Judge approves motion to dismiss final 2 charges in Otieno case

DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A judge in Dinwiddie County Circuit Court has approved a motion by the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney to dismiss charges for the final two defendants on trial for the death of Irvo Otieno at Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie County. On Friday, Nov. 1, Dinwiddie Circuit Court Chief Judge Joseph Teefey approved a motion of nolle prosequi for the manslaughter charges against Kayell Sanders and Brandon Rodgers, two of the seven Henrico County Sheriff's deputies Otieno was in the custody of when he died on March 6, 2023. The motion was approved the same day it was filed by the prosecutor. (PREVIOUS) Dinwiddie prosecutor moves to drop charges against last 2 in Irvo Otieno death case Sanders and Rodgers are the last of nine defendants in this case to have their charges dropped. The tenth defendant, Central State Hospital employee Wavie Jones, was the only one to be acquitted of involuntary manslaughter in early October. (PREVIOUS) Former hospital worker found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Irvo Otieno’s 2023 in-custody death All ten defendants were initially indicted on second-degree murder charges in 2023 in connection to Otieno's death, which was determined by the Office of the Medical Examiner to have been caused by “positional and mechanical asphyxia with restraints,” but seven of those charges were dropped and the rest were downgraded to involuntary manslaughter before any of them went to trial. (PREVIOUS) What happened leading up to first criminal trial in connection to the death of Irvo Otieno? This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates. 8News' full coverage of the Irvo Otieno case can be found here.