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The death of a mentally ill Black man who was smothered while being admitted to a state-run psychiatric hospital in Virginia last month was labeled “medieval” by prosecutors in a new filing in the case on Wednesday.
Seven sheriff’s deputies and three hospital staffers were charged with second-degree murder after they dogpiled on Irvo Otieno when he was moved from the Henrico County Jail to a medical center for treatment. The 28-year-old, who was handcuffed and shackled, eventually stopped moving, and later stopped breathing.
His death was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation earlier this month.