VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Three former Virginia Beach deputies accused of murder in the death of Rolin Hill, who died in the hospital after suffering a medical emergency while in jail last June, were all granted bond Wednesday morning.
Eric Baptiste, 39, of Virginia Beach; Michael Kidd, 39, of Chesapeake; and Kevin Wilson, 34, are charged with second-degree murder, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. Baptiste and Kidd also face assault and battery charges, with five counts against Baptiste and two against Kidd.
Watch: Bodycam footage shows Rolin Hill booking
During Wednesday's bond hearing, part of the commonwealth's evidence as to why the three men should not be given bond included body camera footage. The video shows the moments Hill was taken into the jail, and the deputies involved were trying to get a restraint off of him.
The bodycam footage above is a cut down version of the roughly four-minute video shown in court. The audio has been removed.
In the video played in court with audio, the deputies can be heard telling Hill to stop resisting while he is being punched in the neck and head area. In other parts of the video, you can see someone with their knee on his neck.
At one point in the video shown in court, Hill is stripped fully nude with his stomach on the ground. The defense argued that it’s not unusual for all clothes to be removed in this situation.
Prosecutors said after deputies leave Hill lying on the floor, over six minutes go by until someone checks on him. CPR was then performed, but Hill was already dead at that point, prosecutors added.
Prosecutors argued while the three men may not be a flight risk, what they did was so horrible.
Each attorney for the three former deputies argued that the men pose no threat to the community and turned themselves in once they were charged with second-degree murder.
Watch previous coverage: Former Virginia Beach deputies arraigned, accused of murder in Rolin Hill's death
The judge in the hearing said the video is horrific, but does not answer if the former deputies will be a danger in the future. The judge did set bail at $5,000 and required the men's passports to be turned over, but gave no restrictions on movement.
News 3 reached out to Wilson's attorney following the decision who made this statement:
"First and foremost we extend our deepest and sincere condolences to the Hill family. Mr. Wilson is charged with intentionally and maliciously killing Mr. Hill. We expect the evidence to ultimately show that Mr. Wilson’s actions that evening were both lawful and based upon his training and experience, and that they did not in any way contribute to the tragic death. These questions will ultimately be resolved at the trial and I’d ask the public to withhold judgement until that time."
Virginia Beach Sheriff Rocky Holcomb addressed the "troubling nature" of the bodycam footage in the following statement released on Wednesday:
“Today during the bond hearing for the former deputies charged in the case of Rolin Hill, people in the courtroom got to see a glimpse of what I saw on body-worn cameras on June 5, 2024, which prompted me to immediately ask the Virginia State Police for an independent investigation into the incident and put five VBSO deputies on administrative leave. That investigation along with the VBSO Professional Standards Office investigation led me to terminate their employment on Oct. 18, 2024, and resulted in the criminal indictments announced this month.
I understand the troubling nature of the video footage shown in court today. What happened in that video is not indicative of the culture of the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office nor the professionalism, compassion and skill of our 400 deputy sheriffs. That is why I have met personally with every deputy to reinforce our training, policies and expectations and to ensure they understand the weight of the public trust we uphold.
I also understand the public demand to see all of the camera footage from this incident. I have not released it for two reasons. First, out of respect for the Hill family. Second, to maintain the integrity of the investigations, criminal proceedings and right of the accused to have a fair trial.
The VBSO will remain cooperative, accountable and transparent throughout this case with all parties involved, and we respect and have faith in the judicial process.
From day one, I have taken this incident very seriously and have taken every possible measure to prevent it from reoccurring. I remain committed to justice for Rolin Hill and all those involved in this incident."
The men were charged last Friday after a special grand jury heard evidence regarding Hill’s arrest and booking at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center, as reported by the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
Watch previous coverage: Family holds vigil in Virginia Beach to remember Rolin Hill
Hill was arrested on June 4, accused of trespassing at a 7-Eleven at the corner of Dam Neck Road and Brigands Way. An arrest warrant obtained by News 3 indicated that he refused to leave and became disorderly.
While in custody at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center, deputies described him as "uncooperative and combative" before restraining him. Shortly after arriving at the booking area, court documents report that Hill experienced a medical emergency. He was taken to the hospital, where he died on June 10.
The Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide, determining it was due to "positional and mechanical asphyxia resulting from restraint with neck and torso compression."
