Minnesota
Minnesota family sues jail over son’s death in custody
A Minnesota family is suing a county jail alleging their son died in prison after staff refused to provide him with medical attention.
Lucas Bellamy, 40, died in July 2022 three days after he was arrested by the Hennepin county sheriff’s department. Bellamy’s family says that jail staff ignored their son’s desperate pleas for medical attention and signs that he was in agonizing pain.
“They watched, the clock ticked, minute by minute – until finally there was nothing left of him,” said Colleen Bellamy, Lucas Bellamy’s mother, during a 23 January news conference, according to Minnesota Public Radio. She said that her son struggled with alcohol and opioid addiction and was in and out of rehab for most of his adult life.
Bellamy was arrested in Hennepin county outside Minneapolis after a high-speed chase and was charged with fleeing police. He also faced existing charges of felony drug and firearm possession, driving while intoxicated, stealing property and multiple driving violations.
Upon his arrest, Bellamy informed police that had ingested a bag of drugs and was taken to the hospital, where he was monitored and released with instructions for jail staff to bring him back to the hospital if he developed any new concerning symptoms.
Nine hours after leaving the hospital, Bellamy became ill and started vomiting. Jail staff attributed his symptoms to possible withdrawal. He asked staff to administer Narcan, the drug used to treat opioid overdose, but the medication was not administered.
Bellamy was moved to a private cell, where he started refusing food. Surveillance footage shows Bellamy crawling around his cell that evening and keeling in pain as county staff observe him. He pleaded with staff to bring him to the hospital.
The next morning, a nurse gave Bellamy a portion of anti-acid medication. By noon, Bellamy was found unresponsive, lying facedown on the floor. An autopsy would show that he died of a perforated bowel.
An attorney from the family said that Bellamy “endured unimaginable pain and suffering”.
“Lucas should be here today with his family, and he is not because of the deliberate indifference exhibited by those who were charged with caring for him,” said attorney Jeff Storms in a statement.
The lawsuit accuses the Hennepin county jail as having the highest number of deaths since 2015 than any other detention facility in the state. An investigation by NBC-affiliate KARE found that there were 11 deaths in the jail between 2015 and 2021.
after newsletter promotion
Along with Hennepin county and the Hennepin Healthcare system, the lawsuit also named three nurses and a sheriff’s deputy who works at the jail as defendants. The sheriff’s department said it cannot comment on the litigation and expressed sympathy for Bellamy’s family in a public statement.
“We remain committed to professionally serving all people in our facilities and under our care with compassion, dignity and respect,” the statement said.
Bellamy’s father, Lou Bellamy, a prominent figure in the Saint Paul theater scene as the founder of the Penumbra Theater, told the Washington Post that the most painful thing is that “the hospital is literally right across from the jail, and somehow they couldn’t take my son there”.
During the 23 January press conference, Bellamy’s family cried and held each other as the surveillance camera footage of Bellamy in the prison was played.
“I’ve made my living as a theater director,” Lou Bellamy said at the news conference. “I know how to construct tragedy on stage. And I can tell you honestly, that I could not have built anything more callous, more disrespectful to humanity, human existence, than what I witnessed on that tape.”
Eight Minnesota DFL lawmakers have proposed a bill that would penalize cities and counties that do not fly the 2024 Minnesota state flag.
“The commissioner of revenue must reduce the aid to a county or city … ten percent if the county or city flies or otherwise makes use of a state flag other than the design of the state flag as certified in the report of the State Emblems Redesign Commission,” the proposal says.
State DFL Rep. Mike Frieberg is one of the authors of the bill.
“I’ve been a little disappointed in the cities around Minnesota that have been kind of manufacturing this culture war over this state flag,” said Freiberg. “I felt like it was important for there to kind of be a statement legislatively in support of the new state flag, which is the official state flag.”
Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who is also running for Minnesota governor, says the bill has no chance.
“That bill is dead on arrival. There is no way this bill is moving through,” said Demuth. “To know that Democrats are trying to take funding away from our police and fire, from our cities, it’s ridiculous. We have real work that could help Minnesotans.”
On Monday, the Inver Grove Heights City Council voted to fly the old state flag on city property after more than an hour of public comment, joining other cities across the state, including Elk River, Champlin, Zumbrota and Plainview, in doing so.
Inver Grove Heights officials expect the switch back to the old flag will cost around $500 and take a few weeks to complete.
In 2023, the Legislature, which was DFL-controlled at the time, created a flag commission tasked with redesigning the flag and the state seal. The newly created symbols took effect in 2024. Freiberg helped lead the effort as lawmakers criticized the flag design and depiction of Native Americans.
