Family Upset as Charges Against Most Officers Dropped
Prosecutors in Virginia have significantly reduced charges against three individuals involved in the 2023 death of Irvo Otieno, a Black man who died while being restrained during admission to a state psychiatric hospital. This decision comes just weeks after charges against five other officers were dropped entirely, sparking outrage from Otieno’s family.
Second-Degree Murder to Involuntary Manslaughter
Initially, ten people, including sheriff’s deputies and hospital staff, were charged with second-degree murder in Otieno’s death. An amended indictment filed on Wednesday downgraded the charges to involuntary manslaughter for two sheriff’s deputies, Brandon Rodgers and Kaiyell Sanders, and hospital employee Wavie Jones.
Lack of Comment from Officials, Otieno’s Death in Custody
Efforts to reach representatives for the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office, as well as attorneys for the charged individuals, have not yet yielded comment.
Otieno, a 28-year-old man experiencing a mental health crisis, was initially taken into custody near Richmond, Virginia. After initial transport to a private hospital, law enforcement reported combative behavior and transported him to Central State Hospital. It was during the admission process at the state facility that Otieno was restrained and died.
Video Evidence and Calls for Reform
Surveillance video captured the events leading to Otieno’s death. The public release of this footage sparked outrage and calls for reform in both mental health care and law enforcement practices. The state medical examiner ruled Otieno’s death a homicide caused by “positional and mechanical asphyxia with restraints.”
