The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus (VLBC) is demanding urgent reforms after the death of Rolin Hill, a man who died in the custody of three former Virginia Beach sheriff’s deputies. The deputies, now charged with second-degree murder, were granted $5,000 unconditional bonds last week.

The concerns of the caucus, led by Del. Lamont Bagby, intensified after partial body camera footage of the incident was shown during a bond hearing. The footage reportedly revealed a series of human rights violations during the hour and a half following Hill’s booking on June 4, 2024.

Hill, who was denied bond and booked at 8:20 p.m., required medical attention by 8:45 p.m. According to reports, the deputies attempted to remove his clothing and a body wrap restraint, a device they were not trained to handle. The footage showed Hill being denied water, struck repeatedly in the back and face, and restrained with knees on his neck and torso. It took six minutes for anyone to check his pulse after he appeared to lose consciousness.

In a press release, the VLBC described Hill’s treatment as “brutal” and criticized the deputies’ lack of training and the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Department’s failure to uphold public trust.

“The role of deputized agents on behalf of the Commonwealth must be to prevent harm and maintain public safety. If we continue to fall short in legislating significant reforms to our criminal justice processes, we will continue to fund and nurture conditions where our communities are subjected to traumatic, violent crimes by those charged to keep us safe,” the caucus stated in the release.

The VLBC commended Virginia Beach Sheriff Rocky Holcomb for firing the deputies and calling for an independent investigation but noted that the damage to Hill’s family and the community is permanent.

“What occurred in this situation is a crime which ended the life of a human being and we are relieved it is being treated as such now. It was also our duty to prevent it,” the statement read.

With the General Assembly’s legislative session underway, the VLBC announced plans to introduce proposals aimed at overhauling the state’s policing system.