Man pleads not guilty to assault on NY restaurant cook that left him in coma for 2 weeks

Lucas Healey, 42, appeared in Albany County court on Wednesday, pleading not guilty to robbery and assault charges. He is accused of attacking Su Wen, a 49-year-old restaurant cook, after attempting to leave Shogun Sushi in Albany without paying a $400 bill on May 29. Healey allegedly punched Wen multiple times, leaving him in a coma for nearly two weeks.

Healey’s status: Healey remains in Albany County jail, awaiting a bail application hearing, with a court date set for Aug. 16. The initial charges against Healey included first-degree robbery as a hate crime due to his alleged use of racial slurs while attempting to flee the restaurant. However, prosecutors did not provide an explanation for why the indictment no longer classifies the robbery as a hate crime.
Wen’s condition: Wen is currently at New York University rehabilitation center with severe brain damage, memory loss and motor skill impairments. He has since regained consciousness but remains mostly bedridden and unable to speak or move independently. A GoFundMe campaign has raised $60,000 of its $75,000 goal to support Wen’s recovery. “I feel uncomfortable and angry, if someone like Lucas Healey would get something less than a life sentence because that is what me and my mom think he deserves,” Wen’s daughter Nicole told News 10.

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