Family Settles for $8.5M in Psychiatric Hospital Death

Family Settles for $8.5M in Psychiatric Hospital Death

Introduction

The family of a 28-year-old man has reached a wrongful death settlement involving Virginia, Henrico County, and the county's sheriff.

This young man passed away in March after being restrained by seven Henrico sheriff's deputies and three Central State Hospital workers while being admitted to the psychiatric hospital.

The state medical examiner's office determined the cause of death as "positional and mechanical asphyxia with restraints," classifying it as a homicide. Initially, ten individuals faced charges in connection with his death, but charges against two hospital workers were eventually dropped.

According to the report, surveillance video, without sound, captures the disturbing scene where up to 10 sheriff's deputies and Central State Hospital personnel pin down a handcuffed and shackled victim for over 11 minutes until he becomes motionless.

The video, accessible through a Dropbox link in public court records, shows the man's arrival at the psychiatric hospital at 4:19 p.m. on March 6, his restraint and immobilization in a hospital admissions room, and the unsuccessful efforts to revive him after he goes limp.

Prior to his transfer to Central State Hospital, the victim was taken from Parham Doctors' Hospital to Henrico Jail West, where, as claimed by his family's attorneys, he was restrained in a chair for more than 11 hours, denied medication, and subjected to severe beatings by Henrico County deputies.

The attorneys representing the deceased man's brother and mother announced that a settlement had been approved by a Henrico Circuit Court judge. The state, Henrico County, and the county's sheriff have agreed to pay the man's family a total of $8.5 million without admitting any liability in his death. The family is content that they were able to reach a resolution outside of court that honors the memory of the victim.