The recent death of Nolan Wells has not only sent shockwaves through his community but has ignited a national conversation, shining a stark light on a persistent issue: the alarming number of unsolved murders and suspicious deaths of Black teenagers, children, young adults, and elders.
As a father and uncle of African American males, the ‘what if’ has always lingered in my head when my male family members departed my domicile. At this rate, they possibly can be considered an endangered species as they are being hunted.
Upon hearing about the multiple narratives surrounding Nolan Wells’ death, I immediately thought of a friend, Ronald Settles, whose murder was initially covered up by police 45 years ago.
Ronald “Ronnie” Settles was a California State University Long Beach (CSULB) star student-athlete who was stopped and arrested by the Signal Hill Police Department (SHPD) for a minor traffic violation in June 1981.
Settles was found severely beaten and dead the morning after his arrest. Police officers claimed that they found Settles hanging in his jail cell from a noose, created from a mattress cover, from which they cut him down; however, police elected not to take photographic evidence of the hanging and refused to testify, pleading the Fifth.
His family fought the ruling, and a coroner’s jury eventually ruled the death a homicide, sparking the city to pay a large civil rights settlement as the case made national headlines.
It also led to multiple reforms in how local police departments handle arrestees.
In 1982, a jury in a Los Angeles coroner’s inquest ruled that Settles had died “at the hands of another” and not his own. The case was an early high-profile case masterfully led and litigated by Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., who represented the Settles family.
I first met Settles at CSULB in my freshman English class. He was a nice guy, and his dream was to play in the NFL. Settles constantly talked about his dad purchasing him a Triumph TR-7, which he did.
We had three things in common: he wanted a TR-7, and I owned one; we both hated our English course, and we both were arrested by the SHPD for speeding. We both were beaten, I was being knocked down and stomped by the SHPD.
Upon my arrest, my shoelaces and belt were taken, my mattress did not have a cover, and I had a blanket that smelled like Swiss cheese.
I often wonder if the actions of the officers instructing me to remove my laces and belt were a precaution to prevent self-harm or a sign that their mind had been made up and I would not mysteriously die in a cell that night
Unfortunately, another Signal Hill victim would suffer a mysterious death. It occurred 10 days after Ronald Settles, the victim, Jack E. Browne, 48, a Long Beach welder, became SHPD’s next victim.
Nolan Wells and Ronald Settles Similarities:
Both victims were young Black football players. Ronald Settles, a 21-year-old running back, was a standout football player at California State University, Long Beach, in 1981.
Nolan Wells was an 18-year-old wide receiver who had recently enrolled at Southwest Mississippi Community College.
Both deaths immediately generated public skepticism. In each case, family members and many in the Black community questioned the initial explanation and called for independent investigations.
In Ron Settles’ case, authorities initially ruled his death a suicide.
In Nolan Wells’ case, authorities have said drowning is suspected, but the official autopsy findings have not yet been released, and his family disputes that an accidental drowning adequately explains what happened.
Civil rights advocates became involved, and Wells’ family is now represented by attorney Ben Crump. Both cases drew the attention of civil rights leaders and attorneys because of concerns about transparency, investigative procedures, and whether race influenced the response.
Conflicting narratives emerged. In both cases, there were differing accounts about the events leading up to the deaths.
For Nolan Wells: Friends have offered differing explanations about why he remained on Horn Island. Viral videos have produced conflicting interpretations. The family has pointed to unanswered questions regarding his phone, car keys, whereabouts, timeline, and witness accounts.
For Ron Settles: There were disputes over what occurred during his arrest, his treatment in custody, and the circumstances surrounding his death.
Flow of information and rumour control: Social media vs traditional media
When we look at the flow of information surrounding both the Settles and Wells cases, the difference between the two is who controls the flow of information hence the narrative. When we compare the different time periods, in the 1980s information moved through journalists, Black civic organisations, churches, universities, and community leaders.
Grassroots news back then was referred to as the grapevine, word of mouth.
A great example of this is the Jena Six case that occurred in Jena, La. On December 4, 2006, a fight broke out between Mychal Bell, Robert Bailey Jr, Carwin Jones, Bryant Purvis, Theo Shaw, and Jesse Ray Beard against and Justin Barker, a white classmate.
The six Black boys collectively were known as the Jena Six, and the altercation took place at Jena High School. They were arrested due to an altercation that sparked a day after Black students requested to sit under a tree that was usually occupied by white students. A day later, the Black students found 3 nooses hanging on the tree, and a fight broke out, resulting in Barker being taken to the hospital and released. This occurred after several racially motivated incidents against Black students on campus by white students.
According to multiple reports, all six Black teens were initially charged with attempted second-degree murder, which caused many civil rights activists to speak up and protest. Social media wasn’t a thing back in 2006 like it is today. Most of the communication was done by word of mouth among grassroots organizers who were on the ground.
It caused a national movement as 60,000 protesters marched in the small town a year later in September 2007. The charges and convictions were significantly reduced, with a majority of the teens receiving plea deals and lesser sentences.
Their names and their story were a dynamic flow of information by word-of -mouth as journalism essentially failed them, with minimal local coverage and national coverage until a rally in support of the Jena Six occurred– according to Pamela Oliver, who wrote an extensive report published by the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
When we look at the Nolan Wells case, information is instantaneous through social media platforms and podcasts, and it allows anyone to report the news. The public can publish information directly, which allows news to circulate faster; however, one issue is controlling rumors and conflicting narratives. Also, another huge risk is creators not having trustworthy, credible and factual information.
This can hinder the truth and hurt family members attempting to seek justice.
The official stance in the Ronald Settles case was that Settles committed suicide by hanging himself in his cell.
The potential official stance in the Nolan Wells case, which has yet to be officially confirmed as his second autopsy results have not been released at the time of this article’s writing, may be an accidental drowning.
The core rumor in the Settles case was that police officers severely beat and choked Ronald Settles to death, then staged his suicide.
The core rumours for the Wells case are that his white friends or individuals on July 4 deliberately murdered Wells, accidentally murdered him during a prank, or intentionally abandoned him.
The catalyst for suspicion in both cases was as follows: Police officers all pleaded the 5th amendment and refused to take photos after discovering Settles hanging. Wells’ friends returned with his phone and keys, and his Snapchat history had been deleted.
A common occurrence is that when a young Black person dies under suspicious circumstances, the case frequently follows a tragic, repetitive script that is marked by initial confusion, institutional neglect, and an ultimate failure of the justice system to provide answers to the families. That same observation also applies to Black elders who die of suspicious circumstances.
