DINWIDDIE, VIRGINIA. (AP) – Prosecutors plan next week to release the video that led authorities in Virginia, United States to charge seven deputies and three state mental hospital employees with second-degree murder in the death of a handcuffed and shackled man.
The family of Irvo Otieno saw the video of his death on Thursday. With their blessing, the footage will be released to the public in the next several days, Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Attorneys for the family described the video to reporters as 12 agonising minutes of deputies pushing down and smothering Otineo, a Black man whose arms and legs were restrained.
“You can see that they’re putting their back into it. Every part of his body is being pushed down with absolute brutality,” family attorney Mark Krudys said.
Prosecutors said Otieno, 28, didn’t appear to be combative and was sitting in a chair when he was pulled down by officers.
The 12-minute video also showed a lack of urgency to help Otieno after the deputies determined “that he was lifeless and not breathing”, Krudys said.
Ten people so far have been charged with second-degree murder in Otieno’s death.
Otieno’s case marks the latest example of a Black man’s in-custody death that has law enforcement under scrutiny.
