Rev. Al Sharpton offers $50,000 reward in Nolan Wells death
Why it matters: The funeral underscored national scrutiny of a Mississippi investigation the family says has left key questions unanswered.
Family, friends and supporters gathered Monday in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, for the funeral of Nolan Xavier Wells, the 18-year-old whose death after a July 4 boat trip has drawn national attention. During the service at Center Pointe Church, the Rev. Al Sharpton offered a $50,000 reward for new information about how Wells died and challenged early suggestions that no foul play was involved. Wells' parents remembered him as a gentle, gifted athlete and protective older brother. Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, has disputed the sheriff's account of what happened on Horn Island. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said the investigation is ongoing. Wells' body was found off the island's coast two days after he was last seen.