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Irvo Otieno memorial service includes 'national call for justice'

‘We talked regularly about Jesus, music and life,’ friend of Irvo Otieno recalls

Irvo Otieno ‘stood up against hate, racism and microaggression,’ mother says

By: WTVR CBS 6 Web Staff

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CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy at the funeral of Irvo Otieno Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in Chesterfield, Virginia.

The National Action Network said civil rights attorney Ben Crump — one of the Otieno family's attorneys —issued a “national call for justice” at the funeral.

Otieno, 28, died earlier this month after Henrico County Sheriff's deputies and Central State Hospital workers pinned him to the floor while he was being admitted to the mental hospital in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. Seven deputies and three hospital workers have been charged with second-degree murder in Otieno’s death.

Irvo Otieno security video — Security video shows Henrico Sheriff's Deputies and Central State staff holding Irvo Otieno on the ground at Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie County, Va. on Monday, March 6, 2023.

Video released publicly last week shows sheriff's deputies and hospital employees attempting to restrain a handcuffed and shackled Otieno for about 20 minutes after he’s led into a room at Central State Hospital, where he was going to be admitted on March 6. For much of that time, Otieno is on the floor being held down by a fluctuating group that at one point appeared to reach 10 people.

Otieno's family has said he was brutally mistreated, both at the state hospital and while in a county jail for several days before that.

Dinwiddie Commonwealth's Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill has said Otieno was smothered to death.

An autopsy is still pending.

Attorneys for the defendants have said their clients were trying to restrain Otieno. During bond hearings and in statements, several defense attorneys have sought to distinguish their clients from the mass of bodies involved in holding Otieno to the floor for more than 10 minutes.

WTVR CBS 6 streamed Irvo Otieno's memorial service on WTVR.com and on the CBS 6 Streaming Appbeginning at 11:30 a.m. Download the app on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV. Just search "CBS 6 Richmond" in your app store. Click here to watch a replay of the service.

WTVR.COM IN-DEPTH: The Death of Irvo Otieno

A year after her son died at the hospital, her questions remain unanswered Mother calls push for Irvo’s Law 'fire under my belly’ Otieno family speaks out about the hospital's response to loved one's death Why they are pushing for more hospital beds at a Virginia psychiatric hospital Hospital failed to stabilize Irvo Otieno's crisis, report says. Then he died. Va. governor pledges to seek mental health legislation in Irvo Otieno's honor TIMELINE: Irvo Otieno's death Irvo Otieno's family agrees to multimillion-dollar settlement Federal agency investigating hospital where police brought Irvo Otieno Irvo Otieno's family seek federal investigation Inside the behavioral health commissioner's emails Irvo Otieno's death ruled a homicide Sharpton at Irvo Otieno funeral Police withhold Otieno video Former medical director 'disappointed'

Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.

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Irvo Otieno memorial service includes 'national call for justice'

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