Landmark Verdict: Colorado Paramedics Convicted Of Elijah McClain's Fatal Ketamine Overdose Death

Two paramedics in the Denver area, Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, were found guilty on Friday of criminally negligent homicide in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man whom they injected with a fatal overdose of ketamine.

The case was the first among several other criminal prosecutions against medical first responders to reach trial, potentially setting the bar for prosecutors in future cases and raising concerns about the implications for first responders nationwide.

What Happened

Police stopped McClain while he was walking home from a convenience store on Aug. 24, 2019, following a 911 call that his behavior was ‘sketchy.’ The police who stopped him said at the time that he was polite until he became agitated at not understanding why he was being detained, at which point paramedics injected him with ketamine, a powerful anesthetic often used to sedate agitated patients. Prosecutors said the paramedics did not conduct basic medical checks on McClain, such as taking his pulse. Experts testified that the dose was too much for a person his size, 140 pounds.

McClain’s last words were captured on police body camera video, “I’m an introvert and I’m different.” McClain went into cardiac arrest en route to the hospital and died three days later. A self-taught musician who worked as a massage therapist, McClain had no arrest record.

Landmark Case

The case raises concerns about first responders and "excited delirium," a disputed condition some say justifies excessive force. Colorado now prohibits paramedics from using ketamine for this condition.

Mother's Response

In a statement released before the verdict, McClain’s mother said that everyone present during the police stop of her son displayed a lack of humanity, reported AP.

“They cannot blame their job training for their indifference to evil or their participation in an evil action,” McClain wrote. “That is completely on them. May all of their souls rot in hell when their time comes.”

George Floyd's Murder Raised Awareness

McClain's death gained national attention after the 2020 George Floyd killing by police. Local Colorado authorities had initially declined charges in McClain's case until public outcry led to a new investigation and the subsequent trial.

This case also marks the final chapter in a series of trials against police and paramedics involved in McClain's death. An Aurora cop was convicted of homicide and assault earlier this year, while two others were acquitted.

Photo courtesy of McClain family