Authorities in Aurora, Colorado, announced Friday that the three police officers involved in the death of Elijah McClain, 23, last year were reassigned and are off the streets for their own protection, as the McClain case attracts the national attention.
CBS News reports that officers Nathan Woodyard, Jason Rosenblatt and Randy Roedema have prohibited the transition to work in a non-compliance capacity.
A city spokesperson told CBS News that two of the officers, Woodyard and Rosenblatt, were transferred on June 13, while Roedma was transferred on June 20.
“This was done in an effort to protect those officers,” said the spokesman.
Changes follow the governor. Jared Polis
Jared Schutz Polis Elijah McClain’s mother says he was “killed” after Governor assigns special prosecutor Colorado Governor orders officials to reexamine Elijah McClain’s death in police custody Colorado Governor signs bill of police reform that ends qualified immunity and prohibits bottlenecks MORE‘s (D) Announcement that State Attorney General Phil Weiser (D) would re-investigate the case as Special Prosecutor after more than 3 million people signed a petition demanding that the case be reviewed.
McClain, a black man who worked as a massage therapist, was arrested by police the night of August 24 while walking home from a convenience store. Police had been called in for “suspicious” activities when McClain walked with his face covered, something the family said he did to help his social anxiety and keep him warm while suffering from anemia.
Dave Young, the district attorney originally in the case, said McClain rejected multiple requests from the officer to stop him. But McClain’s family says body camera images show he was listening to music when police tried to stop him and did not immediately hear orders.
McClain’s last words include saying, “I’m an introvert. I’m just different. That’s all. I’m so sorry. I don’t have a gun. I don’t do those things. I don’t fight. Why do you attack me? I don’t even kill flies! I don’t eat meat! But I don’t judge people, I don’t judge people who eat meat. Forgive me … I’m so sorry. “
He was held in a choke before vomiting. The police then injected him with ketamine to sedate him, causing a heart attack. He was pronounced dead three days later, after being declared brain dead.
Friends and family say McClain was a sweet soul who was known to volunteer to play the cat fiddle at the local animal shelter, hoping it would reassure them.
Her story has drawn national attention after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, as well as national protests against racism and police brutality.
“He not only cured others, but he cured himself,” Elijah’s mother Sheneen McClain said in an interview this week. “She was able to accept love and give love in different ways.”
She added: “They killed him. They are thugs with badges.”
The petition demanding that the case be reviewed specifically requested that the officers involved in McClain’s death be removed from service.
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