Posted on Dec 19, 2023
Two Aurora paramedics charged in Elijah McClain’s death defend actions, say police officers hurt...
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Both paramedics on trial for giving Elijah McClain an overdose of ketamine took the stand in their own defense on Monday saying police officers on the scene didn’t allow them to treat McClain effectively and they didn’t fully tell them about McClain’s condition -- including that he had received a carotid hold.
Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper, each facing reckless manslaughter and assault charges in McClain’s death, told an Adams County jury they followed their protocol for treating a person suffering from excited delirium — even though neither of them appeared to have observed anything except McClain handcuffed laying on the grass, struggling with officers on top of him.
Both Aurora Fire Rescue Capt. Cichuniec, a paramedic, and Cooper, a fire medic, gave McClain an overdose of ketamine -- almost 50 percent more than he should have received for his body weight.
Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper, each facing reckless manslaughter and assault charges in McClain’s death, told an Adams County jury they followed their protocol for treating a person suffering from excited delirium — even though neither of them appeared to have observed anything except McClain handcuffed laying on the grass, struggling with officers on top of him.
Both Aurora Fire Rescue Capt. Cichuniec, a paramedic, and Cooper, a fire medic, gave McClain an overdose of ketamine -- almost 50 percent more than he should have received for his body weight.
Two Aurora paramedics charged in Elijah McClain’s death defend actions, say police officers hurt...
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Aurora
Police
Law Enforcement
Posted 4 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."“In 2019, we had no policy in place,” Cichuniec said. “It was always said, once they come out of handcuffs, then they're our patient. Until then, APD, it is their scene. It is, they're in control.”
Earlier in the trial, a supervisor from the Aurora Police Department, Sgt. Dale Leonard testified they did not — and would not ever — stop medics from helping a defendant on a scene.
Cooper and Cichuniec both told the jury on Monday that they didn’t know that McClain had been given two carotid holds by officers, which cut blood flow off to his brain.
Prosecutors played body camera footage of Leonard on the scene relaying to Cooper and Cichuniec that McClain had gotten the carotid holds, but on Monday neither said they remembered that moment amid the chaos that night.
Cooper said he twice tried to help McClain and touch him physically, and he was rebuffed by officers.
Once, he said he tried to get in near McClain’s head and right then, McClain was “body-slammed” by officers. Cooper then can be heard saying to officers that they should just “leave McClain there” on the ground until the ambulance arrived.
“That was my attempt to de-escalate things,” Cooper said. “Obviously now they're using violent control methods. I didn't want that to happen anymore.”
The second time Cooper said he tried to help McClain, an officer was near McClain’s legs and complained he was cramping up. Cooper said he moved to go take the officer's place in order to get closer to McClain but was physically rebuffed by officers, though none of that could be seen or heard on the body-worn camera footage.
“Are you telling this jury that you did not have the ability to make any medical decisions for Mr. McClain?” Slothouber asked him.
Cooper replied, “I'm not sure if I had legal authority to stop their actions, so I was trying my best to de-escalate.”
The defense plans on calling an additional witness on Tuesday starting at 8:30 a.m."
..."“In 2019, we had no policy in place,” Cichuniec said. “It was always said, once they come out of handcuffs, then they're our patient. Until then, APD, it is their scene. It is, they're in control.”
Earlier in the trial, a supervisor from the Aurora Police Department, Sgt. Dale Leonard testified they did not — and would not ever — stop medics from helping a defendant on a scene.
Cooper and Cichuniec both told the jury on Monday that they didn’t know that McClain had been given two carotid holds by officers, which cut blood flow off to his brain.
Prosecutors played body camera footage of Leonard on the scene relaying to Cooper and Cichuniec that McClain had gotten the carotid holds, but on Monday neither said they remembered that moment amid the chaos that night.
Cooper said he twice tried to help McClain and touch him physically, and he was rebuffed by officers.
Once, he said he tried to get in near McClain’s head and right then, McClain was “body-slammed” by officers. Cooper then can be heard saying to officers that they should just “leave McClain there” on the ground until the ambulance arrived.
“That was my attempt to de-escalate things,” Cooper said. “Obviously now they're using violent control methods. I didn't want that to happen anymore.”
The second time Cooper said he tried to help McClain, an officer was near McClain’s legs and complained he was cramping up. Cooper said he moved to go take the officer's place in order to get closer to McClain but was physically rebuffed by officers, though none of that could be seen or heard on the body-worn camera footage.
“Are you telling this jury that you did not have the ability to make any medical decisions for Mr. McClain?” Slothouber asked him.
Cooper replied, “I'm not sure if I had legal authority to stop their actions, so I was trying my best to de-escalate.”
The defense plans on calling an additional witness on Tuesday starting at 8:30 a.m."
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