Three friends of the late Nolan Wells have initiated a federal lawsuit against retired NFL player Terrell Owens, accusing him of defamation. The legal action follows an online post made by Owens in September that allegedly implicated the trio in the death of Wells, who was 18 years old when he disappeared from Horn Island, Mississippi, during a Fourth of July celebration in 2022.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/terrell-owens-nolan-wells-072126-85fece4bff4144a496d6d13acbcbfac1.jpg)
The complaint, lodged this week, states that the plaintiffs—Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour—are being represented by their fathers, as they are minors under the laws of Mississippi. The lawsuit claims that Owens’ assertions on social media caused significant harm to their reputations.
Owens, 52, publicly called for the arrest of the friends in a post to his 1.2 million followers on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). He made unsubstantiated claims that the group was involved in the death of Wells, who was later found deceased two days after his disappearance. The friends have consistently denied any wrongdoing related to the case.
In his September 26 post, Owens urged authorities to act quickly, stating, “ARREST THEM IMMEDIATELY!!” The post included a link to an Instagram video that purportedly suggested the friends had killed Wells and tampered with his phone. This was despite a previous grand jury investigation which found no evidence linking the friends to any altercation or wrongdoing surrounding Wells’ death.
Legal representatives for the friends, Edward Paltzik and Tyler Cox, issued a joint statement that expressed their resolve to seek justice and accountability. The statement highlighted that their pursuit of the defamation suit against Owens epitomises their commitment to defending the honour of the individuals involved. “No amount of fame, money, or scare tactics will deter us from our mission of fighting for accountability, justice, and truth on behalf of completely innocent young men,” it read.
In the aftermath of Wells’ passing, Owens had made a $25,000 donation to a fund established to encourage information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the case. Other notable figures, including the Rev. Al Sharpton and filmmaker Tyler Perry, also contributed substantial amounts to the fund.
The grand jury’s findings were released after the friends had faced public scrutiny; the report noted that jurors found evidence suggesting the friends had been wrongfully attacked rather than implicated in any misconduct. This scrutiny has led to further legal actions by the trio, who have expressed intentions to hold accountable not just Owens, but also Sharpton and The View co-host Sunny Hostin for comments made by them regarding Wells’ death.
The lawsuit against Owens is one among a series of defamation claims the friends have tabled, extending their fight against what they perceive as damaging narratives about their involvement in the tragic events surrounding Wells. In addition to their claims against content creators addressing the case, they have made clear their intent to pursue similar legal actions against other prominent individuals who have contributed to the public discourse on Wells’ death.
As this situation develops, the friends remain resolute in their determination to clear their names and seek justice for their late friend, demonstrating their commitment to confronting the allegations that have cast a shadow over their reputations.