Paramedic Involved in Elijah McClain’s Death Sentenced to five Years in Prison

One of many two Aurora paramedics convicted within the 2019 demise of Elijah McClain was sentenced to 5 years in jail in a Colorado courtroom on Friday.

Peter Cichuniec, convicted in late December of criminally negligent murder alongside Aurora paramedic Jeremy Cooper, was additionally discovered responsible of second-degree assault by illegal administration of medication, whereas Cooper was acquitted of that cost.

Cichuniec, sentenced to a minimal of 5 years for the assault cost – the decide’s lowest attainable sentence underneath tips – additionally obtained a one-year jail time period for the criminally negligent murder cost, to be served concurrently.

McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, was strolling residence in Aurora in August 2019 when officers had been referred to as to answer a report of a ‘suspicious person’ sporting a ski masks.

When officers arrived on the scene, they tackled and forcibly restrained McClain. Paramedics then injected him with ketamine, a robust sedative. Nevertheless, by the point he was within the ambulance, McClain had no pulse. He went into cardiac arrest and handed away six days later.

In accordance with the Adams County coroner, McClain’s explanation for demise was listed as “complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint.”

In whole, 5 first responders confronted felony expenses in reference to McClain’s tragic demise.

Former officer Randy Roedema was convicted of criminally negligent murder and third-degree assault in October and later sentenced to at least one 12 months and two months.

Officers Nathan Woodyard and Jason Rosenblatt had been acquitted by juries.

Nevertheless, an unbiased probe discovered that Aurora police had no justification for stopping or utilizing deadly pressure of their confrontation with McClain.

Whereas a grand jury indictment recognized Cooper because the medic on the decision and liable for crew and affected person security throughout McClain’s detainment, it was Cichuniec who ordered the ketamine from the ambulance. Cooper administered the ketamine to McClain.

Cooper’s sentencing is scheduled for April.