New Video Shows Virginia Officers Overpowering and Punching Irvo Otieno in Jail Cell

New surveillance video launched on Wednesday reveals a gaggle of sheriff’s deputies dashing into Irvo Otieno’s jail cell in Henrico County, Va., and bodily overpowering him, with considered one of them showing to punch down a number of occasions earlier than the officers carry his limp physique out to a transport van.

The video was recorded on the afternoon of March 6, a number of hours earlier than Henrico County sheriff’s deputies introduced Mr. Otieno, 28, into Central State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Dinwiddie County roughly 50 miles away. In an admissions room there, beforehand launched footage reveals a gaggle of seven sheriff’s deputies piling on prime of Mr. Otieno and pinning him to the ground for greater than 11 minutes. He was asphyxiated within the course of, in response to the native prosecutor.

Each movies have been launched by the Dinwiddie County prosecutor, Ann Cabell Baskervill, who has charged 10 individuals — seven deputies and three hospital staff — with second-degree homicide in Mr. Otieno’s demise. A grand jury confirmed the fees with indictments on Tuesday.

Mr. Otieno was taken into custody on March 3 by Henrico County police, who have been responding to a report of breaking and coming into from a neighbor. Mr. Otieno had walked to the neighbor’s garden and picked up some lighting fixtures on the property and was banging on the entrance door earlier than his mom retrieved him.

Mr. Otieno had a protracted historical past of scuffling with psychological sickness. His mom, Caroline Ouko, instructed the police on the time that he was in psychological misery. Ultimately he was taken to a close-by hospital in an ambulance.

“After they took him to the hospital, I knew he was going to return dwelling,” Ms. Ouko stated in an interview on Monday.

However later that day on March 3, the police took Mr. Otieno from the hospital to the Henrico County Jail, the place he was held on prices of assaulting a legislation enforcement officer, disorderly conduct and vandalism. He spent the weekend there, as his mom tried to seek out out the place he was and get him his medicine. On Monday morning, March 6, a choose ordered Mr. Otieno held with out bond.

Within the new video, which begins contained in the jail just a little earlier than 2:30 p.m. that Monday, a gaggle of officers might be seen standing outdoors a jail cell, as Mr. Otieno slams his fingers up towards the window. After Mr. Otieno pushes out an merchandise of jail clothes that officers tried to ship via the food-tray slot, a wrestle breaks out. At the very least 5 officers seem to grapple with Mr. Otieno via the slot.

After that wrestle ends, Mr. Otieno seems to be in misery via the window, overlaying his face together with his fingers. An officer opens the door and 6 rapidly rush in, bringing Mr. Otieno to the bottom. Although Mr. Otieno is generally blocked from view at this level, one officer might be seen throwing a number of punches down.

The officers, at occasions joined by others, seem to crowd over Mr. Otieno on the ground. After 14 minutes, six officers step out into the hallway carrying Mr. Otieno’s apparently limp physique.

One other video from March 6 that was launched on Wednesday reveals the officers carrying Mr. Otieno, whose pants are midway down his legs, right into a carport. They initially set him down behind a white van after which carry his physique round to the facet of the van earlier than bringing him to its open rear doorways. Eight officers elevate him up and put him inside. The doorways are closed, and the van leaves the carport at 3:09 p.m.

Mr. Otieno was pronounced useless lower than three hours later.