CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy at the funeral of Irvo Otieno Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in Chesterfield, Virginia.
The National Action Network said civil rights attorney Ben Crump — one of the Otieno family's attorneys —issued a “national call for justice” at the funeral.
Otieno, 28, died earlier this month after Henrico County Sheriff's deputies and Central State Hospital workers pinned him to the floor while he was being admitted to the mental hospital in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. Seven deputies and three hospital workers have been charged with second-degree murder in Otieno’s death.
Video released publicly last week shows sheriff's deputies and hospital employees attempting to restrain a handcuffed and shackled Otieno for about 20 minutes after he’s led into a room at Central State Hospital, where he was going to be admitted on March 6. For much of that time, Otieno is on the floor being held down by a fluctuating group that at one point appeared to reach 10 people.
Otieno's family has said he was brutally mistreated, both at the state hospital and while in a county jail for several days before that.
Dinwiddie Commonwealth's Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill has said Otieno was smothered to death.
An autopsy is still pending.
Attorneys for the defendants have said their clients were trying to restrain Otieno. During bond hearings and in statements, several defense attorneys have sought to distinguish their clients from the mass of bodies involved in holding Otieno to the floor for more than 10 minutes.
WTVR CBS 6 streamed Irvo Otieno's memorial service on WTVR.com and on the CBS 6 Streaming Appbeginning at 11:30 a.m. Download the app on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV. Just search "CBS 6 Richmond" in your app store. Click here to watch a replay of the service.
Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
