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Ben Crump says Nolan Wells' independent autopsy left major questions unanswered ... and the family's independent medical examiner still needs to inspect key parts of Nolan's body before determining how he died.
The powerhouse civil rights attorney, who is repping Nolan's family, joined "TMZ Live" Wednesday ... explaining why Nolan's throat, lungs, and the original autopsy photos could help answer the biggest questions surrounding his death.
Crump says the central question is whether Nolan was conscious or unconscious when he entered the water ... and he's demanding transparency from officials who promised to provide it.
The family hasn't heard from the Sheriff or Medical Examiner about when official results out of Mississippi will be released ... and Nolan's throat had been removed by the time his body was examined in the independent autopsy.
READ THE AUTOPSY
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As we reported ... the independent autopsy released Wednesday morning found a red discoloration on the back of Nolan's head that could indicate a possible injury.
However, the cause and manner of his death remain undetermined pending further investigation.
Meanwhile, Crump's team continues to gather information from people who were on Horn Island on July 4 ... the day Nolan disappeared.
Foul play is suspected by several prominent figures ... including Rev. Al Sharpton and Tyler Perry, who are each offering $50K for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Former NFL player Colin Kaepernick footed the bill for the independent autopsy.
TMZ also obtained video from Horn Island that appears to show Nolan grabbing a drink from a cooler ... potentially capturing some of his final hours.
Bottom line ... the family still has more questions than answers -- and Crump says they won't stop pushing until they know what happened to Nolan.
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