Video of Virginia man who died at hospital reveals ‘absolute brutality’ by deputies, household say

The Virginia man who seven deputies are accused of killing was within the midst of a psychological well being disaster, handcuffed, shackled and posed no threats to the regulation enforcement officers, his household mentioned Thursday after seeing footage of the incident.

“My son was handled like a canine, worse than a canine,” Caroline Ouko mentioned Thursday. “He was murdered. They smothered the breath out of my child. They murdered my child.”

Seven Henrico County deputies have been charged with second-degree homicide within the March 6 demise of Irvo Otieno, 28. Three hospital workers have additionally been charged in his demise, the Commonwealth’s Legal professional’s Workplace for Dinwiddie County mentioned Thursday.

The Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Legal professional’s Workplace mentioned in courtroom Wednesday that Otieno “died of asphyxia as a consequence of being smothered to demise, because of having at the least seven individuals … on high of him and holding him down.”

Otieno’s household and attorneys on Thursday had been proven video of the occasions that occurred whereas he was being registered right into a state hospital after a earlier arrest.

“What we simply considered … was commentary on how inhumane regulation enforcement officers deal with people who find themselves having a psychological well being disaster as criminals, slightly than treating them as people who find themselves in want of assist,” lawyer Ben Crump informed reporters.

Mark Krudys, an lawyer for Otieno’s household, mentioned after viewing the footage that each one seven deputies may very well be seen pushing down “each a part of his physique” with “absolute brutality.”

“I used to be not likely ready to see this,” Krudys mentioned.

“You may see that they’re placing their again into it. Each a part of his physique is being pushed down with absolute brutality. You can not even see his picture many instances.”

4 of the deputies weighed at the least 250 kilos, with the heaviest weighing 320 kilos, in response to courtroom paperwork.

Crump mentioned that “it’s really stunning that almost three years after the brutal killing of George Floyd by police, one other household is grieving a cherished one who allegedly died in the very same method.” He mentioned the incident on the hospital lasted 11 minutes.

Prosecutors have mentioned Otieno was handcuffed and in leg irons when he was held on the bottom by the deputies.

Otieno’s attorneys mentioned they hope the Division of Justice investigates Otieno’s demise

Randy Joseph Boyer, 57; Dwayne Alan Bramble, 37; Jermaine Lavar Department, 45; Bradley Thomas Disse, 43; Tabitha Renee Levere, 50; Brandon Edwards Rodgers, 48; and Kaiyell Dajour Sanders, 30, had been charged, the prosecutor’s workplace mentioned.

Disse’s lawyer, Edward Okay. Nickel, mentioned Thursday that his consumer is trying ahead to defending himself towards the allegations. “The fees had been initiated by prison data, an awfully uncommon technique of initiating paperwork for arrest in Virginia,” he mentioned. “Nevertheless, the final word expenses, if any, that our consumer will face might be decided on the Grand Jury subsequent Tuesday.”

Cary Bowen, who represents Department, mentioned his consumer has been with the division for twenty-four years.

“None of them are often called bullies,” he has mentioned.

The opposite deputies couldn’t be reached for remark Thursday afternoon and it wasn’t clear if that they had attorneys who may converse for them.

Earlier than his demise, Otieno had been arrested and was accused of assaulting Henrico law enforcement officials at Parham Medical doctors’ Hospital after they responded to a doable housebreaking name March 3, Henrico police mentioned in a press release.

Henrico law enforcement officials had positioned Otieno below an “emergency custody order,” the division mentioned. Such orders are utilized in instances of psychological sickness, in response to Virginia regulation.

Henrico police mentioned on the hospital, Otieno “turned bodily assaultive towards officers, who arrested him” and took him to a neighborhood jail, which is managed by the Henrico County Sheriff’s Workplace, the place he was served with a number of expenses.

The Henrico County Sheriff’s Workplace went to Central State Hospital at 3:58 p.m. March 6 to confess Otieno as a affected person, the prosecutor’s workplace mentioned.

Round 7:30 p.m., state police had been known as to analyze his demise. Prosecutors have mentioned the state police investigators had been informed he had turn into combative throughout admission.

The deputies have been positioned on administrative go away, Henrico County Sheriff Alisa Gregory has mentioned.

Otieno was described by his household as a selfless one that was all the time involved with equity. He was additionally a hip-hop artist who wrote songs in 5 minutes, his kinfolk mentioned.

The household has roots in Kenya.

Leon Ochieng described his youthful brother’s demise as a “tragic, mindless, inhumane nightmare.”