Paramedics Convicted in Elijah McClain's Death

Verdict Could Set Precedent for Emergency Personnel Responding to Situations with People in Police Custody

Two paramedics, Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, have been found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died in 2019 after being injected with a fatal dose of the sedative ketamine.
Cichuniec was also found guilty on one of two second-degree assault charges, while Cooper was acquitted of the assault charges.
The case has been seen as potentially setting a precedent for how emergency personnel respond to situations with people in police custody, with some experts suggesting it could make first responders hesitant in their actions.
The International Association of Fire Fighters has criticized the charges, arguing that they criminalize split-second medical decisions and set a dangerous precedent for pre-hospital care.
Following the convictions, the city of Aurora announced that both paramedics have been fired.