Nolan Wells’ friends sue NFL legend Terrell Owens for defamation

Three friends of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old who was found dead off the coast of Mississippi after a July 4th boat outing with friends, are suing former NFL player Terrell Owens for defamation. 

The fathers of the three friends, who are under 21 and considered minors under Mississippi law, filed the federal lawsuit on their kids’ behalf, according to The Associated Press. The same three friends have previously expressed their intent to file similar lawsuits against the Rev. Al Sharpton and "The View" co-host Sunny Hostin.

Terrell Owens defamation lawsuit

What we know:

The three friends who filed the lawsuit against Owens were part of a group of 30, including Wells, who rode to Horn Island on three boats on July 4. Wells’ body was found two days later off the island’s coast.

The lawsuit alleges Owens, an NFL Hall of Famer, defamed the three friends after posting on X: "ARREST THEM IMMEDIATELY!!" Owens’ post also linked to an Instagram video that claimed the three friends killed Wells and tampered with his phone, the lawsuit states. 

Owens has 1.2 million followers on X and had previously pledged $25,000 to a reward fund for information leading to an arrest and conviction in Wells’ death.

Two of the three friends who are suing Owens were singled out online in part because they appear in a photo with Wells and one other friend on a boat, which was circulated on social media after his disappearance. The third called Wells’ mother and the U.S. Coast Guard to report Wells missing.

What they're saying:

"Not only is he defaming them, he’s basically saying to the mob, get your pitchforks, get your torches," Edward Paltzik, a defamation and media attorney representing the three friends, told The Associated Press. 

What we don't know:

Owens did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment. 

What happened to Nolan Wells? 

The backstory:

Wells, who played wide receiver on the Southwest Mississippi Community College football team, traveled by boat to Horn Island, Mississippi, on July 4 with a group of friends, but didn’t make the return trip with them that afternoon. 

RELATED: Nolan Wells' family calls for further investigation: 'It's not adding up'

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Wells’ mother had called to report him missing around midnight into the morning of July 5. A search ensued, and his body was found on the beach on the northwest tip of Horn Island early Monday morning, more than a day later.

Investigators repeatedly said they didn’t suspect foul play in Wells’ death, but his case fueled rampant speculation and suspicion online. His friends said they left Wells behind on the island because he wanted to stay and talk to a girl. Ben Crump, an attorney representing the Wells family, has said it appears Wells was the only Black person on the island that day. 

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner and an independent autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family both found the cause of death to be "undetermined." 

The autopsy report showed no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries. It described a "red discoloration" in the back of Wells’ skull as "inconclusive" and meriting further investigation.

Without further information, the forensic pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell, wrote that he could not rule out the possibility that "non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death."

RELATED: Grand jury declines criminal charges in Nolan Wells death

Grand jury declines charges

Dig deeper:

A grand jury later determined there was no evidence to bring charges against anyone in connection with Wells’ death, finding that it was "consistent with drowning." Wells’ family and their lawyers disputed the grand jury, pointing to the unexplained bruising on the back of his head and noting that his airways and stomach were devoid of water.