A jury on Monday acquitted Nathan Woodyard on fees of reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent murder in the second one trial in regards to the dying of 23-year-old Elijah McClain following an altercation with Aurora, Colorado, police.
Woodyard was once the primary police officer at the scene in August 2019 and put McClain in a carotid hang. He pleaded now not to blame.
“We are respectful of the process in what is a very difficult case,” Woodyard’s attorneys, Megan Downing and Andrew Ho, mentioned in a observation following the decision. “We have never disregarded the tragic circumstances, but are relieved for what we believe is the just outcome for our client.”
“Today’s verdict is not the one we hoped for, but we respect the jury system and accept this outcome,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser mentioned, in phase, in a observation. “I thank the jurors for serving and performing their civic duty.”
“We remain undeterred in our pursuit of accountability and justice for Elijah McClain and his family and friends,” Weiser added.
Aurora Police officer Nathan Woodyard throughout an arraignment in the Adams County district court docket on the Adams County Justice Center, on Jan. 20, 2023.
Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post by means of Getty Images, FILE
In remaining arguments, the prosecution argued the carotid hang that Woodyard positioned McClain in had contributed to McClain’s dying. The prosecution additionally argued that if Woodyard had adopted what he was once taught in coaching, he would have identified how to answer McClain’s pleas for lend a hand.
McClain advised officers throughout their come upon that he was once having hassle respiring, and he later choked on his vomit whilst he was once restrained, the former trial printed.
“This trial is about the defendant and his teammates doing nothing to help Elijah McClain. This trial is about their continued callousness and indifference to Mr. McClain’s suffering,” Assistant Attorney General Ann Joyce mentioned throughout opening arguments.
The protection argued the ketamine administered by means of the EMTs that evening was once accountable for McClain’s dying.
“The evidence cannot leave the real possibility that Nathan did not know that the paramedics would come in and overdose,” protection legal professional Andrew Ho mentioned.
McClain was once stopped by means of police on his method house from a comfort retailer on Aug. 24, 2019. A passerby known as 911 to file McClain as appearing “sketchy” with a ski masks on; alternatively, the caller mentioned there was once no weapon and that no person was once in risk on the time.
McClain was once dressed in a ski masks on the time as a result of, in line with his circle of relatives, he had anemia, a blood situation that may make folks really feel chilly extra simply.
When officers arrived at the scene, they advised McClain they’d a proper to forestall him as a result of he was once “being suspicious.”
In police frame digital camera photos, McClain will also be heard telling police he was once going house, and that “I have a right to go where I am going.”
Woodyard positioned McClain in a carotid hang and he and the opposite two officers at the scene moved McClain by means of pressure to the grass and restrained him.
McClain will also be heard pleading with officers in police frame digital camera photos, announcing he can not breathe accurately.
“I’m so sorry. I have no gun, I don’t do that stuff. I don’t do fighting. Why are you taking me?” McClain will also be heard announcing in frame digital camera photos.
Elijah McClain in an undated picture.
McClain Family Photo
“I can’t breathe,” McClain mentioned, in line with the frame digital camera photos. He echoed those phrases a number of occasions.
When EMTs arrived on the scene, McClain was once given a shot of 500 milligrams of ketamine for “rapid tranquilization in order to minimize time struggling,” in line with division coverage, and was once loaded into an ambulance the place he had a middle assault, in line with investigators.
McClain was once declared brain-dead days later and died on Aug. 30, 2019.
McClain’s purpose of dying, which was once up to now indexed as “undetermined,” was once indexed in an amended post-mortem file as “complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint.” The means of dying remained indexed as “undetermined” because it was once in the preliminary file.
Woodyard’s employment by means of the police pressure is matter to a town constitution pending the result of his trial.
In the primary trial in reference to McClain’s dying, officer Randy Roedema was once discovered to blame on Oct. 12 of criminally negligent murder and attack in the 3rd stage. He will likely be sentenced in January and may just withstand 5 years in jail and be fined greater than $100,000. His employment with the police pressure was once terminated following his conviction closing month.
Another officer, Jason Rosenblatt, was once discovered now not to blame on fees of reckless manslaughter, attack in the second one stage and criminally negligent murder. His employment with the police pressure was once terminated in 2020.
ABC News’ Aisha Frazier contributed to this file.
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