What You Need to Know:
American Missionary Lucas Richards, a former member of Creekside Church in Urbandale, Iowa, has been denied the ability to access medical care abroad by a Liberian Criminal Court.
The ruling on the 28th of February meant that Richards, who is on trial for the attempted murder of his wife on September 14th 2023, cannot leave the country to receive medical care for the fear that he “may not return to country” given that there is no extradition treaty between Liberia and the United States.
Richards is facing charges of attempted murder and the aggravated assault of his wife Jessica Lloyd whom alleges Richards ‘injected her with drugs to terminate her pregnancy’ and also attempted to slit her throat. Lloyd survived the ordeal and has played a paramount role in Richards prosecution.
Nelson Chinneh, the Judge on the case added a clause to Richards bail specifically barring him from leaving the country after his lawyer applied for leave for Richard to receive a medical examination in his home country, claiming he has a “devastating condition.”
However, the details of Richards condition have not been released.
Creekside Church has also distanced itself from Richards, claiming that he was not a member of their organization and had instead founded his own church in the country.
The church distanced itself from Richards after it had been notifed that Richards victim was not his American wife Lois, but his Liberian wife Jessica Lloyd.