00:00As District Attorney for the 19th Circuit Court District of Mississippi, I want to talk directly
00:05to the people of Jackson County. Our community is grieving the tremendous loss of Nolan Wells,
00:11who is loved and treasured by everyone. Nolan's family deserves answers, and our community
00:17deserves answers. Every death in the county, except those of natural causes and non-criminal
00:23car wrecks, are presented to your grand jury. Many people don't know that. We have handled
00:27death investigations in this manner my entire career. Nolan's case is being handled the same
00:33way, with the same care, and the same commitment to the truth that we handle all death investigations.
00:40I understand the public's urgency to know what happened to Nolan, but we are not taking time
00:45for time's sake. We are taking the time required to complete the work this investigation demands.
00:52Since Nolan was reported missing, local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies have worked
00:58around the clock investigating what happened to him. Every piece of evidence must be examined.
01:05Every credible lead must be followed to its conclusion. Every witness interview must be
01:10analyzed in context of all other evidence. The pressure for answers does not change what the
01:17work requires. Our responsibility to Nolan and our community is to complete this investigation thoroughly,
01:24carefully, without compromise, supported by the evidence, and worthy of the confidence of the
01:30people we serve. I also understand that many people have questions about why more information has not
01:36been released publicly. In Mississippi, the rules of professional conduct restrict the information a
01:42prosecutor can release during an investigation. Our restraint in communicating facts and evidence
01:48is not an effort to keep the truth from the public. It is an effort to protect the integrity of
01:54this
01:54investigation and the grand jury proceeding. As your district attorney, I have an ethical obligation
01:59to avoid public statements that could influence witnesses, prejudice of proceeding, or compromise the
02:05fairness of the legal process. My obligation extends to and requires me to use reasonable care to
02:11ensure investigating agencies avoid making those statements and releasing information as well.
02:18These rules exist to protect the search for the truth, not to prevent it. As divided as the
02:25discussion surrounding Nolan's death has become, I know we all want the same thing, to understand what
02:32happened to Nolan. With that being our shared goal, we must also share in the goal of protecting the
02:39integrity of how the truth is discovered. If we sacrifice the integrity of the process in
02:45effort to satisfy today's questions, we risk undermining the confidence in tomorrow's answers.
02:52When the public asks, what about this, or have they looked at that, or did they think about this,
02:56the answer is yes. Those are the same questions investigators ask. The difference is that we can't publicly discuss the
03:04evidence. The interviews are what those efforts have uncovered while the investigation is underway.
03:11Again, our restraint in sharing details of the investigation is not a refusal to share the truth.
03:17It is our commitment to protect the process that allows the truth to be known with confidence.
03:26There's a lot of information out there, and there is a heck of a lot of misinformation out there.
03:31I simply want the community I serve to know that this investigation is being handled with the care,
03:38professionalism, and commitment to the truth that every family in Jackson County deserves.
03:43As we continue this important work, Nolan's family, his friends, and all who loved him remain in our prayers.
03:49We'll see you in the next step.
03:50We'll see you in the next step.
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