12 Minutes? @AttorneyCrump Invokes George Floyd After Watching #IrvoOtieno Video
Twenty days after the Feb. 22 killing of Timothy Johnson, 37, in Tysons, Va., by Fairfax Police, has gone quiet, another law enforcement related death in Virginia is now the news.
Attorney Ben Crump arrived in Virginia for a mid afternoon press conference regarding the killing of Irvo Otieno, 28, in Henrico on March 6. A total of ten people have now been charged with murder in connection with his death.
On March 15, Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill stated in court that a surveillance video allegedly displaying improper conduct by seven Henrico County deputies was “disturbing” and “alarming.” Her office charged seven Henrico Sheriff’s deputies with second degree murder in connection with the March 6, 2023 death of Irvo Otieno. The deputies were involved in an intake process involving Otieno at Central State Hospital in Petersburg.
Baskervill stated in court that the deputies “smothered” Irvo Otieno for several minutes. This morning (March 16) Baskervill allowed family members of Otieno to view a surveillance video of the events before his death. Their interpretation of the surveillance video of the incident was graphic.
“He died of asphyxia due to being smothered to death thanks to having at least seven people, including the defendant, on top of him and holding him down,” Baskervill said on March 15 during the court appearance of one of the defendants.
In another moment in court, Baskervill said what occurred was “it’s just cruel and a demonstration of power that is unlawful — it killed him.”
The seven Sheriff’s deputies charged with second-degree murder listed in a press release by Baskervill’s office are: Randy Joseph Boyer, 57, of Henrico; Dwayne Alan Bramble, 37, of Sandston; Jermaine Lavar Branch, 45, of Henrico; Bradley Thomas Disse, 43, of Henrico; Tabitha Renee Levere, 50, of Henrico; Brandon Edwards Rodgers, 48, of Henrico; and Kaiyell Dajour Sanders, 30, of North Chesterfield.
An attorney for one of the Sheriff’s deputies expressed concern that Baskervill was moving too fast with the prosecutions.
"The Commonwealth's Attorney has taken a very aggressive position here, and it's pretty unusual to go about things the way it's been done," said Cary Bowen, an attorney for one of the Sheriff’s deputies, in an interview with CBS6 Richmond.
Today, Otieno’s mother, Caroline Ouko, and his brother, spoke to reporters with Crump and another attorney by their side. Crump and the family of Irvo Otieno relayed the details of a video they watched of Henrico Deputies treatment of Irvo Otieno shortly before his death.
“My son was treated like a dog, worse than a dog,” Caroline Ouko told reporters at the press conference. “I saw it with my own eyes on the video.”
But the video has not been released publicly and may not be anytime soon.
Crump also mentioned George Floyd several times, saying that certain scenes in the video showed one of the deputies with their knee on the neck of Otieno. The video was the product of a fixed surveillance camera and not video produced by a body worn camera by any of the Sheriff's deputies involved. Otieno’s mother also relayed her apprehension at getting authorities involved with her son given his history of mental illness.
The issue of how law enforcement handles mentally ill has come up before in Virginia. Marcus-David Peters, a teacher who was having a mental health crisis, was killed by by Richmond Police Officer Michael Nyantakyi on May 14, 2018. Peters’ sister, Princess Blanding, became an advocate for justice reform after her brother’s killing and ran for Governor of Virginia in 2021, elevating the issue. The news of Otieno’s death follows the violent video of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn. on January 7 by five members of the Memphis Police Department.
Officials appear apprehensive about the Otieno video going public.
“A key element of that evidence is the surveillance video from Central State Hospital that captures the intake process," Baskervill said in a statement today. "To maintain the integrity of the criminal justice process at this point, I am not able to publicly release the video."
"As an office, we are cooperating fully with the investigation of the Virginia State Police. Separately, we are conducting our own independent review of this incident," said Henrico Sheriff Alisa Gregory in a written statement.
"I extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Irvo Otieno. The events of March 6, at their core, represent a tragedy because Mr. Otieno’s life was lost. This loss is felt by not only those close to him but our entire community," she added.
“My deepest condolences are extended to Ms. Caroline Ouko, mother of Irvo Otieno, and his entire family. Ms. Ouko did everything right in swiftly trying to get her son the mental health care he needed during his time of crisis, and this heartbreaking incident shows that our systems of care failed him. No loss of life is easy to accept, but the alleged circumstances are deeply concerning and deserving of answers,” wrote former Delegate Lashrecse Aird who is currently running for State Senate, in a statement on March 15.
The killings of Timothy Johnson and Otieno in Virginia, is followed by Crump’s press conference in Mississippi regarding the possible murder of Rasheem Carter.
“What happened to Rasheem Carter?!,” Crump tweeted on March 14.
“His mother says that last October, he reported to Taylorsville (MS) police that men were chasing him and he was in fear for his life, but the police did nothing. The next day he went missing — and a month later, his remains were found,” he added.
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