Statement From Rev. Al Sharpton on Grand Jury Decision in the Death of Nolan Wells

When I stood over Nolan Wells' casket two months ago, I said we wanted answers. A no true bill is not an answer to how 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells left for an outing with friends and never came home. We will not confuse the absence of an indictment with the presence of an answer.

Christine and Elmore's son is gone. His cause and manner of death remain undetermined. His parents still do not know exactly how Nolan died. And serious questions remain, including about the blunt-force injuries to his head.

In my eulogy at Nolan's funeral, I called for every stone to be rolled back and every veil torn away so that the truth could come out. That demand did not expire with this grand jury.

While we strongly disagree with the conclusion that there was no criminal wrongdoing, we will not allow today's decision to become the final word on Nolan's death.

We will continue to demand answers, pursue accountability, and mobilize with even greater resolve until justice is served.

Mississippi's history painfully teaches us exactly why families should never be expected to simply accept unanswered questions surrounding the death of a young Black person. Transparency and accountability matter. The truth matters. Nolan's life mattered.

I stood with Christine and Elmore Wells when they buried their son, and I stand with them now. They deserve compassion. They deserve dignity. And most of all, they deserve the truth.