DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Three employees of Central State Hospital have been charged with murder in the death of Irvo Otieno, following charges filed against seven Henrico sheriff’s deputies earlier this week.
The three now charged are Darian M. Blackwell, 23, of Petersburg; Wavie L. Jones, 34, of Chesterfield; and Sadarius D. Williams, 27, of North Dinwiddie.
“A key element of that evidence is the surveillance video from Central State Hospital that captures the intake process,” said Dinwiddie Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Baskervill. “To maintain the integrity of the criminal justice process at this point, I am not able to publicly release the video.”
The three have been charged with second-degree murder, the same charge leveled at the Henrico deputies.
During a hearing for the seven Henrico deputies on March 15, Baskervill alleged that Central State Hospital employees stood by while Otieno was smothered by the Henrico deputies, despite the fact that by the end of the 12 minutes he was held down, he offered no resistance.
“At some point he’s pulled down to the ground or slumps and then what follows is 12 minutes of him being splayed out on the ground with all seven and then ultimately some Central State people as well on top of him,” Baskervill said. “No one assisting, no one blocking the others from having their hands on the victim who then died of asphyxiation by smothering.”
Find full 8News coverage of the Irvo Otieno murder investigation here.
