Calay News
The tragic death of Irvo Otieno, a 28-year-old black man, has resulted in charges of second-degree murder for 10 individuals connected to his death during the intake process at a Virginia mental health facility. Otieno’s family is seeking answers as to how a promising musician in the midst of a mental health crisis ended up dying and why no one intervened to prevent it from happening. According to the county prosecutor, law enforcement deputies “smothered him to death” while restraining him, and hospital workers have also been charged.
On March 3, Otieno was arrested by Henrico County police. The officers, accompanied by members of the county’s crisis intervention team, placed him under an emergency custody order and transported him to a hospital, where he assaulted three officers. He was then taken to the county jail and booked. Three days later, Otieno was taken to a state mental health facility in Dinwiddie County, where he died during the intake process.
A preliminary report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond identified asphyxiation as the cause of death. Otieno was held on the ground in handcuffs and leg irons for 12 minutes by seven deputies, according to the prosecutor. Seven sheriff’s deputies in Henrico County and three hospital workers have been charged with second-degree murder.
The local law enforcement officers’ union has stated that they stand behind the deputies, while an attorney for one of the deputies charged said he looks forward to the full truth being shared in court. Otieno’s death is yet another tragic example of police brutality against black individuals and highlights the need for better mental health resources and crisis intervention training.
The charges brought against those involved in Otieno’s death represent a step towards justice for his family and the wider community. The case underscores the importance of accountability for law enforcement and healthcare workers, as well as the need for comprehensive reform in the criminal justice and mental healthcare systems to ensure that tragedies like this never happen again.
