Nationwide — Rev. Al Sharpton faces a possible defamation lawsuit from three friends of Nolan Wells, who say his public comments wrongly linked them to the teenager’s death. Their attorneys have demanded an apology, retractions, and removal of the statements. Wells, 18, died during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island off the Mississippi coast. His cause and manner of death remain undetermined, but speculation grew after photos showed him with three White friends during the trip. Sharpton, who delivered Wells’ funeral eulogy, later questioned what happened and repeatedly raised concerns about the three friends.
Attorneys J. Tyler Cox and Edward Paltzik sent Sharpton a 19-page pre-suit demand letter on Friday, according to CNN. They represent Morgan Seymour, Jax Pitalo and Warren Hudson, whom they describe as “completely innocent young men.” The attorneys claim Sharpton’s comments in July and August suggested the three had played a role in Wells’ death, mishandled his belongings, or interfered with the investigation.
The letter gives Sharpton 10 days to apologize, retract, and delete the statements. It also demands written and verbal corrections, along with the removal of related online posts. The attorneys argue that the comments could amount to defamation per se under Mississippi law because they allegedly implied the three friends committed serious crimes, including murder, hindering prosecution, and evidence tampering.
The attorneys also provided their account of what happened after Wells disappeared. They said the three friends did not possess or access his phone, erase its contents, or conceal his keys. The letter says Wells’ phone was first left on a boat and later ended up in another person’s vehicle, while his keys had been left in Pitalo’s bedroom and were eventually given to Wells’ stepfather. The attorneys said Hudson contacted Wells’ mother and the Coast Guard that night, while Hudson and Pitalo returned to Horn Island the next morning to search for him.
Sharpton has rejected the claims and said he welcomes a lawsuit. He previously told critics at the National Association of Black Journalists conference, “I want them to sue me first,” saying he wanted the questions surrounding Wells’ death addressed in court. He later said he raised concerns because Wells’ parents wanted answers and that litigation would not stop him from supporting the family. Meanwhile, two autopsies have been completed, but investigators are still waiting for toxicology results to determine how Wells died. The attorneys ended their letter with a direct message: “You asked for it, and now you got it.”