BRUNSWICK COUNTY, Va. -- Two of the seven Henrico County Sheriff's Deputies charged with second-degree murder in the death of inmate Irvo Otieno were released on bond Wednesday following their arraignments.
Deputies Jermaine Branch and Bradley Disse were released from Meherrin River Regional Jail in Brunswick County, Virginia, on Wednesday afternoon.
“Is there anything you want to say about the charges against you?” CBS 6 reporter Tyler Layne asked Branch following his release. "Can you tell us what happened leading up to Otieno’s death?"
“Can you respect my family and move?” someone other than Branch replied.
Deputy Disse refused to answer similar questions when he was released minutes later.
The five remaining deputies charged in Otieno's death were being held until they arrange legal counsel or receive court-appointed attorneys.
New details about Otieno's death were revealed Wednesday during the arraignment hearings.
Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Baskervill said Otieno's preliminary cause of death was asphyxiation.
She said the State Medical Examiner would need to view two videos related to Otieno's death.
Neither video was made available to the public yet.
The Henrico deputies were charged with second-degree murder this week in connection with the March 6, 2023 death of Irvo Otieno at Central State Hospital.
The state-run mental facility is located in Dinwiddie County, Virginia.
