Prosecutors rest case for 2 paramedics on trial for death of Elijah McClain
Prosecutors have rested their case in the trial of two paramedics accused in the death of Elijah McClain. It comes after eight days of testimony from witnesses, including EMTs, crime scene investigators and medical examiners.
McClain died in 2019 after an encounter with Aurora police. The 23-year-old was injected with a large dose of ketamine by paramedics. Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec are charged with reckless manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and assault.
Wednesday morning, the prosecution called their final witness – Dr. Roger Mitchell, a forensic pathologist and the chief medical examiner in Washington, D.C. He testified he was asked by the Colorado attorney general in early 2021 to review McClain's death.
Mitchell told the court he watched the police body camera videos from the 2019 incident several times, calling the officers' actions with McClain "violent."
His review of the footage, along with video from the Shell station where McClain was before he was stopped by police while walking home, and additional medical reports helped him determine his opinion, he testified.
The doctor said McClain did not have excited delirium, so the use of ketamine was unnecessary.
"He's already subdued," Mitchell said of McClain, based on what he saw in a police body camera video and the carotid hold officers used. "He's not struggling… it's not clear why he's even being given ketamine."
The doctor concluded McClain's cause of death is 'complications from ketamine following police restraint' and the manner is homicide.
"In your opinion, did the actions of the paramedics cause Elijah McClain's death?" asked the prosecutor.
"Yes," Mitchell replied.
In opening statements nearly two weeks ago, the defense pointed blame at the officers who stopped McClain. Starting Thursday morning, the defense will begin to call witnesses and it's not known if the paramedics will take the stand.
This is the third and final trial in the case of Elijah McClain's death.
A jury found Randy Roedema guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault, while Jason Rosenblatt was found not guilty of manslaughter and assault back in October.
Sentencing for Roedema is scheduled for Jan. 5 at 1:30 p.m. in Adams County Court.
A jury also found Nathan Woodyard not guilty of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the 23-year-old's death. Since the verdict, he has returned the Aurora Police Department.