On March 14, seven sheriff deputies in central Virginia were arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of a Black man in police custody.
According to CNN, 28-year-old Irvo Otieno died on March 6 at a state mental health facility during the intake process as he was being transferred from Henrico County jail. In court, it was said that Otieno was in handcuffs and leg irons and was held on the ground for 12 minutes by the seven deputies.
This is Irvo Otieno. A 28-yo aspiring musician deeply loved by his parents, who emigrated from Kenya when he was 4. On March 6, he was handcuffed and brutally smothered to death for 12 mins. by 7 Henrico County (VA) Sheriff’s deputies at a state mental health facility. pic.twitter.com/biyd8Mewph
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) March 16, 2023
“They smothered him to death,” Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill said. “He died of asphyxia due to being smothered.”
On March 3, Otieno appeared to be experiencing mental health distress and a neighbor called the Henrico Police Department. Officers placed him under an emergency custody order before taking him to a hospital.
Police said that Otieno was “physically assaultive” toward officers who arrested him, and charged him with three counts of assault on a law enforcement officer and one count each of disorderly conduct in a hospital and vandalism. Otieno’s mom tried to bring him medication for his mental illness, but they wouldn’t allow her drop it off.
On March 6, Otieno was taken from the jail to the state hospital, where the deputies allegedly smothered him.
The seven deputies turned themselves in on March 14, and are on administrative leave as investigations continue by their agency and state police.
Mugshots released of 7 Henrico deputies charged with murder. 🍎 pic.twitter.com/H0ybmskeqn
— Philander Wicks 🇺🇸 (@philanderwicks) March 14, 2023
The deputies who were charged are as identified 57-year-old Randy Joseph Boyer, 37-year-old Dwayne Bramble, 45-year-old Jermaine Branch, 43-year-old Bradley Disse, 50-year-old Tabitha Levere, 48-year-old Brandon Rodgers, and 30-year-old Kaiyell Sanders.
