Video shows Virginia deputies, medical workers appearing to pile on top of Black man: NBC News-Xinhua

Video shows Virginia deputies, medical workers appearing to pile on top of Black man: NBC News

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2023-03-23 23:58:15

NEW YORK, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Video capturing some of the final moments in the life of Irvo Otieno, whose death led to murder charges against seven sheriff's deputies and three hospital workers in the U.S. state of Virginia, shows officers and medical staff appearing to pile on top of Otieno, 28, a Black man, before he eventually stops moving, reported NBC News on Tuesday.

The surveillance video of the March 6 incident at Virginia's Central State Hospital shows officers dragging Otieno, who appears to be handcuffed and shackled at the ankles, into an admissions room, initially moving him toward a table before they lay him down and restrain him on the ground.

"At one point, as many as 10 sheriff's deputies and medical staff members at the hospital crowd around Otieno on the floor as several others stand nearby," said the report. "The scene is so crowded that Otieno can hardly be seen at that point, and it is unclear what exactly is happening or how deputies and medical workers are engaging with him."

A Virginia prosecutor last week charged seven Henrico County sheriff's deputies and three staff members at the hospital with second-degree murder. A grand jury indicted them on Tuesday.

After Otieno's family and their attorneys were shown video of the encounter last week, Caroline Ouko said her son was "treated like a dog, worse than a dog."

"These nine men and one woman murdered my son," Ouko said on Tuesday after the grand jury issued its indictments, adding that she was glad the public got a chance to see the video.