Stephanie Butzer joined the Denver7 team as a digital producer in June 2018 and is now the senior digital producer.
Closing arguments wrapped on Tuesday afternoon in the trial for two Aurora officers, Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt, who have pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault in connection with the arrest of Elijah McClain. McClain died a few days later.McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist, encountered police on Aug. 24, 2019 after a person called 911 to report a “sketchy” man walking in Aurora.
They did not tell McClain why they had stopped him as they tried to bring him to the ground, Lyons said, adding that McClain was confused and scared. Over the 19 minutes after police contacted McClain, Lyons said the jury heard McClain speak less and less in the BWC footage because he had vomited into his mask and was low on oxygen. He told officers he could not breathe, but was ignored, Lyons said. Officers did not take pressure off of him or check his vitals, he said, which were all required per APD policy.
Two doctors who testified during the trial said McClain died of complications of ketamine administration following forceful restraint, he said. Shortly after 2:15 p.m., the judge called for a 10-minute recess, after which the two defense attorneys presented their closing arguments. He acknowledged that McClain had stated,"I can't breathe" numerous times, but also pointed out that the officers had instructed him to stop fighting and resisting a total of 34 times. The situation escalated after the alleged gun-grab, he said.
The paramedics arrived at the scene at 10:50 p.m. and at that point, could make their own assessment of McClain. They were the ones who decided to administer the ketamine, Sisson said, and the three medical experts who testified all said it was the drug that killed McClain. “In short, there is little doubt that the case is a tragedy, but if you take emotion out of this case, which is what you must do, it is clear the People fell woefully short," he concluded.
In a rebuttal, Colorado Attorney General senior prosecutor Jason Slothouber said the two defendants had McClain's life in their hands that evening.Every time McClain said he cannot breathe, the defendants, along with Woodyard, yelled at him to stop fighting and resisting. They were the only people at the scene when McClain made those repeated statements, Slothouber said, but they did not take any action.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
2nd trial set to begin in death of Elijah McClainJury selection is scheduled to start Friday in the trial of Nathan Woodyard, the first patrol officer to confront McClain.
Read more »
Lawyers to deliver closing arguments in trial of cops charged in Elijah McClain deathLawyers will make closing arguments in the trial of the first two officers to be prosecuted in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain
Read more »
Elijah McClain: trial nears end for Colorado officers charged in Black man's deathClosing arguments are expected on Tuesday in the trial of two Colorado police officers charged in the killing of Elijah McClain, a young Black man who died in 2019 after being roughly restrained and injected with the sedative ketamine.
Read more »
Lawyers will deliver closing arguments in trial of 2 cops charged in Elijah McClain's deathElijah McClain was stopped in a Denver suburb in 2019 while walking home from a store. McClain was put in a neck hold and pinned down by cops before being injected by paramedics with a powerful sedative.
Read more »
Colorado jury to hear closing arguments in trial over the 2019 death of Elijah McClainLawyers are set to make closing arguments Tuesday in the trial over two officers who were accused of killing Black man Elijah McClain in Aurora, Colorado.
Read more »
Lawyers make closing arguments in trial of 2 police officers charged in Elijah McClain's deathLawyers are delivering closing arguments in the trial of the first two officers to be prosecuted in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain
Read more »