In a new report today by the Denver Post, it was announced officers who stopped Elijah McClain and placed him in a chokehold, did not have the legal basis to do so.
The Major Crimes Unit in the Aurora, Colorado police department, who initially did the investigation, was found to be flawed according to the independent investigation. The report stated “the questions frequently appeared designed to elicit specific exonerating ‘magic language’ found in court rulings,” in regard to the detectives asking questions.
Today, city officials released the 157-page report on the death of McClain. After the department’s force review board, as well as the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, cleared the officers of any wrongdoing, the city hired an independent investigator to examine the officers and paramedics involved.
“The Aurora officials who contributed to Elijah’s death must be immediately terminated,” Rathod Mohamedbhai law firm shared in a statement. “Ms. McClain continues to call for the criminal prosecution of those responsible for Elijah’s death. Elijah committed no crime on the day of his death, but those who are responsible for Elijah’s death certainly did.”
Background on McClain’s death
McClain was a 23-year old Black man who died in the summer of 2019. Aurora, CO officers restrained him with a chokehold. McClain was walking home when a bystander in the neighborhood called 911 stating he “looked sketchy”.
He was brought to the ground and placed in a carotid hold — restricting blood to his brain. According to a report, 15 minutes later paramedics arrived on the scene and injected him with a powerful sedative, ketamine.
En route to the hospital, McClain went into cardiac arrest and died a few days later in the hospital.
