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Jeremy Cooper is the final person of the three men convicted in McClain’s death to be sentenced.
AURORA, Colorado — The third and final sentencing hearing related to the 2019 death of Elijah McClain is set for Friday afternoon in Adams County.
Former Aurora Fire Rescue paramedic Jeremy Cooper was convicted in December 2023 of criminally negligent homicide but acquitted on other charges. He’s due in court at 1:30 p.m. for a sentencing hearing and faces probation on the low end to a maximum of three years behind bars.
In September 2021, a statewide grand jury indicted Cooper and fellow paramedic Peter Cichuniec in McClain’s death. They went to trial together and were both convicted. Cichuniec was sentenced in March to five years in prison.
McClain was first contacted by three Aurora officers near East Colfax Avenue and Billings Street on Aug. 24, 2019, after someone called 911 about a man who was “suspicious” and wearing a ski mask. Within seconds of contacting McClain, the first officer grabbed him, and a struggle ensued. McClain was forcibly taken to the ground and placed in a carotid hold, which cut off oxygen to his brain for a short time.
He was then handcuffed and restrained on the ground for roughly 10 minutes before Cooper injected him with the ketamine. His heart stopped and he later died.
At the time, the Adams County district attorney declined to charge anyone in connection with McClain’s death. However, in 2020, after numerous questions were raised about the incident, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis appointed Attorney General Phil Weiser as special prosecutor, and he reopened the investigation. He took the case to a statewide grand jury which returned an indictment against Cooper, Cichuniec, and three Aurora Police officers.
The paramedics were the last of five to go to trial. In the first trial, a jury returned a split verdict for Aurora officers Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt. Roedema was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. That same jury acquitted Rosenblatt of all charges.
In January, Roedema was sentenced to 14 months in jail – and began his sentence on March 23. He’s recently appealed his conviction.
Officer Nathan Woodyard was acquitted in a separate trial – and briefly returned to the department.
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