Current:Home > ScamsManslaughter charges dropped in a man’s death at a psychiatric hospital-LoTradeCoin
Manslaughter charges dropped in a man’s death at a psychiatric hospital
View Date:2024-12-23 18:43:01
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia judge has signed off on a prosecutor’s request to withdraw charges against two people charged in the 2023 death of Irvo Otieno, a young man who was pinned to the floor for about 11 minutes while being admitted to a state psychiatric hospital.
Dinwiddie Circuit Court Chief Judge Joseph M. Teefey Jr. approved prosecutors’ motions on Friday to drop involuntary manslaughter charges against Kaiyell Sanders and Brandon Rodgers, two Henrico County Sheriff’s deputies charged in Otieno’s death.
“We knew the evidence and we knew the evidence didn’t support the actions claimed,” said W. Edward Riley, an attorney representing Sanders said Monday.
Otieno, a 28-year-old Black man, had been taken into custody at a state psychiatric hospital amid a mental health crisis. Hospital video captured a scrum of deputies and hospital workers restraining Otieno while he was in handcuffs and leg shackles. He died of what a medical examiner found was “positional and mechanical asphyxia with restraints.”
Otieno’s death gained national attention and sparked public outcry. Caroline Ouko, Otieno’s mother, had previously said her son, a hip-hop songwriter, deserved justice.
“When they took my baby away ... they took him away from his brother,” she said. They took him away from his nieces. They took him away from his friends.”
At the time, prosecutors obtained an indictment charging 10 defendants with second-degree murder, but three months later dropped two defendant’s charges. A year after that, officials dropped the charges of five more defendants in the case.
Prosecutors maintained charges against Rodgers, Sanders and Wavie Jones, a security staffer at the hospital, but downgraded the charges to involuntary manslaughter.
A jury found Jones not guilty in October.
The local Commonwealth’s attorney said in a Monday statement that she had reevaluated the evidence after Jones’ acquittal, and was compelled to drop the remaining charges.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Jennifer Hudson, Kylie Minogue and Billy Porter to perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
- Billions of crabs suddenly vanished, likely due to climate change, study says
- RFK Jr. questioned in NY court over signature collectors who concealed his name on petitions
- Sword, bullhorn stolen from Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino’s St. John’s University office
- Shaun White Reveals How He and Fiancée Nina Dobrev Overcome Struggles in Their Relationship
- Zoe Kravitz’s Film Blink Twice Issues Trigger Warning Amid It Ends With Us Criticism
- USM removed the word ‘diverse’ from its mission statement. Faculty reps weren’t consulted
- PBS’ Judy Woodruff apologizes for an on-air remark about peace talks in Israel
- Pie, meet donuts: Krispy Kreme releases Thanksgiving pie flavor ahead of holidays
- Lady Gaga Welcomes First New Puppy Since 2021 Dog Kidnapping Incident
Ranking
- Maine dams face an uncertain future
- Workers at Canadian National Railway Co. will start returning to work Friday, union says
- Sabrina Carpenter Walks in on Jenna Ortega Showering in “Taste” Teaser
- Dad admits leaving his 3 kids alone at Cedar Point while he rode roller coasters: Police
- Rōki Sasaki is coming to MLB: Dodgers the favorite to sign Japanese ace for cheap?
- PBS’ Judy Woodruff apologizes for an on-air remark about peace talks in Israel
- Jobs report revision: US added 818,000 fewer jobs than believed
- Sabrina Carpenter Walks in on Jenna Ortega Showering in “Taste” Teaser
Recommendation
-
UConn, Kansas State among five women's college basketball games to watch this weekend
-
What’s for breakfast? At Chicago hotel hosting DNC event, there may have been mealworms
-
Watch The Chicks perform the national anthem at the 2024 Democratic National Convention
-
Tyler Cameron Debuts Shocking Hair Transformation—And Fans Are Not Accepting This Change
-
'Squid Game' creator lost '8 or 9' teeth making Season 1, explains Season 2 twist
-
4 bodies found inside the Bayesian, Mike Lynch family yacht, amid search
-
Jolly Rancher flavored popsicles recalled over concerns of milk contamination
-
How Nevada colleges and universities are encouraging students to vote