Family of Kenyan Man Killed by Police in the US to Get $8.5 Million
The family of Irvo Otieno who died earlier this year after being handcuffed and pinned to the floor by sheriff's deputies and medical staff members for approximately 11 minutes at a state psychiatric hospital has settled a lawsuit for $8.5 million with the state, county, and sheriff's office.
An anonymous source confirmed on Wednesday that a settlement had been reached in the case of Irvin Otieno who was killed by police in Virginia. The Henrico County Sheriff's Office and local officials did not respond to requests for comment. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin pushed for the settlement, acknowledging that no amount of money can replace a lost loved one. Similar settlements have been reached in other cases of police killings, including the $27 million settlement for George Floyd's family in 2021 and a $1 million settlement for the family of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta.
According to Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond School of Law professor, it is not shocking that Otieno's settlement is significant given what he endured. The prosecutor charged ten individuals with murder, and their trials are pending. The defendants' lawyers argued that the victim was confrontational. The seven deputies involved in the incident have been put on leave until the case concludes. The victim suffered from mental health problems and had picked up solar-powered lights from a neighbour's lawn before his mother retrieved him.
When a neighbour reported a suspected break-in, the Henrico Police Department arrived on the scene and placed Mr Otieno under an emergency custody order. He was taken for assessment at a local hospital but allegedly became physically aggressive towards the officers and was subsequently charged with multiple counts. However, his family contests the police's version of events. After being transferred to jail, Mr. Otieno was allegedly denied essential medication for his mental health. Following that, he was relocated to a state hospital, where surveillance footage shows deputies pinning him down.