Prosecutors in Virginia released video footage on Tuesday (March 21) that showed the death of 28-year-old Black inmate Irvo Otieno as he was being admitted to a mental hospital, where he was forcibly restrained by as many as 10 police officers and hospital security guards. Otieno was already in handcuffs and leg restraints when police brought him from the Henrico County jail near Richmond, Virginia, to the Central State Hospital in nearby Petersburg.

The nine-minute-long footage, published by the Washington Post, showed seven officers bringing the shirtless and shoeless Otieno into a room at the hospital on March 6. Otieno, however, did not seem to struggle.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-10-charged-in-irvo-otienos-death-after-video-reveals-police-torture-572802">US: 10 charged in Irvo Otieno's death after video reveals police torture</a>

The officers placed him on the floor and then held him down at length, the purpose unclear, with one officer laying on him and another pressing his knee to Otieno's head or neck. At the same time, up to 10 hospital workers watched, some sometimes helping out.

Eventually, the 28-year-old went limp and efforts to resuscitate him proved fruitless.

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BREAKING: Newly released hospital surveillance of Irvo Otieno’s death shows him being DRAGGED into an admissions room in handcuffs and leg irons. Then Henrico County (VA) sheriff's deputies &amp; medical staff PILE on top of the shackled 28-yo for 11 MINUTES until he stops moving! <a href="https://t.co/Bg9P1zrWbQ">pic.twitter.com/Bg9P1zrWbQ</a>
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/AttorneyCrump/status/1638161334549217287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Taking to Twitter, Ben Crump, an attorney for Otieno's family, shared a short video from the footage, and said, "Newly released hospital surveillance of Irvo Otieno’s death shows him being DRAGGED into an admissions room in handcuffs and leg irons. Then Henrico County (VA) sheriff's deputies &amp; medical staff PILE on top of the shackled 28-yo for 11 MINUTES until he stops moving."

Otieno was taken by police into custody three days earlier after experiencing a mental health crisis. Held for three days in the local jail, he was then transferred to the Central State Hospital, where he died.

Last week, three hospital workers and seven police officers faced charges of second-degree murder in connection with his death. In a statement, Dinwiddie Country District Attorney Ann Cabell said that Otieno died of asphyxiation while being physically restrained.&nbsp;

According to the results of the preliminary autopsy, Otieno died of asphyxiation while being "physically restrained”, said Dinwiddie County District Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill in a statement.

The family's attorney Ben Crump had earlier drawn a parallel between Otieno's case and the murder of George Floyd, whose death in 2020 triggered a mass mobilisation against racism and police brutality.&nbsp;

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Prosecutors in Virginia released video footage on Tuesday (March 21) that showed the death of 28-year-old Black inmate Irvo Otieno as he was being admitted to a mental hospital, where he was forcibly restrained by as many as 10 police officers and hospital security guards.

Prosecutors in Virginia released video footage on Tuesday (March 21) that showed the death of 28-year-old Black inmate Irvo Otieno as he was being admitted to a mental hospital, where he was forcibly restrained by as many as 10 police officers and hospital security guards. Otieno was already in handcuffs and leg restraints when police brought him from the Henrico County jail near Richmond, Virginia, to the Central State Hospital in nearby Petersburg. The nine-minute-long footage, published by the Washington Post, showed seven officers bringing the shirtless and shoeless Otieno into a room at the hospital on March 6. Otieno, however, did not seem to struggle. ALSO READ | US: 10 charged in Irvo Otieno's death after video reveals police torture The officers placed him on the floor and then held him down at length, the purpose unclear, with one officer laying on him and another pressing his knee to Otieno's head or neck. At the same time, up to 10 hospital workers watched, some sometimes helping out. Eventually, the 28-year-old went limp and efforts to resuscitate him proved fruitless. BREAKING: Newly released hospital surveillance of Irvo Otieno’s death shows him being DRAGGED into an admissions room in handcuffs and leg irons. Then Henrico County (VA) sheriff's deputies & medical staff PILE on top of the shackled 28-yo for 11 MINUTES until he stops moving! pic.twitter.com/Bg9P1zrWbQ — Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) March 21, 2023 × Taking to Twitter, Ben Crump, an attorney for Otieno's family, shared a short video from the footage, and said, "Newly released hospital surveillance of Irvo Otieno’s death shows him being DRAGGED into an admissions room in handcuffs and leg irons. Then Henrico County (VA) sheriff's deputies & medical staff PILE on top of the shackled 28-yo for 11 MINUTES until he stops moving." Otieno was taken by police into custody three days earlier after experiencing a mental health crisis. Held for three days in the local jail, he was then transferred to the Central State Hospital, where he died. Last week, three hospital workers and seven police officers faced charges of second-degree murder in connection with his death. In a statement, Dinwiddie Country District Attorney Ann Cabell said that Otieno died of asphyxiation while being physically restrained. According to the results of the preliminary autopsy, Otieno died of asphyxiation while being "physically restrained”, said Dinwiddie County District Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill in a statement. The family's attorney Ben Crump had earlier drawn a parallel between Otieno's case and the murder of George Floyd, whose death in 2020 triggered a mass mobilisation against racism and police brutality. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Watch | Footage shows cops piling on Irvo Otieno before he died

Three hospital workers and seven US police officers are facing charges of second-degree murder in a Black inmate's death at a psychiatric hospital in Virginia, announced the case prosecutor on Thursday.

