Doctor who performed autopsy on Elijah McClain testifies in trial
In court, it was revealed that Elijah McClain had been hospitalized after using the hallucinogenic drug LSD in the years before his death. Prosecutors argued that if the defense brought that up with the jury present, it would prejudice the case.
"It's not because anyone actually thinks that Elijah McClain was hallucinating or experiencing any LSD symptoms three years after the 2016 incident."
A female officer at the scene the night of the 2019 incident testified she saw no need to notify the paramedics on hand about McClain's condition.
"Is groaning a sign of distress?" the prosecutor asked.
The officer replied, "It can be."
She was then asked, "Is it a sign of happiness and everything is OK?"
The reply was, "Probably not."
Dr. Stephen Cina, who later performed the autopsy, described a struggling McClain, telling the court, "From what I saw in the video, he was sort of gasping like a fish out of water. It was very unusual breathing."
McClain was given an injection of a sedative by the paramedics and never regained consciousness.
When asked if being restrained or other physical factors could have contributed to his death, Cina testified, "I don't see a reason why this would have killed him. Maybe it contributed but as I said in my report, I believe ketamine killed him. Did the other stuff play a role? possibly, but I can't say for certain."
Cina told the court that if not for that sedative ketamine, McClain probably would have survived, "Given that most people who are forcibly restrained recover, I would think more likely than not, he would have recovered if he did not receive the ketamine."
