AMNA NAWAZ: New video out from a mental hospital in Virginia today shows the overpowering use of force that led to the death of a 28-year-old patient earlier this month.
A grand jury today indicted 10 people on second-degree murder charges in connection to the man's death.
William Brangham has the details of this disturbing case.
And a warning: We will show a short excerpt of that video, which may be hard to watch for some viewers.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Two weeks ago, sheriff's deputies transferred Irvo Otieno from a local jail to a state psychiatric hospital near Richmond.
Otieno, who, according to his family, had struggled with mental health issues for years, was reportedly having a mental health crisis at the time of his arrest following a burglary call.
Silent hospital video captures the final minutes of his life.
Multiple deputies and hospital staff are seen pressing Otieno down.
His hands and feet were both cuffed, but law enforcement alleges he was acting aggressively.
After almost 11 minutes, he loses consciousness and hospital staff try to revive him, but he never recovers.
Seven deputies and three hospital employees have been indicted on second-degree murder charges.
Attorneys for at least two of the deputies have maintained they are innocent.
And attorneys for some other defendants said the release of the video could prejudice potential jurors.
Otieno's family is being represented by civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who joins us now, along with Irvo's mother, Caroline Ouko.
Thank you both so much for being here.
Ms. Ouko, I am so sorry for what happened to your son.
And we are so grateful that you have taken the time to speak with us about this.
Before we talk about what happened to your son, can you just tell us a little bit about him.
CAROLINE OUKO, Mother of Irvo Otieno: He was my baby.
He was my baby.
He was a smart young man.
And he grew up here in Richmond, went to school locally here in Richmond.
He went to Tuckahoe Elementary School, into Tuckahoe Middle, and then Freeman High School.
And then, eventually, he went to college in California.
Irvo has a way.
He was not quick to anger.
He took his time.
He was like his father.
He loved people.
He was the peacemaker in our family.
If there was a matter, he would always come in and ask us to look at it a different way as well.
He always brought a different perspective to the table.
He was a good listener.
He loved his family.
He loved me so much.
And I loved him that much.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Other family members have described a long struggle that your son had with mental illness.
Do you have any sense of how he was on the day that he was arrested initially or transferred to the hospital?
CAROLINE OUKO: On the day that he was arrested, Irvo was coherent.
We were in the house.
You could talk to him.
He could answer you back.
And even when they left with him to take him to the hospital, he was talking and asking questions.
That's -- he had it -- he was not fully gone that he was not aware of surroundings, aware of himself.
BENJAMIN CRUMP, Attorney for Family of Irvo Otieno: He was in mental distress.
CAROLINE OUKO: It was -- he was just in mental distress.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Mr. Crump, the prosecutor alleges that 10 of those people that we saw on that hospital video are guilty of second-degree murder.
Do you believe that that is the appropriate severity of these charges?
BENJAMIN CRUMP: When you watch the video and you see a young man who is restrained in handcuffs and leg irons, and he's face down, and they all pile on him, you see people put knees on his neck three years after George Floyd, you have to scratch your head and say, why in the world would you use that kind of excessive force for not one minute, but over 11 minutes?
They literally smothered him to death.
This is not a young man who was committing a crime.
He was having a mental health crisis.
Why is it, when Black people have mental health issues, they aren't treated as medical issues; they are treated as criminal issues?
And, far too often, they result into a death sentence.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Mr. Ouko, do you feel like justice is being properly pursued here?
CAROLINE OUKO: Yes, we are in the right step.
And this group, this gang of thugs, criminals, murderers will -- they will -- they will answer for the heinous crime.
They have no reason, they have no reason doing that to my son.
My son was not a threat.
But they went ahead and smothered the life out of him.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Mr. Crump, the prosecutor alleges that other video taken in the jail shows Irvo being punched and pepper-sprayed.
This was prior to getting to the hospital.
Have you seen that video?
Is that something that you are also pursuing?
BENJAMIN CRUMP: We saw that video.
And we think that it was reprehensible how they treated this young man, who was having a mental health crisis.
Remember, his mother, when they first came to their home, she hugged him, and she told them, he's in mental distress.
He's not a bad person.
So what treat him like a criminal?
Why not have humanity for him?
And that's what we are struggling to deal with.
I know President Biden had the cast of "Ted Lasso" at the White House talking about the importance of mental health.
Well, we hope that they're able to engage when Black people have mental health issues, that they will treat issues affecting our loved ones like medical issues, and not criminal issues, because that is what we see.
No matter how many times, like Ms. Caroline said, he's having a mental health crisis, they still tend to be tone-deaf.
And we have to do something about that, America.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Ms. Ouko, Virginia's Governor Glenn Youngkin was asked about your son's death.
And he indicated that we as a society have to figure out a better way how to deal with people who are in mental crisis, as it so clearly sounds like your son was.
What is it that you hope people, our society might learn from your family's tragedy?
CAROLINE OUKO: I hope that -- I hope that, really and truly, they can put some changes in the mental health system and have a mobile response team, that, when you call for help you get the right trained personnel to come to you to help you with your loved one.
And, meanwhile, I'm seeking justice for my son.
I want anyone else that was involved in the mistreatment of my son or who played a part in his murder, I want them to be found and brought to justice.
BENJAMIN CRUMP: And we don't want this to happen to anybody else... CAROLINE OUKO: Yes.
BENJAMIN CRUMP: ... in America struggling with mental health issues.
It was Irvo this time.
If we don't change the system, it could be your loved one.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All right, Benjamin Crump and Caroline Ouko, thank you so much.
And, again, our condolences for what you are all going through.
Thank you for being here.
CAROLINE OUKO: Thank you.
BENJAMIN CRUMP: Thank you.
