‘Stop playing games:’ Jackson County DA responds to claims made at press convention on Nolan Wells cellphone knowledge

JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) — Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath mentioned Thursday afternoon that the knowledge she launched to the general public following a grand jury’s no true invoice was true and correct, including that she stands by the knowledge.

The assertion got here after a press convention held by legal professional Ben Crump Thursday morning through which Crump and his group, who signify the household of Nolan Wells, have been joined by a digital forensic skilled to debate findings from Wells’ mobile phone.

• TIMELINE: Here’s what we all know concerning the disappearance and demise of 18-year-old Nolan Wells

Crump and his group alleged that some knowledge was deleted from Wells’ cellphone.

Forensic skilled Andrew Garrett, with Garrett Discovery, detailed info extracted from Nolan’s cellphone, together with when the cellphone was accessed. Garrett mentioned some knowledge was deleted from the cellphone.

“There were things that were deleted from the phone,” Garrett mentioned. “I can’t talk to intent, unfortunately, that’s not my field of expertise, psychology… but I can tell you from a digital standpoint, things were deleted on the phone from the time he last had the phone up until the time that his parents got the phone.”

Eric Hertz, an legal professional on Crump’s group, requested Garrett: “And was it Snapchat things?” Garrett responded, “They were Snapchat, correct.”

District Attorney McIlrath mentioned that the motion Garrett described was not finished by somebody bodily accessing Wells’ cellphone.

“The user action discussed by Mr. Garrett is from other snapchat users, not someone physically accessing Nolan Wells’ phone,” McIlrath mentioned. “If the Crump team has evidence to the contrary, they have not provided it to us. The Grand Jury report outlined the other evidence they received, including cell phone downloads, surveillance data, GPS data, and the printed report of Nolan’s cell phone.”

Read the total assertion beneath:

• ‘Things were deleted’: Ben Crump, forensic skilled announce cellphone findings, state post-mortem ends in Nolan Wells case

STATEMENT FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANGEL MYERS MCILRATH TO THE PEOPLE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI

The info I’ve launched to the general public is true and correct, and I stand by it.

The Grand Jury returned an in depth report regarding their findings within the Nolan Wells demise investigation. The Grand Jury report references the mobile phone extraction studies our workplace acquired and their consideration of them. The 30-hour digital obtain that Mr. Garrett mentioned through the press convention at this time was by no means offered to the State as Mr. Garrett steered. All that was offered to us have been two emails containing round 300 pages of chosen findings from Nolan’s mobile phone. However, the knowledge they offered of their press convention at this time and what they offered to my workplace previous to grand jury was that nobody bodily accessed Nolan’s mobile phone after his final identified use and earlier than his dad and mom acquired it. The household had been involved about Nolan’s cellphone being accessed earlier than they acquired it. When I not too long ago spoke to Mrs. Wonsley, I discussed how relieved she will need to have been to be taught this. The person motion mentioned by Mr. Garrett is from different snapchat customers, not somebody bodily accessing Nolan Wells’ cellphone. If the Crump group has proof on the contrary, they haven’t offered it to us. The Grand Jury report outlined the opposite proof they acquired, together with mobile phone downloads, surveillance knowledge, GPS knowledge, and the printed report of Nolan’s mobile phone.

I’ve reviewed the letter offered by Mr. Garrett and haven’t any cause to disbelieve his account of what the Crump group shared with him as I’m not aware about the content material of their communications. My correspondence with the Crump group is obvious, the State was at all times keen to take part in a mutual examination and would settle for the non-public examination if the Wonsley’s selected that path, and that’s the path they selected. Please learn our correspondence.

The Crump group decided to attend till the eleventh hour to do a non-public cellphone extraction and solely present the Grand Jury with sure parts of the outcomes. That shouldn’t be the State of Mississippi failing to be thorough in its investigative efforts, that’s the Crump group making strategic decisions to manage the general public info on Nolan’s cellphone and create a deceptive public narrative.

What the snaps inform us is how robust Nolan’s bonds of friendships have been. It additionally tells us that the household and the Crump group shouldn’t have allowed Nolan’s associates to be publicly accused and have their lives and their household’s lives threatened and reputations ruined.

With respect to the post-mortem report launched at this time, the Grand Jury report outlines its findings associated to Nolan’s post-mortem and what proof they thought of. The Grand Jury acquired each the State of Mississippi and Dr. Mitchell’s studies and acquired their testimony. In reality, each the State Medical Examiner and Dr. Mitchell arrived on the identical conclusion, aside from whether or not there was superficial, non-fatal, non-deep tissue bruising on Nolan’s buttocks and shoulder. As proven within the studies made public by the Crump group and referenced within the Grand Jury’s report, neither physician discovered proof of a deadly harm, neither discovered proof of illness that will have prompted Nolan Wells’ demise and neither dominated out drowning. What this reveals is how thorough the Grand Jury’s investigation was and the way dedicated I’ve remained to creating certain the Grand Jury acquired each piece of proof accessible.

The Crump group suggested my workplace that they’d no proof of against the law towards Nolan Wells. They by no means suggested something in a different way. The Crump group is asking the general public to ask questions that the Crump group has the solutions to. They are the one ones who’ve had entry to Nolan’s cellphone and the total extraction. Mr. Crump, why are you asking the general public to ask us, what was deleted? Which alleged snap deletion do you declare is said to Nolan’s demise, Mr. Crump? What witness or piece of proof on the cellphone or in any other case helps what you retain claiming, Mr. Crump? Tell us. The Crump group and Nolan’s household have had my private mobile phone and an open invitation to current something they needed to the Grand Jury from the start. Instead of selecting the grand jury they’ve chosen to grandstand.

I do know the work that was finished on this investigation. I do know the individuals who did it, and I do know the lengths to which they went to search out the reality. I’ve full confidence within the work of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the various companies that assisted within the investigation of Nolan Wells demise and am grateful for his or her professionalism and dedication in pursuit of the reality. I witnessed the dedication, the compassion and the diligence of the Grand Jurors as they did the work they have been sworn to do, and I’m assured of their choice and the method by which they reached it.

My interactions with Mr. Crump, in addition to his conduct on this case, have demonstrated that he’s undeserving of our belief. I didn’t anticipate that his characterization and representations on this case can be any completely different at this time, nor do I anticipate something higher from him sooner or later.

The reality is the Crump group was supplied a standing invitation to offer any proof or witnesses that they wished to current to the Grand Jury, together with any skilled they retained. I did precisely what I promised the household I might do – give the grand jury a whole and thorough investigation and the household the chance to current something and every little thing they needed. I invited Dr. Mitchell to not simply testify, however to take his time to evaluation something he wanted, which he accepted. An open invitation akin to that is extraordinary, however Nolan Wells deserved everybody doing every little thing in an effort to find out the reality about how he died. We did that.

Lastly, I need to share the textual content of my communication with Mrs. Wonsley regarding the Grand Jury report. This ought to make clear my intentions and compassion for the Wonsleys.

“Christine this is DA Angel Myers McIlrath. I wanted to make sure you were aware that we sent Mr. Smith the Grand Jury report on Nolan’s death. If you would like I can email it to you directly as well. I wasn’t sure of your preference and wanted to be respectful of your representation.

The report was filed earlier today and will be out in the public tonight. The report along with my statement and correspondence will also be available on our office FB page.

You continue to remain in my prayers. If I can support you in your grief please know that I will.”

Again, if the Crump group genuinely has new info or proof that Nolan Wells was murdered they need to cease enjoying video games and instantly present it to me.

See a spelling or grammar error on this story? Report it to our group HERE.