The cause of death is homicides: A statement by Otieno’s deputy, an official medical examiner, and Caroline Ouko
Attorneys for Otieno’s family released a statement regarding the cause of death, but Arkuie Williams, the administrative deputy in the state medical examiner’s office, confirmed the findings to The Associated Press. Williams stated in an email that the death was homicides.
The medical examiner confirmed to WWBT that the cause of death was compression of the airway with the use of restraint.
The hospital workers, seven sheriff’s deputies and Otieno’s parents were charged with second- degree murder in connection with his death. Otieno was in the midst of a mental health crisis according to his family.
Video released earlier this month showed sheriff’s deputies and hospital employees restraining a handcuffed and shackled Otieno for about 20 minutes after he was forcibly led into a hospital room. For much of that time, Otieno was prone on the floor, pinned by a group so large it blocked the camera’s view of him at times.
After hearing the medical examiner’s official ruling, Otieno’s mother, Caroline Ouko, was initially speechless, according to a statement from the offices of family attorneys Ben Crump and Mark Krudys.
Crump and Krudys said in a separate statement that the medical examiner’s conclusions are “not surprising” as they align with the actions shown in surveillance footage released by prosecutors.
“The official declaration confirms what all could see in the video. Irvo, while facedown and handcuffed at his wrists and shackled at his ankles, was not permitted to breathe. The defendants pushed down on Irvo for more than 11 minutes until he was limp and lifeless.
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4 in Henrico County, California: A witness confronts Otieno in the ER after his death
Ouko, said last month that Otieno had a mental illness which necessitated medication. Her son would go long stretches of time when “(you) wouldn’t even know something was wrong,” Ouko explained, but then sometimes “he would go into some kind of distress and then you know he needs to see a doctor.”
The hospital workers charged in connection to Otieno’s death are on leave, pending the results of the legal proceedings.
The local Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4, which represents law enforcement officers in Henrico County, said its members stood by the seven charged in Otieno’s death.
If there are concerns a person may harm themselves or others as a result of mental illness, they may be placed under an emergency custody order.
The view of Otieno is not clear in the video and there is one deputy lying across Otieno as he is forced onto his stomach. Eventually, Otieno is rolled onto his back, where several deputies appear to be restraining him with their knees. One deputy holds Otieno’s head still by grabbing his braided hair.
Ten minutes later, Otieno appears to be on his side and is being held by three deputies. His body jerks and five more people are about to pin Otieno down.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/03/us/irvo-otieno-cause-of-death-asphyxiation-virginia/index.html
Irvo deserved dignity and respect: The medical examiner’s findings and their impact on Otieno, Sharpton, and the Reverend Al Sharpton
“We can develop mental health courts where they will be treated like they have illness and not like they are criminals and degenerates not worthy of dignity and respect,” Crump told mourners. Irvo deserved respect and dignity.
Otieno was buried last week. The Reverend Al Sharpton said at the funeral that his death shows the need for mental health and policing reforms.
AP sought comment on the medical examiner’s findings from defense attorneys for each of the defendants. Attorneys Emilee Hasbrouck and G. Russell Stone didn’t comment.
Attorney Ed Riley, who represents one of the deputies, said he couldn’t comment on the merits of the findings without having seen the full autopsy report. Public statements from the attorneys for Otieno’s family and other disclosures of the case may affect the defendants’ right to a fair trial, he said.