RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Prosecutors have dropped charges against two Central State Hospital workers in the Irvo Otieno murder case.
Otieno, a 28-year-old Black man, died on March 6 after he was pinned down by Henrico sheriff’s deputies and others while being admitted to Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie. The state medical examiner’s office concluded Otieno died of “positional and mechanical asphyxia with restraints” and ruled his death a homicide.
Seven Henrico County sheriff’s deputies and three Central State Hospital personnel were initially charged with second-degree murder in his death.
Second-degree murder charges against two of the three hospital staffers — Sadarius D. Williams, 27, and Darian M. Blackwell, 23 — were withdrawn in Dinwiddie Circuit Court on Tuesday.
“Dropping these cases ensures that the strongest possible case goes to trial,” the office of the Dinwiddie Commonwealth’s Attorney said in a statement to 8News’ Alexis Bellamy.
Otieno was being admitted to the mental hospital after law enforcement placed him under an emergency custody order on March 3.
Surveillance video obtained and reviewed by 8News, which does not include sound, shows as many as 10 sheriff’s deputies and personnel at Virginia’s Central State Hospital pinning a handcuffed and shackled Otieno to the ground for over 11 minutes until he’s motionless.
The footage, obtained through a Dropbox link in public court records, shows Otieno being dragged into the hospital at 4:19 p.m. on March 6, being restrained and pressed to the floor in a hospital admissions room and unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate him after his body goes limp.
Audio recordings also reveal that multiple Central State Hospital staff members called 911, telling the operator that Otieno was “no longer breathing” and that he didn’t have a pulse at the time.
Attorneys for Otieno’s family did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
