VIRGINIA BEACH — A judge on Wednesday granted bond to three former Virginia Beach deputies charged with causing the death of an inmate while restraining him at the jail last year.
Retired Court of Appeals of Virginia Judge Robert J. Humphreys issued a $5,000 bond to each of the men, and ordered that those who have passports turn them in while their cases are pending.
Humphreys, who was asked to preside over the bond hearing after all of Virginia Beach’s Circuit Court judges recused themselves, made his decision after hearing arguments from both sides, and watching a 3-minute video presented by prosecutors that showed the deputies restraining 34-year-old Rolin Hill while Hill struggled under them.
The video showed one deputy placing a knee of Hill’s neck, and another placing one on his back. The deputies can repeatedly be heard telling him to stop resisting, and Hill repeatedly responding, “No.”
At one point Hill asks if he can get some water, and a deputy responds, “Nope.” Hill’s breathing starts to become labored and he eventually stops breathing, according to Deputy District Attorney Scott Lang. CPR was performed on Hill at the jail, and he was taken to a hospital, where he died six days later.
Eric Baptiste, 39, Michael Kidd, also 39, and Kevin Wilson, 34, have all been charged with second-degree murder in Hill’s death. Baptiste also faces five counts of assault and battery, and Wilson two counts.
All three were placed on leave the day after the June 4 incident, and were fired in October after a medical examiner ruled Hill’s death a homicide. They were indicted Friday by a special grand jury and turned themselves in later that day.
This is a developing story. Please check back later for updates.
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com