Mississippi autopsy of Nolan Wells sent to grand jury, officials say
The state medical examiner completed the autopsy of Nolan Wells, but the report will be withheld from the public and forwarded to a grand jury, while a separate threat investigation proceeds.
Jackson, Miss. – The State Medical Examiner’s Office has finished the autopsy of Nolan Wells, and the findings will be submitted to a grand jury rather than released publicly, according to officials familiar with the case. District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said the report will remain confidential until the grand jury reviews it, noting that all non-natural, non-traffic deaths in the county are presented to the grand jury.
Separately, a California man, Joseph Dumarce, was arrested on charges of threatening Chancery Court Judge Ashlee Cole, who is related to a friend of Wells. State officials indicated they are intensifying efforts to address threats made during the investigation.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking at the National Urban League conference in Nashville, said his team continues an independent probe, working with oceanic engineering experts to analyze the circumstances of Wells’ body being found where he was last seen. The investigation, led by attorney Eric Hertz, is in contact with the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office about reviewing evidence and possibly conducting a joint phone inspection, which could involve the FBI.
An independent autopsy performed in Washington, D.C., is awaiting a sample of Wells’ throat tissue for further examination, a step not completed during the second autopsy.