Irvo Otieno, aged 28, died on March 6 at Central State Hospital in Petersburg where he was transferred from a local prison due to his mental condition.

According to the results of the preliminary autopsy, Otieno died of asphyxiation while being "physically restrained”, said Dinwiddie County District Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill in a statement.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/black-american-man-freed-after-35-years-for-a-crime-he-did-not-commit-572557">Black American man was jailed since 1988 for a crime he did not commit</a>

Video footage of the death of Otieno was shown to his family on Thursday.

Though Otieno "was going through mental illness, what I saw today was heartbreaking," said his mother Caroline Ouko in a press conference.

She stated the video shows "seven officers on one man," and that it "goes on and on."

“What I saw today was heartbreaking, America. It was disturbing. It was traumatic. My son was tortured. My son was treated like a dog, worse than a dog. I saw it with my own eyes... they smothered my baby," she added.

The family have hired Ben Crump who is a high-profile lawyer and is known for fighting cases which involve violence carried out against African Americans by police officials.

Speaking to the media, Crump said that the police had handcuffed Otieno and had his ankles shackled, and he was pinned down for 12 minutes by seven police officers.

“It is truly shocking that nearly three years after the brutal killing of George Floyd by police, another family is grieving a loved one who allegedly died in nearly the exact same manner — being pinned down by police for 12 agonising minutes,” said Crump in a statement.

The video is a “commentary on how inhumane law enforcement officials treat people who are having a mental health crisis as criminals rather than treating them as people who are in need of help,” he stated.

“He, in the videos, (is) never confrontational with them. He is not posing a threat to them. He’s not violent or aggressive with them. You see in the video he is restrained with handcuffs, he has leg irons on, and you see in the majority of the video that he seems to be in between lifelessness and unconsciousness, but yet you see him being restrained so brutally with a knee on his neck,” Crump said.&nbsp;

WATCH | U.S. is among the worst countries for racial equality

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Another attorney representing Otieno’s family, Mark Krudys, said that all the seven deputies who were seen in the video are now facing charges.

“You can see that they’re putting their back into it. Every part of his body is being pushed down with absolute brutality,” he stated.

On March 3, police first took Otieno into custody. The police department stated that the officers encountered Otieno while looking into the complaint of a possible burglary in suburban Richmond and that based on his behaviour, they kept him under an emergency custody order and took him to a local hospital for evaluation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Three hospital workers and seven US police officers are facing charges of second-degree murder in a Black inmate's death at a psychiatric hospital in Virginia, announced the case prosecutor on Thursday.

Three hospital workers and seven US police officers are facing charges of second-degree murder in a Black inmate's death at a psychiatric hospital in Virginia, announced the case prosecutor on Thursday. Irvo Otieno, aged 28, died on March 6 at Central State Hospital in Petersburg where he was transferred from a local prison due to his mental condition. According to the results of the preliminary autopsy, Otieno died of asphyxiation while being "physically restrained”, said Dinwiddie County District Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill in a statement. ALSO READ | Black American man was jailed since 1988 for a crime he did not commit Video footage of the death of Otieno was shown to his family on Thursday. Though Otieno "was going through mental illness, what I saw today was heartbreaking," said his mother Caroline Ouko in a press conference. She stated the video shows "seven officers on one man," and that it "goes on and on." “What I saw today was heartbreaking, America. It was disturbing. It was traumatic. My son was tortured. My son was treated like a dog, worse than a dog. I saw it with my own eyes... they smothered my baby," she added. The family have hired Ben Crump who is a high-profile lawyer and is known for fighting cases which involve violence carried out against African Americans by police officials. Speaking to the media, Crump said that the police had handcuffed Otieno and had his ankles shackled, and he was pinned down for 12 minutes by seven police officers. “It is truly shocking that nearly three years after the brutal killing of George Floyd by police, another family is grieving a loved one who allegedly died in nearly the exact same manner — being pinned down by police for 12 agonising minutes,” said Crump in a statement. The video is a “commentary on how inhumane law enforcement officials treat people who are having a mental health crisis as criminals rather than treating them as people who are in need of help,” he stated. “He, in the videos, (is) never confrontational with them. He is not posing a threat to them. He’s not violent or aggressive with them. You see in the video he is restrained with handcuffs, he has leg irons on, and you see in the majority of the video that he seems to be in between lifelessness and unconsciousness, but yet you see him being restrained so brutally with a knee on his neck,” Crump said. WATCH | U.S. is among the worst countries for racial equality Another attorney representing Otieno’s family, Mark Krudys, said that all the seven deputies who were seen in the video are now facing charges. “You can see that they’re putting their back into it. Every part of his body is being pushed down with absolute brutality,” he stated. On March 3, police first took Otieno into custody. The police department stated that the officers encountered Otieno while looking into the complaint of a possible burglary in suburban Richmond and that based on his behaviour, they kept him under an emergency custody order and took him to a local hospital for evaluation. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US: 10 charged in Irvo Otieno's death after video reveals police torture

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Watch | Footage shows cops piling on Irvo Otieno before he died

US: 10 charged in Irvo Otieno's death after video reveals police torture