Video shows mental health patient pinned to the floor before his death

Caroline Ouko, mother of Irvo Otieno, holds a portrait of her son, whom she described as “brilliant and creative and bright.” Video footage shows deputies and hospital staff struggling with a handcuffed Otieno over a period of 20 minutes until he appeared unresponsive. (AP Photos)

DINWIDDIE, Va. — A large group of sheriff’s deputies and employees of a Virginia mental hospital pinned patient Irvo Otieno to the floor until he was motionless and limp, then began unsuccessful resuscitation efforts, newly obtained surveillance video of the incident earlier this month shows.

The footage obtained Tuesday, which has no audio, shows various members of the group struggling with a handcuffed and shackled Otieno over the course of about 20 minutes after he’s led into a room at Central State Hospital, where he was going to be admitted March 6. For most of that time, Otieno is on the floor being restrained by a changing group that at one point appeared to reach 10 people pressing down on various parts of his body.