“The old flag is not only kind of boring but also kind of racist,” Freiberg said.
Demuth says the flag commission’s decision process didn’t truly represent people across the state.
“They felt as Minnesotans, they were disrespected in the process and everyone I have talked to wants the old flag back or at least a choice in the matter,” she said.
The redesign commission said it heard over 20,000 public comments and considered more than 2,000 designs.
“We heard from thousands of Minnesotans as part of the flag process. It’s the job of the Legislature to choose the state symbols. That’s what we did. We followed the process,” Freiberg said.
A southern Twin Cities community is mourning after a high school teacher and coach died in a car crash early Sunday afternoon.
The Minnesota State Patrol says 32-year-old Ryan Eiler, of Champlin, died when his vehicle abruptly swerved to the left and hit the cement median barrier on northbound Highway 169 near Highway 62 in Edina around 12:38 pm.
It is unclear what caused the crash, but alcohol is not suspected and Eiler had been wearing a seat belt, according to the state patrol’s report.
Shakopee Public Schools confirmed Eiler had taught at Shakopee High School as a health and physical education teacher since 2021. Last year, he became the assistant coach for the school’s track and field sprint team.
Eiler was an active member of the Minnesota National Guard, according to a statement from the agency. He was a staff sergeant who had served as a radio equipment repairer since September 2014.
“His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal. The Minnesota National Guard grieves the loss of this Soldier and wishes his family and friends peace and strength during this time of sorrow,” the agency said.
Eiler graduated from both the University of St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota, according to Shakopee Public Schools.
The school district said support staff will be available at the high school throughout the week for students and families.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (FOX 9) – Shots were fired outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington D.C. Saturday night. President Donald Trump and top members of his cabinet were in attendance and unharmed.
Federal officials say they are investigating the accused gunman’s grievances against the Trump administration he sent to family shortly before the incident.
Minnesota elected officials on both sides of the aisle condemned that acts of political violence, and thanked law enforcement for their swift efforts to keep attendees safe.
Close call
What we know:
Video showed the chaotic moments when guests inside the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner took cover under tables, and Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump and his cabinet to safety.
Authorities released security footage, showing what led up to the panic in the ballroom at the Washington Hilton Saturday night. Law enforcement officials say an armed man rushed the checkpoint and exchanged gunfire before Secret Service agents took him into custody. The shooting suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen.
Officials say he had traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago, then onto Washington, D.C., and had checked into that hotel days earlier.
What we don’t know:
Investigators are looking for possible motives. Federal officials say they are investigating the accused gunman’s grievances against the Trump administration.
Authorities say they have reason to believe this was a politically-motivated attack, citing writings the accused gunman sent to family members shortly before shots were fired.
Minnesota leaders react
What they’re saying:
Minnesota officials are denouncing any form of political violence.
Gov. Tim Walz taking to social media writing, “political violence has become all too prevalent in America. I’m grateful for the swift response from law enforcement.”
Minnesota Representative and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer attended the event and was seen being helped out of the ballroom. Emmer clarifying on FOX News, he had a previous foot problem and is in a cast, so he needed assistance exiting the event.
Emmer also took to social media and thanked law enforcement for their bravery and added “political violence will never be tolerated.”
FOX 9 political analyst Blois Olson says the incident has revived conversations about political violence in Minnesota.
“It reminds us of the heightened sense of the country, of our state. We’ve experienced political violence here in Minnesota,” said Olson. “I think it’s a reminder as we approach June 14 in Minnesota that it was less than a year ago that violence against elected officials in Minnesota happened. We have to turn down the temperature, find a more civil way forward.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s office also confirming he attended the dinner and is okay, and is grateful for law enforcement’s quick response.
What’s next:
Prosecutors say the suspect is preliminarily facing two charges related to using a firearm and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but more charges could be filed later.
-
News29 minutes agoFeds conducting raids connected to welfare fraud investigation in Minnesota
-
New York2 hours agoA Shelter’s Closing Is a Turning Point for Homeless Policy
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoWhere to watch Detroit Tigers vs Atlanta Braves: TV channel, start time, streaming for Apr. 28
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoSan Francisco starts $4M removal of controversial Vaillancourt Fountain
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoGame Day Guide: Stars vs Wild | Dallas Stars
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoA new airport? A larger port? All that was said at the ‘State of the Ports’ in Miami
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoLawsuit that alleges Boston is inflating commercial property taxes goes to court this week
-
Denver, CO3 hours agoPhoenix vs. Denver: How the Valley of the Sun Dethroned the Mile High City as the West’s Luxury Heavyweight