Paramedic sentenced to 4 years of probation for role in Elijah McClain's death
A Colorado paramedic was sentenced to four years of probation Friday for his role in the killing of Elijah McClain, bringing a close to the yearslong effort to prosecute those involved in the Black pedestrian's death.
Jeremy Cooper, a one-time Aurora Fire Rescue paramedic, had faced up to three years in prison following his conviction on Dec. 22 for criminally negligent homicide.
Cooper's sentence, imposed by District Judge Mark Warner, also included 14 months' work release and 100 hours of community service.
Before issuing the term, Warner said body camera videos of McClain's deadly interaction with police were "painful to watch."
The judge said that while Cooper injected McClain, 23, with more Ketamine than protocol for a person his size, the paramedic has shown he's "contrite," dedicated his life to helping others and was not likely to commit crimes in the future.
Before he was sentenced, Cooper said he wanted to address McClain, and at times, cried, while speaking about how he wished McClain were alive.
"I want you to know that I would give anything to have a different outcome, Elijah. I never meant for anyone to hurt you," Cooper said. "I wanted to take over your care, and I was scared. I believe you needed immediate medical attention. I wanted to calm the situation down. I wanted my presence to be enough and my skills and training to be enough. I am so sorry, collectively, that we all failed you."
McClain's mother, Sheneen McClain, addressed the court before sentencing. She said Cooper will be forever judged by what he failed to do for her son.
"Jeremy Cooper did not check for my son’s pulse. Jeremy Cooper did not conduct a thorough examination to see if my son was breathing normally. Jeremy Cooper did not interact with my son or ask my son how he was doing," she said.
"Jeremy Cooper heard my son talking and was there for my son’s last words. But Jeremy Cooper just stood there ... Nothing Jeremy Cooper can say will bring back my son or remove my son’s blood from his hands."
Friday's sentencing was the final trial court action against first responders who were accused of playing a role in McClain's death.
Paramedic Peter Cichuniec, who was also found guilty of criminally negligent homicide, was sentenced to five years in prison on March 1.
Police officer Randy Roedema was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and sentenced to 14 months behind bars on Jan. 5.
During the same trial of Roedema, police officer Jason Rosenblatt was acquitted on charges of reckless manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault. Rosenblatt later resigned from the department after he appeared in a photograph that appeared to be mocking a memorial for McClain.
Police officer Nathan Woodyard was found not guilty last year of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges. Woodyard resigned from the department on Jan. 12 after reaching a back pay settlement.
McClain was walking home on Aug. 24, 2019, when police in the Denver suburb stopped him.
McClain was put in a chokehold and paramedics administered 500 milligrams of ketamine to sedate him before he went into cardiac arrest on his way to the hospital.
He was taken off life support on Aug. 30.
Local prosecutors initially declined to charge first responders. Gov. Jared Polis assigned a special prosecutor in June 2020, in the midst of national civil rights protests following the police slaying of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Then on Sept. 1, 2021, two years after McClain died, state prosecutors announced that a grand jury had returned indictments against three police officers and two paramedics.
