One of the two first responders responsible for the death of Elijah McClain in 2019 has been sentenced to 14 months in half-term detention. It ended fatally for the young African-American after he was injected with ketamine.
Jeremy Cooper will still be allowed to work during the day, but must return to prison in the evenings and at weekends during his sentence. He was also given a suspended prison sentence of four years. The paramedic and his colleague were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in December.
McClain was put in a chokehold during his arrest in the city of Aurora and was subsequently injected with the strong sedative. The 23-year-old died three days later of a heart attack. The case only gained media attention after the death of George Floyd, another young American with black skin, in May 2020.
Heart rate not monitored
During the trial, the care providers stated that they were only following procedures. The public prosecutor’s office refuted that and accused them of not having talked to the victim. His heart rate and breathing were also not monitored before the drug was administered.
In January, one of the three police officers involved was sentenced to 14 months in prison. At another trial, the two others were acquitted.
Ski goggles
McClain was stopped by police on the street after an anonymous caller said he looked “mysterious” – he was wearing ski goggles. According to the victim’s family, he was outside to buy an ice tea. According to them, he often wore ski goggles so as not to suffer from cold as he suffered from anemia.
The use of ketamine in arrests is controversial in the US. Investigations have already been launched in several states.
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Tags: Paramedic faces punishment arrest black young man ended fatally
