US: Court acquits cop who initiated episode that led to black man Elijah McClain's death

Nathan Woodyard, a Colorado police officer accused of killing Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man has been acquitted of all charges by a Colorado court. McClain died after being put in a chokehold and the administration of a powerful sedative.

Following the verdict, the victim's mother said she no longer has faith in the justice system.

The court verdict

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As per CNN, the Aurora police officer was found guilty on all charges — reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, by a Colorado jury.

Talking to KUSA on Monday, Sheneen McClain, Elijah's mother, expressed her disappointment in the justice system and said the verdict "lets us down, not just people of colour, it lets down everybody."

"They don't do the right thing, they always do the bare minimum," she said, adding "It's just unfortunate that the people that stopped my son, brutalised my son, tortured my son, get away with murder, and their passing on what they did to the medical professionals that still were supposed to do their job."

"Nobody did. So it's just unfortunate that they are placing the blame and passing the buck."

What happened in 2019?

Woodyard, as per an NBC News report, was the first officer to confront the victim McClain.

At the time of the incident, McClain was walking home from a convenience store in the Denver suburb of Aurora.

The police officer was responding to a 911 call by a 17-year-old caller who had reported that the black man — who was wearing a ski mask and was listening to music, and dancing as he walked — as suspicious.

Prosecutors allege that Woodyard tackled McClain within eight seconds of exiting the patrol car — without introducing himself or explaining the reason for stopping him. They contend that officers used excessive force against the victim, putting him in carotid holds.

"Elijah McClain was walking home, he was dancing. As he told the defendant, he was stopping the music to listen," said Colorado Assistant Attorney General Jason Slothouber.

"There was no need for this escalation of violence," he emphasised.

Woodyard's neck hold as per NBC rendered McCain temporarily unconscious. Prosecutors also allege that McCain was injected with a fatal overdose of ketamine by paramedics. Later, the 23-year-old threw up in his mask and repeatedly said "I can't breathe" but the officers failed to check his vital signs. He suffered a cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital, where he was declared brain-dead. He died three days.

CNN reports that Dr Roger Mitchell Jr., a forensic pathologist who reviewed the victim's autopsy, during the trial testified that McClain's cause of death was "complications following acute ketamine administration during violent subdual and restraint by law enforcement, emergency response personnel."

He also testified that there was a "direct causal link" between the officers' actions and Elijah's death.

Previously in September, two other officers - Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt were tried jointly. Rosenblatt was also acquitted of all charges, while Roedema was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. He is due to be sentenced in January.

(With inputs from agencies)