Hennepin County to pay $3.4 million to the family of Lucas Bellamy following his jail death
HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn. — Hennepin County will pay $3.4 million to settle a lawsuit following the death of Lucas Bellamy.
Lucas Bellamy was an inmate at the Hennepin County Jail at the time of his death in July 2022. The settlement is believed to be the largest of its kind in Minnesota.
Video showed Lucas Bellamy begging for medical help while behind bars, but he never got the help he needed. He later died in his cell from a perforated bowel.
"These people in charge of his life, knowingly and deliberately decided to do nothing," Lucas Bellamy's mother, Colleen Bellamy, said back in January when the federal civil rights lawsuit was first announced.
Lucas Bellamy's family is well-known in the community. His father Lou Bellamy, founded St. Paul's Penumbra Theater, where his sister, Sarah Bellamy, is now president.
"We hope as a family by raising awareness on how my brother died that we can prevent the abuse and willful neglect that Lucas suffered," Sarah Bellamy said in January.
From September 2022 to September 2023, state documents show seven more inmates died either in the Hennepin County Jail or after they were transported from the jail for treatment.
On Oct. 31, the Minnesota Department of Corrections ordered the Hennepin County Jail to reduce the jail population to 600. Current population numbers show nearly 800 inmates in custody.
The order came after the state found chronic and repeated failures meeting well-being checks and staffing requirements.
A county spokesperson said in a statement, "The death of Mr. Bellamy was a tragedy. Our condolences go out to his family and to all those affected by his death. While this litigation has reached a resolution, we remain committed to serving all people under our care with dignity and respect."