Daughter of Albany attack victim speaks out after suspect appears in court

ALBANY, NY (NEWS10) – The suspect accused of attacking a restaurant cook after attempting to dine at Shogun Sushi and flee on May 29 appeared in Albany County Court on Wednesday. Lucas Healey, 42, of Albany, pleaded not guilty to robbery and assault charges.

Healey attacked 49-year-old Su Wen of Albany. Wen is in the New York University rehabilitation center following the attack.

Prosecutors said Healey punched Wen in the face several times, leaving him unconscious, after Healey tried to flee the Albany restaurant without paying. Healey had run up a large bill of nearly $400 at the restaurant, and as he tried to leave, Wen tried to intervene but was punched in the face.

Healey was booked into the Albany County Jail on Wednesday pending a bail hearing. He is due back in court on August 16.

Wen’s daughter Nicole said she hoped for a harsh sentence for Healey because her father suffered severe brain damage and was suffering from significant loss of memory and motor skills.

“I feel uncomfortable and angry when someone like Lucas Healey gets anything less than a life sentence because that’s what I think he deserves and what my mother thinks he deserves,” Nicole said. “Basically everything is difficult for him. He still can’t communicate properly. He still has severe memory problems and my mother has asked my father if he can write how old I am and how old my sister is, but my father can only write his own name over and over.”

Chris Pratt, whose business Lark Tavern is next to Shogun Sushi, has set up a GoFundMe campaign for Wen. Pratt posted updates on Wen’s condition on the GoFundMe page on July 16.

According to GoFundMe, when Wen speaks, “he is barely audible and nurses had to get very close to his mouth to hear him. It is unclear if he is refusing to speak, does not understand the questions, or is unable to speak when questioned. The brain damage has affected all of his limbs. He has difficulty grasping and releasing objects.”

GoFundMe has raised about $60,000 of the $75,000 goal. However, Wen’s doctors don’t yet know when Wen will be able to go home. Nicole said the family is remodeling their home to make it more accessible for Wen, as he faces a long road to recovery.