Former Aurora Officer Randy Roedema sentenced to 14 months in Adams County Jail for 2019 demise of Elijah McClain

Former Aurora Police Officer Randy Roedema has been sentenced to 14 months in Adams County Jail, together with 4 years probation after being convicted for the demise of Elijah McClain again in 2019. 

”I can not assist however ponder all of the totally different situations that would’ve taken place that night that will have resulted in a distinct consequence,” Roedema mentioned earlier than his sentence. 

The demise of the unarmed younger Black man 4 years in the past acquired widespread publicity inside and outdoors of Colorado and led to large-scale protests and reforms in Aurora’s police division.

The 23-year-old died after 911 operators acquired a name a couple of suspicious individual strolling down the road. They discovered McClain on Aug. 24, 2019, sporting a ski masks and carrying groceries after they arrived at Colfax Avenue and Billings Road. Roedema, Jason Rosenblatt, and Nathan Woodyard had been all indicted by a grand jury for forcibly restraining McClain in a violent wrestle that was captured on police physique cam video.

On Oct. 12, a Colorado jury reached a break up verdict in Adams County Court docket for 2 Aurora cops, Roedema and Rosenblatt who had been on trial for the demise of Elijah McClain. 

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The jury discovered Roedema responsible of criminally negligent murder and third-degree assault, whereas Rosenblatt was discovered not responsible of manslaughter and assault. 

Woodyard was discovered not responsible on Nov. 6 of manslaughter and criminally negligent murder. Woodyard reportedly returned to the division after he was acquitted of the fees. 

In accordance with the Aurora Police Division, Woodyard is now not suspended with out pay following his Nov. 6 acquittal. He reportedly reintegrated with the division and is at present on restricted responsibility. Meaning he’s not in uniform, has no public contact and no enforcement actions pending subsequent steps within the reintegration course of, in accordance with the Aurora Police Division. 

A jury additionally based two Aurora paramedics responsible of criminally negligent murder on Dec. 22 when the 23-year-old Black man was strolling residence from the grocery retailer and confronted by officers, who had been seen on bodycam video, forcibly restraining him whereas Aurora Fireplace Rescue paramedics — Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec — injected him with ketamine.    

McClain went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance a couple of minutes later and died three days after that.

RELATED: Learn all our protection of Elijah McClain right here

Cooper and Cichuniec had been each convicted on fees of criminally negligent murder. As for the counts of second-degree assault, Cooper was acquitted of these fees. Cichuniec was discovered responsible of second-degree assault-unlawful administration of medicine and located not responsible on the opposite second-degree assault cost.

Cichuniec was taken into custody instantly following the decision. 

Following the announcement on the sentencing for Roedema, Elijah McClain’s mom Sheneen McClain spoke and believes that everybody who was concerned within the demise of her son on that evening again in August of 2019, did not present any regret.

”Our communities can not know peace till we see the justice departments maintain their very own enforcers accountable,” she mentioned. ”My son won’t ever be a dad, an uncle, or a grandfather. Randy Roedema stole my son’s life. All of the belated apologies on this planet can not take away my son’s blood from Randy’s fingers.”

Each paramedics who had been discovered responsible for Elijah McClain’s demise are set to be sentenced on March 1.   

Town of Aurora agreed again in 2021 to pay $15 million to settle a civil lawsuit introduced by McClain’s mother and father.