Journalist Janai Norman Says Premature Reports About Nolan Wells Reveal a Familiar Pattern in Which Black Victims Are Blamed, Diminished or Denied the Dignity of a Thorough Investigation
For nearly three weeks, the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells has drawn national attention, fueled by unanswered questions about how he died and concerns about how authorities and news organizations have characterized the case.
Wells disappeared during a July 4 boating trip to Horn Island off the Mississippi coast. His body was discovered two days later, but the official autopsy and toxicology findings have not been publicly released.
Although the attention given to the death of a young Black man has helped keep pressure on investigators, the coverage has also produced misinformation, speculation and narratives that Wells’ family and supporters say could distract from the search for answers.
Reports About Alcohol Draw Scrutiny
The latest controversy followed the release of audio by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources from a call believed to be connected to the case.
ABC News, TMZ and other outlets subsequently published reports claiming Wells had been “drinking heavily” before his disappearance.
The claim appeared to come from witness statements rather than finalized toxicology findings. Mississippi authorities have not publicly released Wells’ official autopsy or toxicology reports.
That distinction prompted criticism from readers who questioned why the alleged alcohol use became a central headline before investigators had released medical evidence confirming it.
“I see a lot of media outlets suddenly spreading a narrative that Nolan Wells had been drinking heavily on the day of his death. Nolan Wells was 18 years old,” one Threads user wrote. “So no matter which way you spin it, there is someone who needs to be held accountable. If he was underage and being supplied alcohol, who supplied it? Which adult provided it? Arrest them.”
Journalist, author and former “Good Morning America” anchor Janai Norman said the coverage reflects a broader tendency to portray deceased Black people negatively while treating the accounts of surviving witnesses as authoritative.
“It’s just a glaring example of how traditional news media will denigrate the dead when they are Black,” Norman said in an interview with theGrio. “We have seen this before, and this is just the latest example of it.”
Norman said Wells cannot respond to the allegations now being circulated about him, while coverage has frequently appeared to accept the accounts of people who returned from the island without him.
“In the news coverage, we have seen the coverage take the side of what, in most cases, I think most people would view as suspects, and that’s what’s been disheartening,” she said.
Accident Narrative Emerged Before Autopsy
The reports about drinking were not the first conclusions to surface before the investigation was complete.
After Wells’ body was found July 6, local officials said the death appeared to be an accidental drowning. Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd also told reporters there were “no immediate, obvious signs of foul play or trauma,” although an autopsy had not yet been conducted.
View on Threads
An independent autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family later listed his cause of death as undetermined. The family has continued to seek additional information about what happened during the boat trip and why Wells did not return with the other passengers.
View on Threads
NAACP President Derrick Johnson previously warned that early descriptions of the death as an accident could shape how the public and investigators view the case.
“Narrative matters in this case,” Johnson said. “And we’re saying that in Nolan Wells’ situation, the narrative should not be that it was an accident before there was an investigation.”
Johnson also questioned why the statements of those who accompanied Wells were given significant weight.
“The narrative should not be the words of individuals who went on a boat to the island with him, but they came home without him, but with his cell phone,” he said.
Norman said the emphasis on Wells’ alleged behavior represents racial bias, whether journalists and editors acknowledge it or not.
Related: Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves Blames Ben Crump and Al Sharpton for Threats in Nolan Wells Case
“This is racism,” she said. “We need to stop gaslighting ourselves and call it what it is.”
“There should not be a headline alleging that Nolan Wells was or wasn’t heavily intoxicated,” Norman added. “That shouldn’t be happening. And if he weren’t Black, I’m not sure that it would be.”
Media Layoffs May Deepen Coverage Gaps
Norman also connected the coverage to widespread layoffs that have reduced the number of Black journalists, editors and decision-makers working in traditional newsrooms.
“You reached out to me for my expertise on this story about a headline from an organization that decided in the last four months that they were better off without my expertise, and now we’re seeing what a poor business decision that was,” she said.
“Why was that decision made? I don’t know. But it’s the same reason we keep seeing these things happen.”
The decline of newsroom diversity can influence which questions reporters ask, whose statements they challenge and whether potentially harmful descriptions of Black victims are treated with sufficient skepticism.
Norman said those shortcomings make media literacy increasingly important as audiences receive information from traditional outlets, independent publications and social media platforms.
“Literacy in this country is awful. Media literacy in this country is even worse because people aren’t learning it,” she said. “And when there is so much information out there, and we’re getting information from so many different places, that is dangerous.”
Norman said readers should evaluate whether reports are based on confirmed evidence, unnamed sources, witness statements or official findings. They should also examine whose perspective is being centered and whether the person being accused is able to respond.
“We need to be honest about the fact that white supremacy shows up in all different facets of our lives, in every facet of our lives, and news media and reporting are no exception,” Norman said.
“And the sooner that we accept that, then the better that we can see through it. Because once you name a pattern, it’s tough to unsee it.”
Through her “Media Literacy” series, Norman examines how racial bias and manipulation can influence headlines, story framing and public perception.
She said Black communities have historically relied on Black journalists and publications to ensure their experiences are reported with accuracy, dignity and humanity.
“We as Black Americans have always had to rely on ourselves when it came to telling the truth about our stories, to telling our stories with dignity, to telling our stories with humanity, to telling our stories with love, with respect,” Norman said. “We’ve always had to rely on ourselves. 2026 is no different.”
