JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

Mourners collected at a church outdoors Richmond, Va., this afternoon to keep in mind Irvo Otieno. The assistance drove property a fuller portrait of the 28-yr-aged Black guy who was killed in custody at a psychiatric medical center before this month. Ben Paviour from member station VPM in Richmond was there and joins us now. Ben, if you could, tell us a tiny bit about the provider and how men and women there honored Otieno.

BEN PAVIOUR, BYLINE: Properly, there have been probably a few hundred individuals on hand at 1st Baptist Church of South Richmond. The assistance was a combination of prayer and phone calls to action. It bundled soaring times with a comprehensive gospel choir that brought the group to their toes, and they performed a online video tribute about a rap Otieno wrote below the title Youthful Vo.

(SOUNDBITE OF New music)

IRVO OTIENO: (Rapping as Youthful Vo) …Rock the cargo, escalating up to be a guy. If you might be my fam, be my fam. Sorry if I shed you with my system.

PAVIOUR: Friends and family members described Otieno as a gifted athlete and prolific musician with a big smile and infectious chortle. Otieno’s mom, Caroline Ouko, described her son as a deeply loving particular person, from his household to his pup named Popi.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

CAROLINE OUKO: When I took my son to the hospital, this is not what I envisioned. I did not consider my son was not coming dwelling. But, son, this is in which we are, (crying) and I am sorry.

PAVIOUR: She stated he would relaxation not just in peace, but in electric power. And that was a sentiment we heard a lot, that Otieno’s loss of life would not be in vain.

SUMMERS: And, Ben, to that position, did you hear any distinct phone calls for transform or justice throughout the company?

PAVIOUR: Properly, to back again up for a second, as you know, Otieno was killed while he was becoming admitted to Central Point out in the midst of a multi-day mental wellness crisis. He was pinned to the ground by seven sheriff deputies and three medical center employees whilst he was handcuffed and his toes have been shackled, and he in no way obtained up again. All 10 persons have been billed for his dying by a community prosecutor, who claimed they smothered Otieno to loss of life.

In Otieno’s eulogy, Reverend Al Sharpton related the youthful man’s demise to systemic failures in Virginia’s mental wellness techniques. He urged Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin to push for reforms, but also said the adult men included wanted to be held accountable.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

AL SHARPTON: This boy wasn’t hurting no person. He experienced a sickness, an disease. And if you were being not geared up or skilled to deal with the health issues, then you must not have confirmed up to solution the get in touch with.

(APPLAUSE)

PAVIOUR: Civil rights law firm Ben Crump identified as for psychological health courts in Virginia, some thing that exists in California and New York. He stated Otieno required scientific procedure and in no way ought to have put in a weekend in jail. It truly is well worth noting that even just before Otieno’s loss of life, Youngkin did thrust for an extra $230 million in psychological health and fitness funding. That incorporates disaster groups that could intervene right before an individual finishes up in a clinic. And Youngkin despatched reps to the funeral.

SUMMERS: Ben, what comes subsequent in this circumstance?

PAVIOUR: The 10 suspects in the demise are now all out on bail. Their hearings commence at the conclude of April and early May perhaps. In hearings, legal professionals for the guys who’ve been charged have attempted to distance by themselves from what happened. Some have argued their clients had no plan how severe the condition was, that they just preferred to restrain somebody who’d been unruly. Otieno’s family and attorneys say there’s no way to justify what they did.

SUMMERS: Ben Paviour from member station VPM in Richmond, Va. – thank you.

PAVIOUR: Thank you.

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