Two emergency responders were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by a Colorado court on Friday, December 22, in the death of Elijah McClain, a young Black man who died shortly after being arrested by police in 2019 .
In August 2019, 23-year-old Elijah McClain was held by the neck during an arrest in Aurora, a city in this western United States state, and then forcibly injected with a powerful sedative, ketamine. He died three days later of a heart attack.
His death only gained media attention after the death of George Floyd, another black American killed in a police operation in May 2020, brought his case and others back into the spotlight.
Also Read: George Floyd Death: Report Finds Minneapolis Police 'Frequently Used Excessive Force'
According to the Washington Post, the two accused rescuers, Jeremy Cooper (49) and Peter Cichuniec (51), were found guilty of negligent homicide by the jury.
Illicit administration of ketamine
According to CNN, Mr. Cichuniec was also found guilty of second-degree assault for unlawful administration of medication and was immediately taken into custody.
Her lawyers argued that they were simply following protocol in administering ketamine as a sedative. A defense was brushed aside by prosecutors, who particularly accused them of failing to speak to the victim or check his vital signs before administering the product.
The use of this powerful sedative by rescuers to sedate people against their will has sparked controversy in the United States and led to the opening of investigations in several American states.
“There was no indication that Elijah needed ketamine and many experts were heard saying that the administration of this substance had no medical purpose,” prosecutor Shannon Stevenson said, according to American media. “The defendants never took any action to obtain Elijah McClain's consent to any treatment, and no reasonable person would consent to an overdose of a drug he did not need,” he said. -She continued.
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In October, Colorado courts found one of the white American police officers guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the same case. Two other police officers were acquitted. Police were called by a person who reported a “suspicious black male” wearing a ski mask and “acting strangely” on a street in Aurora. A police officer claimed that Elijah McClain, who was not carrying a weapon, tried to grab his revolver during the operation. According to the victim's family, he simply went out to buy a drink and often wore this ski mask to prevent a cold.