Ocean Springs, Mississippi - As the family of Nolan Wells continues to search for answers about his mysterious death, friends of his are planning to sue Reverend Al Sharpton for questioning their actions the day of Wells' disappearance.
Attorneys for Nolan Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour sent a 19-page pre-lawsuit demand letter to Sharpton, obtained by LAMag and dated August 21, accusing him of defaming the three teens for suggesting they were involved in some wrongdoing surrounding Wells' disappearance and subsequent death. But Sharpton says he welcomes the legal threat.
The attorneys representing Wells' friends are alleging that Sharpton's comments questioning their involvement and alleged possession of his phone and keys suggested that they could've been involved in murder and hindering the investigation by tampering with evidence. The attorneys further insisted that Hudson, Pitalo, and Seymour never had or erased anything from Wells' phone, they never hid his keys, and further stressed they didn't have anything to do with the teen's death.
"Warren, Jax, and Morgan are completely innocent of any wrongdoing with respect to the death of Nolan Wells," the attorneys wrote in the letter, which included a demand for a public apology from Sharpton, retraction of the allegedly defamatory statements, and an end to further comments about them.
But it doesn't appear that Sharpton will be apologizing or retracting any of his words, as he issued a statement saying, "I welcome the lawsuit."
Sharpton denied the defamation allegations, noting that he has "a right and a duty to raise questions" presented by Wells' parents. He further stated he did not even know their names and thus did not defame them.
“I have been involved in the case for one sole reason: To help Nolan’s parents Christine and Elmore find the truth," Sharpton said, noting that he "will have my attorneys be in touch with theirs to arrange for them to serve me so we can get in court.”