Dinwiddie County, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - More hearings were held today for three of the ten people charged with the death of Irvo Otieno.
Though the proceedings were just pre-trial hearings and no evidence was discussed in court, the two Henrico deputies and one former Central State Hospital Employee all had their next court dates set for August 2. Multiple sources, including Mark Krudys, Otieno's family's lawyer, suggested this was a part of Commonwealth Attorney Baskerville's attempt to have all ten of those indicted tried together.
Otieno's mother and brother were present for the hearing, supported by a large group of family, friends, local activists, and community members. Though the family still wants to see consequences for those responsible for Irvo Otieno's death, they also discussed their desire to see systemic change as well. They expressed their continued outrage over Otieno's treatment in the Henrico County Jail, as well as the circumstances of his arrival at that jail.
Krudys said that Otieno had been issued a Temporary Detention Order at the Henrico Doctors hospital -- which mandated that he stay there and receive treatment without law enforcement presence for 72 hours -- but that it was never served. Considering the magistrate's office's proximity to the hospital, Krudys said this was unacceptable. They also criticized the lack of action from Henrico Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor on the matter. A few hours later, Taylor released a statement saying she is "working with the Virginia State Police as they continue to collect and review evidence of what happened in Henrico County."
Allan-Charles Chipman, executive director of Initiatives for Change, said he hopes to see systemic change in response to Otieno's death. Denesha Potts of the Chesterfield NAACP echoed this sentiment, saying Otieno's death was a systemic failure as much as an individual tragedy. Lawrence West of BLM RVA expressed his support for Otieno's family, and his dismay that "their loved one wasn't safe in custody [of] people who are paid to keep us safe."
It is not yet clear whether the Department of Justice intends to get involved.