Family sues government over Iraq veteran's suicide

David Edwards and Muriel Kane

Published: Friday November 2, 2007



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A recent study by the Veterans Affairs Department showed that since 2001, 430 combat veterans have committed suicide either while serving in Afghanistan or Iraq or after leaving the service. Others died after returning from combat but while still in uniform.

One of those veterans was Marine Lance Corporal Jeffrey Lucey, who died by his own hand in June 2004. His parents, Kevin and Joyce Lucey, are now suing both the government and the former Secretary of Veterans Affairs over their son's death. The Luceys are members of an anti-war group, Military Families Speak Out, and hope their lawsuit will help force an overhaul of the VA system.

Jeffrey Lucey returned from Iraq in 2003, profoundly depressed and drinking heavily to handle the pain. Lucey's sister Debbie told CNN, "He looked at me and, as he took two dog tags off of his neck and tossed them at me, and said, 'Don't you understand, your brother's a murderer.'"

Lucey's family had him committed to a VA hospital, believing he would get the help he needed, but the hospital sent him home after four days, saying they couldn't even do an assessment until he stopped drinking. He was turned away a second time after that and killed himself two weeks later.

Kevin Lacey told CNN, "This is not going to make any sense to you. For the first time in months, he really looked at peace."

Linda Bilmes, an expert in public finance and veterans issues, told CNN that the VA never planned ahead for dealing with the mental health issues created by the wars and is now overwhelmed. The VA set up a suicide hot line last summer and has hired more mental health professionals, but Bilmes told CNN that they are still spread far too thin for the soldiers who need help.

A transcript of CNN's report is available here.

The following video is from CNN's Situation Room, broadcast on October 31, 2007.







