Colo. Court of Appeals reverses former paramedics' convictions in McClain death

Article excerpt

Colorado's Court of Appeals overturned the criminally negligent homicide convictions of two former paramedics in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died after police detained him during a walk home. The appeals court found insufficient evidence to support the convictions of paramedics Peter Cichunette and Jeremy Cooper, who had administered ketamine to McClain during the encounter. The reversal marks another legal setback in a case that sparked national protests over police violence and racial justice, following earlier overturned charges against the police officers involved.