Nathan Woodyard was charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent murder.
A jury on Monday acquitted Nathan Woodyard on expenses of reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent murder within the second trial regarding the demise of 23-year-old Elijah McClain following an altercation with Aurora, Colorado, police.
“Right this moment’s verdict will not be the one we hoped for, however we respect the jury system and settle for this end result,” Colorado Legal professional Normal Phil Weiser stated, partly, in an announcement. “I thank the jurors for serving and performing their civic obligation.”
In closing arguments, the prosecution argued the carotid maintain that Woodyard positioned McClain in had contributed to McClain’s demise. The prosecution additionally argued that if Woodyard had adopted what he was taught in coaching, he would have recognized how to reply to McClain’s pleas for assist.
The protection argued the ketamine administered by the EMTs that night time was liable for McClain’s demise.
“The proof can not depart the true chance that Nathan didn’t know that the paramedics would are available in and overdose,” protection lawyer Andrew Ho stated.
In police physique digital camera footage, McClain may be heard telling police he was going residence, and that “I’ve a proper to go the place I’m going.”
Woodyard positioned McClain in a carotid maintain and he and the opposite two officers on the scene moved McClain by pressure to the grass and restrained him.
McClain may be heard pleading with officers in police physique digital camera footage, saying he cannot breathe accurately.
“I am so sorry. I’ve no gun, I do not do this stuff. I do not do preventing. Why are you taking me?” McClain may be heard saying in physique digital camera footage.
“I can not breathe,” McClain stated, in accordance with the physique digital camera footage. He echoed these phrases a number of instances.
When EMTs arrived on the scene, McClain was given a shot of 500 milligrams of ketamine for “speedy tranquilization to be able to decrease time struggling,” in accordance with division coverage, and was loaded into an ambulance the place he had a coronary heart assault, in accordance with investigators.
McClain was declared brain-dead days later and died on Aug. 30, 2019.
Woodyard’s employment by the police pressure is topic to a metropolis constitution pending the result of his trial.
Within the first trial in reference to McClain’s demise, officer Randy Roedema was discovered responsible on Oct. 12 of criminally negligent murder and assault within the third diploma. He can be sentenced in January and will resist 5 years in jail and be fined greater than $100,000. His employment with the police pressure was terminated following his conviction final month.
One other officer, Jason Rosenblatt, was discovered not responsible on expenses of reckless manslaughter, assault within the second diploma and criminally negligent murder. His employment with the police pressure was terminated in 2020.
ABC Information’ Aisha Frazier contributed to this report.
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