A Brooklyn man who died in NYPD custody at the Kings County courthouse Friday was visibly ill and had asked to go to the hospital hours earlier but never made it, according to his lawyer, sister and law enforcement officials.

Christopher Nieves, 46, was arrested Thursday for allegedly stealing food from a Whole Foods. He told police he was feeling ill and the NYPD transported him to the hospital the same day.

By 5 a.m. Friday, Nieves had been discharged and was taken by police to the Brooklyn criminal court, where he awaited arraignment for roughly 14 hours. According to his lawyer and police, Nieves, whose family said he had been suffering from a blood infection, complained of foot pain and asked to go back to the hospital.

At around 5 p.m. Friday, his attorney Claire Thomas said, he a

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