AURN News with Ebony McMorris

Justice & Reform: Mourning Irvo Otieno, Addressing Mental Health Crisis Response

Ebony McMorris
March 29, 2023

This video provided by Central State Hospital/Dinwiddie County, Va. shows a clip from surveillance camera of deputies and hospital employees appearing to administer CPR as Irvo Otieno lies on the floor at Central State Hospital, on March 6, 2023 in Petersburg, Va. Footage obtained Tuesday, March 21, which has no audio, shows various members of sheriff's deputies and employees attempting to restrain a handcuffed and shackled Otieno for about 20 minutes after he's led into a room at the hospital, where he was going to be admitted. (Central State Hospital/Dinwiddie County, Va. Attorney via AP)

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Rev. Al Sharpton and attorney Ben Crump are set to speak at the funeral of Irvo Otieno, a 28-year-old Black man who died during a mental health crisis after being pinned down for 12 minutes by law enforcement and hospital staff. The tragic incident has prompted more national calls for justice and mental health reform.
The service, led by First Baptist Church Senior Pastor Dr. Dwight C. Jones, will take place in Virginia. Otieno’s death on March 3, has reignited conversations on how law enforcement handles mental health crises.
Following his arrest, Otieno was taken to a hospital where he was restrained by seven sheriff’s deputies and three hospital workers. His death was only reported hours after his body had been cleaned up and moved.
Dinwiddie County Prosecutor Ann Bakersville has since charged the deputies and hospital employees with second-degree murder.

Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris is a native Washingtonian and University of South Carolina alumna. Her passion is mentoring young adults by teaching community empowerment and media education. She is an NAB member and board member of the Thurgood Marshall Center and was presented the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing more than 4,000 hours of community service under the Obama Administration.