Lawsuit alleges staff allowed mentally ill and dangerous patient to play violent video games, prompting him to murder his roommate
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Storms Dworak LLC has filed a federal lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota against the Department of Human Services and several of its employees for the neglect and deliberate indifference to the serious risk of harm posed by another patient with a violent criminal history. The lawsuit was filed by Abshir Mohamed Hussein as trustee for the next of kin of the murder victim, Abdirashid Hussein (“Hussein”).
The Complaint alleges that staff at the Department of Human Services working at the Forensic Mental Health Program (“FMHP,” formerly known as the Minnesota Security Hospital) allowed David Otey, an individual with a long history of delusional and violent psychosis, including a murder, to spiral downward for months, showing symptoms of sleeplessness, growing irritable and anxious, and missing work and group counseling sessions. Even worse, in this distressed state, and in violation of FMHP policy, staff allowed Otey to stay up late at night and play violent video games, including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. On December 31, 2023, after playing this game, Otey because disoriented and confused and went into his room and admittedly swung a guitar “like an ax,” killing Hussein.
The Star Tribune:
MPR News:
WCCO:
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/lawsuit-video-games-behavioral-health-facility-death/
KARE 11:
The Independent:
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/mental-hospital-patient-murder-video-games-b2949411.html
About Storms Dworak LLC
Storms Dworak handles many of Minnesota’s highest-profile civil rights, wrongful death, and medical malpractice cases, including actions involving the deaths of George Floyd, Daunte Wright, and Amir Locke. The firm has also recently resolved the federal civil rights suit for the jail death of Lucas Bellamy. For more information, visit www.stormsdworak.com.