Jason Rosenblatt, a police officer accused of reckless manslaughter and assault against Elijah McClain, was acquitted of all charges on October 12. Another officer named Randy Roedema was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault.
On August 24, 2019, Elijah McClain was headed home from a gas station while dancing to his music when police were called on him for “suspicious activity.” The police later arrived and restrained him with a chokehold, and the paramedics who arrived at the scene injected him with ketamine. He had a cardiac arrest three days later. Some paramedics claim that the cardiac arrest was not connected to what happened to him, but many suspect that the abuse he went through prior did lead to his death.
The Aurora police department didn’t release audio or body cam footage until October 2019, when Elijah was killed in August. They claimed that Elijah McClain “began to resist the officer contact and a struggle then ensued.”
On November 22, 2019, it was decided that the two police officers in the McClain case would not be charged with anything, outraging Elijah’s family and supporters.
“This case is a textbook example of law enforcement’s disparate and racist treatment of black men,” McClain’s family and lawyer, Mari Newman said to ABC News in a joint statement.
Elijah McClain was born in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood and he had five brothers and sisters while growing up in Aurora, which his family moved to to escape gun violence. He was a 23 year old massage therapist who had such a love for animals that he would play the guitar and the violin for stray cats and became a vegetarian. Friends and family described him as a loving, caring man who was always there for them when they needed him. He was a peacemaker, an athlete, an oddball, a pacifist, and a spiritual seeker who was very gentle and kind.
His sister Samara said in an interview with The Denver Post, “He was a really good person, if you tried to fight with him he would just say I love you and walk away.”
He was also known for being an amazing co-worker. he would regularly sing and dance at work, brightening the mood for everybody. He would also draw paintings for his colleagues, he was always grateful for everybody. When he wasn’t playing instruments for kittens, he was always running and exercising outside. He was always fully booked at work because people loved him, so much so that he was described as a healer.
“He would do anything to help out anybody and he would do anything to better his life. He was constantly trying to learn and grow his knowledge. He was inspired by everything and that inspired me,” said co-worker James Vigil, with The Guardian.
Elijah McClain didn’t have to try to be different, he marched to the beat of his own drum for most of his life. He was a very unique, eclectic person who loved music, especially jazz and blues, but he was so open mined that he listened to different types of music all the time. He also liked playing video games with friends.
“Even his gamer tag was a perfect example of who he was. His gamer tag was ‘Purposely Guided’. I felt like he lived like that,” said one of his friends, Eric Behrens.
Hundreds of people remember McClain, whether it was a client or, even, his bus driver, they were all on a first-name basis with him, and they all recall his sweet and charming personality and the ray of sunshine he was every single day.
Elijah McClain passed away in 2019, but his case gained popularity in 2020 following the death of George Floyd. Over 800,000 people signed a petition to reopen his case since everybody involved in his death was initially acquitted of all charges. Later, a state investigation was announced into Elijah McClain’s death.
“He wanted to change the world, and it’s crazy because he ended up doing it anyway.” Said his mother, Sheenan McClain to Sentinel Colorado.
McClain’s life and death helped people empower themselves and others to stand up for what’s right so that they could seek justice for not only Elijah McClain but for thousands of others who are killed only because of their race.
