A Mississippi grand jury ruled that the death of 18 year old Nolan Wells was consistent with accidental drowning and found no evidence of criminal or racial motivation. The unanimous decision followed an investigation into the youth's death after a July 4 trip with friends off the state coast, which resulted in the exoneration of his companions.

The panel reviewed testimony from 43 witnesses and 132 subpoenas before concluding there was zero evidence of foul play. The grand jury, which included 5 black jurors, found no basis to support bringing charges against the white friends who were traveling with Wells at the time of the incident.