Prosecutors who have charged 10 in the death of a Virginia man being transferred to a mental health facility released surveillance footage March 21 showing the events that led up to his death.
On March 3, Irvo Otieno was placed under arrest by the Henrico County police after he reportedly assaulted police officers who were responding to reports of a possible burglary. After their initial contact with Otieno, officers determined he required evaluation and transported him to a local hospital where he allegedly became physically assaultive. Prosecutors have claimed that seven police officers pinned a shackled Otieno to the floor for 12 minutes until he became unresponsive and stopped breathing.
In the video released by Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill, Otieno is shown being carried into a room with his hands and feet bound before being placed on the floor and propped up against a chair. Approximately ten minutes later, Otieno is on his side with three police officers holding him, the video shows. As Otieno moves, more security officers and medical personnel respond, helping to keep the victim pinned to the floor.
Though Otieno is blocked from view throughout much of the video, multiple security officers can be seen holding him down with one individual lying on top of the victim. After 12 minutes, security officials appear to be checking Otieno for a pulse before starting life-saving measures three minutes later.
“What we just viewed … was commentary on how inhumane law enforcement officials treat people who are having a mental health crisis as criminals, rather than treating them as people who are in need of help,” civil rights attorney Ben Crump stated, according to NBC News. (RELATED: FBI Launches Investigation Into Series Of Deaths At Texas Jail)
Seven deputies and three health care workers are facing second-degree murder charges over Otieno’s death.
The Henrico Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4 and the local law enforcement officers’ union have thrown their support behind the accused officers.
“The death of Mr. Otieno was tragic, and we express our condolences to his family. We also stand behind the seven accused deputies now charged with murder by the Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Baskervill,” a statement from the group read.
Baskervill initially had not planned to release the video footage of the incident, but opted to do so after approval from Otieno’s family, CNN reported.
