Recently obtained surveillance video from Central State Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, has exposed a tragic incident.
The footage revealed the in-custody death of a 28-year-old man, Irvo Otieno. Several deputies and medical workers have been charged with second-degree murder as a result.
The graphic footage shows Henrico County Sheriff’s Office deputies and hospital staff forcibly handling Otieno during the intake process on March 6. Handcuffed and shackled, he was dragged and pinned to the ground for about 11 minutes, leading to his death.
A preliminary report from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond identified asphyxiation as the cause of death.
Otieno’s family spoke out after watching the video, with his mother, Caroline Ouko, expressing her grief over her son’s ordeal. Otieno had been struggling with mental health issues, and his family described him as having a “big heart” and being a great listener.
Initially, Otieno was placed under an emergency custody order after Henrico County police officers responded to a potential burglary on March 3. He was then transported from jail in Henrico to Central State Hospital.
Seven deputies and three hospital employees have now been charged in connection with Otieno’s death. The deputies, who turned themselves in voluntarily on March 14, include Randy Joseph Boyer, Dwayne Alan Bramble, Jermaine Lavar Branch, Bradley Thomas Disse, Tabitha Renee Levere, Brandon Edwards Rodgers, and Kaiyell Dajour Sanders.
The three hospital workers, arrested later, are Darian M. Blackwell, Wavie L. Jones, and Sadarius D. Williams. All ten defendants were indicted before a grand jury this week.
Otieno’s family moved from Kenya to the U.S. when he was four years old. He attended college in California and aspired to become a hip-hop artist.