Nolan Wells update: Ben Crump’s one-word response follows major legal move by Mississippi teen’s friendsThe legal battle surrounding the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells has taken another turn after three of his friends hired attorney Edward Andrew Paltzik, a lawyer known for representing President Donald Trump in several high-profile lawsuits. When asked about Paltzik joining the defense team, Ben Crump, who represents Wells’ family, gave a one-word response. Speaking to TMZ, Crump called it a “distraction.” His comment came as investigators continue looking into Wells’ death and both sides push back against growing claims and speculation surrounding the case.Ben Crump dismisses Edward Andrew Paltzik’s appointment in Nolan Wells caseAccording to TMZ, attorneys J. Tyler Cox and Edward Andrew Paltzik are now representing Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour, the three friends who were with Nolan Wells before he was found dead following a boat trip last month.Paltzik is widely known for handling major defamation and media-related cases, including lawsuits involving President Donald Trump against CBS/Paramount, The New York Times, and the BBC. His addition to the legal team comes as the three young men continue facing online accusations despite no official finding linking them to a crime.When TMZ asked Ben Crump what Paltzik’s involvement meant for the case, the civil rights attorney did not expand on his thoughts. Instead, he simply replied, “distraction.”Meanwhile, authorities are still investigating the events leading up to Wells’ death. At the same time, false claims, AI-generated videos, and misleading social media posts have continued to spread online. Those posts have fueled speculation even though investigators have not announced any conclusions about what happened.Reports also say the families of Wells’ friends have received threats since the teenager disappeared and was later found dead. The defense team has argued that online rumors have unfairly damaged the reputations of the young men before the investigation has been completed.Warren Hudson’s family, Brandon Tatum respond as fundraiser crosses $161,000The legal fight has now grown beyond the official investigation. Warren Hudson’s father, Benjamin Hudson, launched a GiveSendGo fundraiser to help cover legal costs for the teenagers.In the fundraiser description, Benjamin Hudson said he plans to sue Ben Crump over what he believes were false statements about his son and the other boys. The page states, “Since Nolan’s death, Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, Morgan Seymour, and many others have been inundated with death threats, threats of violence, and defamation. They have been falsely and wrongly blamed by individuals online and in the media of either directly or indirectly having a hand in Nolan’s death.”As of the latest update, the fundraiser has collected more than $161,000 toward its $200,000 goal.Conservative commentator Brandon Tatum also reacted after Paltzik joined the legal team. Tatum had previously invited Warren Hudson onto his podcast to share his side of the story. He also interviewed Tracestin (Trace) Shepherd, who described himself as Nolan Wells’ best friend. However, Wells’ family later said they had never heard of Shepherd.In a post on X, Tatum wrote that the teenagers “have been forced to fight for their reputations and futures,” adding that they should be allowed to grieve their friend. He also said, “These families are no longer leaving their names at the mercy of the online mob. They now have one of America’s most formidable defamation attorneys in their corner-and, in my opinion, the people responsible for pushing these allegations are about to learn why we have a court system.”Separately, Bart Edmiston Jr., who was reportedly on a different boat near Horn Island on the day Wells disappeared, sent a cease-and-desist letter to OnlyFans model Kymbra Li after she allegedly linked him to Wells’ death. Authorities have not announced any final findings, and the investigation into Nolan Wells’ death remains active.