US: Prosecutors release video of man being ‘murdered’ in mental facility

Prosecutors in the US state of Virginia on Tuesday, March 21, released shocking video footage showing police officers and hospital staff piling on top of a shackled 28-year-old black man, Irvo Otieno, for about 11 minutes until he died in a mental facility. The disturbing video, which has no sound, shows Henrico County Sheriff's deputies dragging a handcuffed and shirtless Otieno into a room at Central State Hospital and placing him on some sort of seat, with a timestamp of 4:19 p.m. It then cuts to 4:26 p.m., when they move him onto the floor and start to pile on top of him. At one point, a total of 10 people — deputies and hospital employees — are seen covering and pressing down on his entire body, while others stand over, watching. They gradually get up and roll over Otieno's visibly limp body as another worker comes over to give him an injection. The video shows he was held down for 11 minutes. It is reported that Otieno was taken into custody three days earlier while suffering mental health distress near his home in Henrico County, south of Richmond, Va. On Tuesday, a grand jury issued indictments on charges of second-degree murder against the 10 people who were charged last week in the March 6 death of Otieno while being taken from a jail to the mental facility. Seven sheriff deputies and three medical staff are charged with second-degree murder in Otieno's death. The prosecutor, Ann Cabell Baskervill, released video of the incident from surveillance cameras at Central State Hospital in Petersburg, Virginia to the public on Tuesday. A police news release said Otieno was initially arrested on March 3 as the suspect in a possible burglary, and he was placed under an emergency custody order, used when it is believed that a person could harm themselves or others as a result of mental illness. Otieno needed a helping hand, he got an overdose of excessive force At a news conference on Tuesday after the video was released, Otieno's mother, Caroline Ouko, said the indictments were just a beginning step towards justice. An attorney for Otieno's family, Ben Crump, said the video showed that when Otieno needed a helping hand, he instead got an overdose of excessive force. Prosecutors have said a preliminary post-mortem examination indicated that Otieno died from asphyxia – a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation. According to reports, Otieno's family supported the public release of the video, but lawyers for the deputies and medical staff facing charges in relation to the incident had pushed back, arguing it could hinder a fair trial. The seven deputies, it is noted, were placed on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing. Two were released on bond, while the others remain in custody. But the three hospital workers involved were transported to jail, prosecutors said, where they are being held without bond. Prosecutors said they are considering additional charges in relation to Otieno's death. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said on Monday called for patience from the public as well as reforms in the mental health system. There is a judicial process going on and we have to fully respect that, and I ask everybody to please fully respect it, Youngkin said. We also can just see the heart-wrenching nature of the challenges in our behavioral health system.

News

US: Prosecutors release video of man being ‘murdered’ in mental facility