7 sheriff's deputies charged in man's death at Virginia mental hospital

DINWIDDIE, Va. – Seven Virginia sheriff’s deputies have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to the death of a 28-year-old man at a state mental hospital earlier this month, a local prosecutor announced Tuesday.

Henrico County Sheriff’s Office personnel took the victim, Irvo Otieno, to Central State Hospital on March 6 to admit him as a patient, according to the prosecutor, Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill. Otieno, who was physically restrained, died during the intake process, Baskervill added.

“Mr. Otieno’s family was notified by my office this morning of these charges and I will continue to work with and for his family in relation to pursuing this case to its fullest extent,” Baskervill said.

Virginia State Police is leading the criminal investigation of the case, state police spokesperson Corinne Geller said. No other details of the investigation or the circumstances surrounding Otieno's death have been released.

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Concerns raised over treatment

Otieno’s family has previously raised concerns about his treatment, with his mother telling the Richmond Times-Dispatch that “something went wrong” while he was in the government’s custody.

“The family is grief-stricken after learning of the brutal nature of Ivor’s death and his inhumane treatment in the hours preceding his death. The public, and experienced mental health professionals alike, will be appalled when the facts of this case are fully disclosed,” Mark Krudys, an attorney for the family, said in a statement, spelling Otieno’s first name as he said the family refers to him.

Otieno, whose family is from Kenya, was a deeply loved and well-regarded young man, an aspiring musician who had been a well-known high school athlete in the area, Krudys said.

Henrico County Police have previously said in a news release that officers responding to a report of a possible burglary March 3 identified Otieno as a potential suspect. Based on their interaction with and observations of Otieno, officers put him under an emergency custody order. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation, the news release issued Friday said.

At the hospital, Otieno “became physically assaultive toward officers, who arrested him” and took him to a local jail, which is managed by the Henrico Sheriff’s Office, where he was served with several charges.

Baskervill’s statement said Henrico sheriff’s office employees took him to Central State Hospital, located south of Richmond, just before 4 p.m. on March 6 to be admitted. Around 7:30 p.m., state police were called to investigate his death.

State police investigators were told Otieno had “become combative during the admission process,” Baskervill’s statement said.

Deputies held without bond

All seven deputies were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the cases, Henrico Sheriff Alisa Gregory said in a statement.

"The events of March 6, at their core, represent a tragedy because Mr. Otieno's life was lost," Gregory said. "This loss is felt by not only those close to him but our entire community."

The seven Henrico County Sheriff’s Office employees turned themselves in Tuesday morning and were taken to a regional jail, where they are being held without bond, Baskervill said. Her statement did not specify their rank.

Court records do not list defense attorneys for any of the seven defendants: 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. The records show hearings scheduled in their cases Wednesday morning dealing with the appointment of counsel.

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In-custody deaths 'a national crisis'

Otieno's case is one of the hundreds of reported in-custody deaths across the country.

Federal law enforcement agencies reported 65 arrest-related deaths and 614 deaths in custody in 2020, according to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

But the data is likely undercounted since the federal government doesn't know how many people die in the custody of the criminal-legal system each year, according to a new report by The Leadership Conference Education Fund and the Project on Government Oversight.

"Deaths in custody have long been, and remain, a national crisis," the organizations said in the report. "Far too many of these deaths are caused by excessive violence from law enforcement, including dangerous and unnecessary use of force by police and the abuse and neglect of incarcerated people."

According to the report, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that the government likely undercounted deaths in custody by nearly 1,000 compared to other public data sources in 2021.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Virginia mental hospital: Deputies charged with second-degree murder