DENVER (KDVR) -- Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a 32-count indictment in the death of Elijah McClain on Wednesday.
The indictment is against Aurora police officers Nathan Woodyard and Randy Roedema, former Aurora police officer Jason Rosenblatt, Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec for their alleged conduct on the night of Aug. 24, 2019 that resulted in the death of McClain.
Each of the five defendants face one count of manslaughter and one count of criminally negligent homicide.
Weiser said officers Rodema and Rosenblatt also face a count of second-degree assault with the intent to cause bodily injury and caused serious bodily injury to McClain. Both also face one count of a crime of violence.
In addition to the manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges, paramedics Cooper and Cichuniec also face one count of second-degree assault with intent to cause bodily injury and caused bodily injury. As well as one count of second-degree assault for recklessly causing serious injury by means of a deadly weapon-- ketamine.
The paramedics also face one count of second-degree assault for a purpose other than medical or therapeutic treatment intentionally causing stupor unconsciousness or other physical or mental impairment or injury to McClain by administering ketamine without consent.
Cooper and Cichuniec also face two counts of crimes of violence related to each of the assault charges, Weiser announced.
Weiser said his office is filing the indictment in Adams County District Court and it will be unsealed.
Weiser spoke with McClain's father, LaWayne Mosley, Tuesday. He reportedly wept tears of joy at the news the Colorado Attorney General would be issuing indictments.
“Nothing will bring back my son, but I am thankful that his killers will finally be held accountable," shared LaWayne Mosley.
“For far too long, racist and brutal police across this country have acted as though the law does not apply to them. This indictment serves as a powerful reminder to all members of law enforcement that no one is above the law,” Mosley's attorney, Mari Newman, said.
McClain died in 2019 after an altercation with three police officers and after being sedated with ketamine.
Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order in June 2020, assigning Weiser as a special prosecutor to investigate McClain’s death.
He made the order months after Dave Young, the former District Attorney for the 17th Judicial District, declined to file any criminal charges and after local and national protests over McClain’s death were spurred by a Minnesota police officer’s murder of George Floyd.
Colorado’s Attorney General announced he had handed the McClain case over to a grand jury in January 2021.
The investigations "need to be thorough. They need to inspire public confidence," Polis said at the time. "I'm confident that the process is in place to do so with a special prosecutor. These are decisions that need to be well done rather than done too quickly."
The FOX31 Problem Solvers have done extensive investigations into McClain’s death.
Catch up with the investigation here:
- What happened to Elijah McClain: Problem Solvers investigate | Watch full half-hour program
- Elijah McClain investigation results expected in early February
- Colorado lawmaker meets with grassroots group drafting ketamine legislation
- State health dept. delays ketamine review plans, AG continues McClain case investigation
- Coroner who handled Elijah McClain case will not renew Broomfield contract
- Federal excessive force lawsuit filed in ketamine case that received national attention
- Governor makes another amendment to Elijah McClain executive order
- Results of Aurora’s Elijah McClain investigation on track for presentation
- 3 fired Aurora officers in McClain photo scandal appealing their terminations
- Aurora mayor’s name added to lawsuit, accused of retaliation
- Aurora’s Elijah McClain investigation results could come next year
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