of July, lawyer Ben Crump said at a press conference Friday alongside civil rights activist Al Sharpton.

Wells’ body was discovered Monday off the coast of Mississippi’s Horn Island.

Jackson County Sheriff's Department

Key Facts

Crump said at the Friday afternoon press conference Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, is also helping to pay for an independent autopsy.

Crump was joined by Sharpton and Wells’ parents at the press conference, where he called for an independent investigation, saying Wells’ family does not trust Mississippi law enforcement to give them a “fair investigation” into how “their Black son ended up dead after going out on a boat with three young white men.”

Sharpton said he is “not bringing in race, but we're not discounting race either” as a factor in Wells’ death, adding, “Don’t rush to judgment saying it was not racism, because we do not know.”

Crump said some details surrounding Wells’ death are “not adding up,” questioning theories Wells drowned saying, “This is a kid who knew how to swim.”

Wells’ attorneys said his friends took his cell phone and keys before returning to land from Mississippi’s Horn Island, and Wells’ phone was not with him when his body was found.

“What teenager would leave their phone behind if they’re going to stay on this island?” Crump said, questioning claims Wells had chosen to stay behind.

Wells’ Parents Call For Independent Investigation

Earlier Friday, Wells’ parents appeared on CBS Mornings, where they called for a thorough and transparent independent investigation into his death. Wells’ father Elmore Wonsley questioned claims Wells had chosen to stay on Horn Island, saying he “always stays with the group” and it is “not his character” to stay behind. When asked if he believes Wells was left behind on the island, Wonsley said, “Yes. I don't believe he decided to stay on the island by himself.” Christine Wonsley, Wells’ mother, told CBS Mornings she believes Snapchat messages were deleted from Wells’ phone before it was recovered, saying there was “nothing, no saved videos,” when she looked through his phone, which she said is unusual for him.

What Do We Know About Wells’ Death?

Wells, who was an 18-year-old college student from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, traveled with friends by boat to Horn Island on July 4 to celebrate the holiday. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said Wells did not return home with his friends that afternoon, and Wells’ family said in a statement his mother reported him missing that night. “From the people we’ve talked to, it sounds like he chose to stay on the island with the assumption that he was going to ride back to the mainland with someone else,” Ledbetter told the Associated Press on Tuesday, adding Wells’ friends are cooperating with the investigation. Jackson County coroner Bruce Lynd said dental records show the body is Wells, and Wells’ mother confirmed her son’s death in a post on Facebook on Monday, saying her “heart is broken for our sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others.” In a statement Tuesday, Ledbetter confirmed the investigation is “active and ongoing" and urged anyone who saw Wells on the day of his disappearance to contact the sheriff’s office, including if they heard “an argument, disturbance, or other unusual activity” on Horn Island. Authorities have said they suspect Wells may have drowned and do not believe foul play was involved.

Who Is Ben Crump?

Crump is a civil rights attorney best known for representing the families of Black people who are victims of gun violence and police brutality. In 2012, the family of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Black teenager who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, hired Crump to represent them. Crump later represented the family of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old who was killed by police officer Darren Wilson. Crump helped Brown’s family win a reported $1.5 million settlement from the city of Ferguson, Missouri. In 2020, Crump was hired to represent the families of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was murdered while jogging by three white men; Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was killed by police; and George Floyd, who was murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin in an incident that sparked protests of police brutality. Crump helped reach a $27 million settlement for Floyd’s family from the city of Minneapolis. Crump, in a statement Tuesday, said Wells’ family “deserves answers” and the “truth” about his death, calling for “investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves.”

Key Background

Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, was a student at Southwest Mississippi Community College and a wide receiver on the school’s football team. Tracy Lampley, Wells’ high school football coach, told CBS News he was a “happy-go-lucky kid with a big smile that everybody adored and loved.”