A man crawled on the floor and called for medical help inside a troubled Minnesota prison, only to be given an antacid and die the next day, according to a lawsuit filed by his family.
Shocking video released by the Bellamy family on Tuesday shows the moment Hennepin County Jail inmate Lucas Bellamy, 41, crawls out of his cell on his hands and knees and appears to be hunched over in pain on the 20th. July 2022.
Bellamy remains on the ground while speaking with a guard and a medical staff member, where he allegedly “begged for medical attention,” according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis.
He was then given an antacid and returned to his cell, where he was found dead the next day due to an intestinal perforation.
“This is more than negligence. It’s indifference,” attorney Jeff Storms told CBS News. “This is knowing that a man is suffering terribly from serious medical needs and doing nothing, nothing to treat these serious medical needs.”
Hennepin County Jail inmate Lucas Bellamy, 41, was seen crawling on the ground while pleading for medical attention. Law Offices of Storms Dworak LLC One day after the video was filmed, Bellamy died in his prison cell from an intestinal perforation. Facebook/Lucas Bellamy
The lawsuit was filed against Hennepin County and Hennepin Healthcare and alleges that Bellamy’s death could have been prevented if not for deteriorating standards at the county jail, which has seen 15 inmate deaths since 2015.
The incident surrounding Bellamy’s death began during his arrest on July 18, 2022, when he was accused of attempting to flee police in a vehicle suspected of being stolen and possessing brass knuckles.
When he was arrested, Bellamy, who struggled with substance abuse for years, told jail staff he had ingested a bag of drugs and was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, the lawsuit states.
“This is knowing that a man is suffering terribly from serious medical needs and doing nothing, nothing to address these serious medical needs,” attorney Jeff Storms said of prison staff. Law Offices of Storms Dworak LLC
Bellamy was monitored and returned to the prison with instructions to return to the emergency department if he had any concerning symptoms.
Despite her repeated pleas to return to the hospital and her apparent inability to stand, Bellamy remained in his cell until his death, according to the lawsuit.
His father, Louis Bellamy, director and founder of the Penumbra Theater in St. Paul, criticized the alleged inaction of the prison and medical staff during a news conference Tuesday where the video was released.
After his arrest, Bellamy was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center and released with instructions to return if he developed any concerning symptoms. Law Offices of Storms Dworak LLC
“I have made my living as a theater director. “I know how to build tragedy on stage,” Louis told reporters. “And I can honestly tell you that I could not have built anything more insensitive, more disrespectful to humanity, to human existence, than what I witnessed on that tape.
“Those people who decided to ignore their requests for help cannot go unanswered,” he added.
Bellamy’s sister, Sarah, said she hoped the lawsuit could help shed light on the 14 other inmates who died at the prison due to staff’s alleged negligence in checking on inmates’ well-being.
Bellamy’s father, Louis, described his son’s death as a tragedy orchestrated by the county’s negligence. WSFA12 Bellamy’s family held a press conference Tuesday to announce her lawsuit and release video of her closing arguments. WSFA12
“We hope, as a family, that by raising awareness about how my brother died we can prevent the abuse and deliberate neglect that Lucas suffered,” she told reporters.
Storms did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for additional information about the lawsuit she filed on behalf of the family.
Hennepin County said in a statement that it cannot comment on pending litigation, but that its “sympathy is with the Bellamy family.”
Hennepin Healthcare made a similar statement, adding: “We join others in sending our condolences to the family for the loss of their son.”
With post cables
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Source: vtt.edu.vn