Mississippi Senate Candidate Scott Colom Urges Transparency After Grand Jury Declines To Indict In Nolan Wells Death

Scott Colom, Mississippi's Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate and the sitting district attorney for the 16th Judicial District, urged greater transparency from prosecutors and law enforcement after a grand jury declined to indict anyone in the investigation into the July 4 death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells on Horn Island.

Colom told theGrio that a breakdown of trust between the Wells-Wonsley family and authorities spread into the wider community, and he said openness is the only reliable remedy for restoring confidence in the justice system.

"At some point there was a breakdown in trust between the family and law enforcement, and that distrust spread to the broader community. And the only way to combat that distrust is transparency," Colom said.

The Wells-Wonsley family reacted with outrage after a Mississippi grand jury announced it found no evidence of wrongdoing in Nolan's death. Nolan's mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, told NBC News the family was not surprised by the outcome because of actions by the office of District Attorney Angel Myers-McIlrath that, in their view, seeded distrust.

"There was a narrative that was put out prematurely of accidental drowning, no foul play, only hours after his body had been found. We were not allowed to see him and identify him, and again, there were just so many factors that have played into how everything has unfolded and how it's caused us to feel personally about where and how the investigation went," she said.

Colom—who said he has not yet read the grand jury report—encouraged the district attorney's office and Jackson County law enforcement to release as much information as they can legally disclose, including witness statements and forensic findings, while protecting witnesses' privacy and the integrity of the investigation.

Nolan Wells' family shares birthday message on what would have been his 19th birthday (Photo: Go FundMe)

"The district attorney and law enforcement will have discretion in the months to come about what they release in regards to the investigation, and I think they should release as much as they legally can as far as what witnesses said. Of course, protecting the privacy of those witnesses [and] what forensic evidence indicated," Colom said.

Colom also noted that under Mississippi law, evidence can be re-presented to a grand jury if new information emerges. He suggested civil litigation by the Wells-Wonsley family could surface such evidence and potentially prompt a renewed criminal inquiry.

While officials say there is no evidence that race or violence played a role in Nolan's death, the case has reignited strong emotions in Mississippi, a state with a long, painful history of racial violence. Some observers compared public reaction to memories of Emmett Till's 1955 murder, and activists pointed to other recent cases that raised concerns about racialized violence.

Colom tied the need for transparency to broader efforts to rebuild trust between communities and law enforcement. "Without trust, you can't solve crime. You can't get grand juries. You can't get convictions. Trust is essential," he said, adding that his Senate campaign focuses on empowering people and advancing justice and economic opportunity across Mississippi.

He also referenced the recent Senatobia case in which a 1-year-old, Kohen Wiley, was shot and killed by law enforcement and the related firing of a police chief after text messages revealed racist language. Colom said such incidents hinder the state's ability to move forward unless officials and communities work to recognize common humanity and address systemic problems.