A family in Minnesota is suing Hennepin County Jail after their son, Lucas Bellamy, died in custody having allegedly begged for medical care. The federal lawsuit claims that Bellamy was "forced to crawl on his hands and knees as he begged for medical care," following a severe medical condition that led to his death in July 2022. According to a CBS News Minnesota report, Bellamy's family and their attorney Jeff Storms presented surveillance footage that showed Bellamy in distress, which has now become the center of a legal battle alleging the jail's responsibility for his wrongful death.
Lucas Bellamy, who struggled with addiction, succumbed to a perforated bowel while detained. The lawsuit maintains that despite his suffering and repeated requests, the jail guards and medical staff did nothing to adequately address his serious medical needs. Also highlighted in the lawsuit, as reported by CBS News Minnesota, is the claim that since 2015, more detainees have died at the Hennepin County Jail than any other detention center in Minnesota. This has fueled the family's determination to bring awareness to the issue and to prevent further incidents of what they term abuse and willful neglect.
At a press conference, Lucas' mother Colleen Bellamy expressed her deep grief, stating she is "haunted by these images" and vowing to continue the fight for her son. "I always will be, our family always will be. But I'm never going to stop fighting for him," she told WLBT. Lucas' father, Lou Bellamy, founder of the Penumbra Theatre, also conveyed his anguish and the incomprehensible tragedy of witnessing his son's pain through the released video footage.
The Bellamy family is not only seeking justice for Lucas but aiming to ensure that such a fate does not befall anyone else in the system. "This is an incredibly painful time for my family but we will fight for justice for my brother and we will never, never forget him," Lucas' sister Sarah said, per a WLBT interview. Both Hennepin County and Hennepin Healthcare have declined to comment on the pending litigation, but extended condolences to the family. The county provided a brief statement to CBS News Minnesota, stating, "While we cannot comment on pending litigation our sympathy is with the Bellamy family." Similar sentiments were shared by Hennepin Healthcare.
