Dinwiddie County’s new commonwealth’s attorney has moved to drop murder charges against five defendants accused in the death of Irvo Otieno in 2023.
Initially, 10 defendants were charged last year with second-degree murder of the 28-year-old in a case that rocked the nation after video surfaced of a shackled Otieno being held down by multiple officers and hospital personnel. The case raised questions of how the mentally ill are treated in the justice system.
Later, charges were dropped against two hospital employees who appeared to have the least amount of contact with Otieno in video showing his death.
The latest move, would bring the number of defendants down to three.
Read the full story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
