Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and reading about the latest news, and I have to say, this one’s got me scratching my head. Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old, was found dead on July 6 along the shoreline of Horn Island off the Mississippi coast, and the cause of death is still a mystery. According to preliminary independent autopsy results announced Wednesday, the manner of death is undetermined, pending investigation. I mean, it’s been weeks, and we still don’t know what happened to this young man.
The independent investigator ruled the manner of death to be undetermined, and family attorney Ben Crump said that’s where things stand for now. I’m thinking, okay, that’s a start, but what about the official autopsy performed by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office on July 7? Those results are still pending, and I’m guessing it’s because they’re waiting for the toxicology tests to come back. You can’t rush these things, I suppose.
Now, I know the Wells family requested an independent autopsy, which was privately funded, and that’s separate from the official one. I’m not sure what to make of that, but I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry. The fact that Wells and his friends went on a Fourth of July boat trip to Horn Island, an uninhabited stretch of federally protected land, and his death sparked nationwide attention, makes me wonder if there’s more to this story. I mean, the photos from the trip showed the Black teen surrounded by White friends, and given Mississippi’s history, I can see why people might think race played a role.
It’s a shame, really, because this young man’s death should be about finding out what happened, not about speculation and rumors. I’m sure the investigation will get to the bottom of it, but until then, we’re left with more questions than answers. Somewhere in Atlanta, a producer thought this sounded terrifying, and now we’ve got a nationwide story on our hands.
As I finish my coffee, I’m thinking that this story is far from over. The fact that it’s still a developing story and will be updated makes me think we’ll be hearing more about it in the coming days. And who knows, maybe we’ll finally get some answers. Until then, I’ll just have to keep reading and wondering what really happened to Nolan Wells. With a story like this, you’ve got to take it one step at a time, and not jump to conclusions. But hey, that’s just me, Big Elephant, sipping my coffee and trying to make sense of it all.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
