Justice for Elijah McClain: Colorado Court Finds Rescue Workers Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

2023-12-23 08:41:15
Rally in tribute to Elijah McClain in West Hollywood, California, August 24, 2020. RICH FURY / AFP

Two rescue workers were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Friday, December 22, by a Colorado court in the case of the death of Elijah McClain, a young black man who died shortly following his arrest by the police in 2019.

In August 2019, Elijah McClain, aged 23, was held in the neck and then forcibly injected with a powerful sedative, ketamine, during an arrest in Aurora, a city in this western state. the United States. He died three days later of a heart attack.

His death only attracted media attention following that of George Floyd, another Black American killed during a police intervention, in May 2020, brought his case, and others, back into the spotlight. spotlights.

Also read: Death of George Floyd: Report finds Minneapolis police ‘frequently used excessive force’

The two rescuers prosecuted, Jeremy Cooper, 49, and Peter Cichuniec, 51, were found guilty by the jury of negligent manslaughter, according to the Washington Post.

Illicit administration of ketamine

Mr. Cichuniec was also found guilty of second-degree assault for unlawful administration of medication, and was immediately taken into custody, selon CNN.

Their lawyers argued that they had only followed protocol by administering ketamine as a sedative. A defense swept aside by the prosecutors, who criticized them in particular for not having spoken to the victim, nor having checked his vital signs before administering the product.

The use of this powerful sedative by rescuers to tranquilize people once morest their will has sparked controversy in the United States and has led to the opening of investigations in several American states.

“There was no indication that Elijah needed ketamine, and you heard from many experts that there was no medical purpose for administering this substance.”declared prosecutor Shannon Stevenson, according to American media. “Defendants never did anything to obtain Elijah McClain’s consent to any treatment, and no reasonable person would consent to an overdose of a medication they did not need.”she continued.

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In October, in this same case, the Colorado courts found one of the white American police officers prosecuted guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Two other police officers were acquitted. The police had been called by a person mentioning a “suspicious black man” wearing a ski mask and “behaving strangely” on a street in Aurora. A police officer claimed that Elijah McClain, who was not carrying any weapon, tried to grab his revolver during the intervention. According to the victim’s family, he had simply gone out to buy a drink and often wore this ski mask to avoid catching a cold.

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