On Aug. 24, 2019, Elijah McClain was stopped by three police officers, Randy Roedema, Jason Rosenblatt and Nathan Woodyard, while walking home from a store. McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, struggled with the officers as they attempted to restrain him. They placed McClain in a carotid control hold twice, which cuts off blood flow to the individual’s brain. This action resulted in McClain briefly losing consciousness. The officers then put McClain in handcuffs and “held him on the ground despite repeated pleas that he could not breathe,” as stated by CNN.
Once the paramedics, Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, arrived on the scene, they diagnosed McClain with “excited delirium,” a controversial syndrome known for extreme agitation or violence. However, the indictment stated that “neither COOPER nor CICHUNIEC ascertained Mr. McClain’s vital signs, nor did either of them talk to or physically touch Mr. McClain before diagnosing him with excited delirium.” Additionally, the paramedics administered the sedative drug based on the assumption that McClain was 67 pounds heavier than his actual weight. The indictment stated, “Paramedics administered 500 mg of Ketamine to a patient whose correct dosage, had the drug been warranted, would have been 325 mg.” McClain’s body had become limp, and the paramedics discovered that he was not breathing. They began to perform CPR but McClain, unfortunately, never regained consciousness.
The recent indictment is very different than the initial verdict from 2019. Two years ago, Adams County District Attorney Dave Young “declined to bring criminal charges because he said prosecutors lacked evidence to prove the officers caused McClain’s death or that their force was unjustified,” as stated by CNN.
However, due to the recent rise of the Black Lives Matter movement last summer as a result of the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, McClain’s case gained attention once again. As a result of a popular petition, Governor Polis declared a re-examination of McClain’s case. Additionally,a grand jury investigation began earlier this year.
Elijah McClain’s mother, Sheneen McClain, stated in an interview, “I started crying because it’s been two years…It’s been a long journey, you know, and it’s overwhelming. I’m still processing it, you know, because this is one of those things that has never really been done and is being done right here because of my son, so it’s overwhelming.”
The victim’s father, LaWayne Mosely “cried tears of joy upon learning of the indictment,” as stated by NBC News. Mosley stated, “Nothing will bring back my son, but I am thankful that his killers will finally be held accountable.”
The recent news of Elijah McClain’s case getting re-examined due to the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement demonstrates the power the people hold. The public protested in the streets and signed petitions, which has shown that it can lead to lasting change. This change may elicit hope to other friends and families of victims of police brutality. The indictment may be the beginning of a new era of accountability in previously dismissed police brutality cases.
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