Colorado Court of Appeals reverses convictions for former paramedics in Elijah McClain’s death The Colorado Court of Appeals has reversed the criminally negligent homicide convictions for two former paramedics, Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, in the death of Elijah McClain. The court has remanded both men for a new trial on that charge, though Cichuniec’s conviction for assault-unlawful administration of drugs was affirmed. McClain died in 2019 after being forcibly restrained and injected with ketamine by the paramedics following a police stop.

• The Colorado Court of Appeals overturned the criminally negligent homicide convictions for paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec in the death of Elijah McClain.
• The court ordered new trials for both paramedics on the charge of criminally negligent homicide.
• Cichuniec’s conviction for second-degree assault-unlawful administration of drugs was affirmed.
• Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, died in 2019 after being stopped by police, forcibly restrained, and injected with ketamine by paramedics.
• A jury had convicted Cooper and Cichuniec of criminally negligent homicide in December 2023.
• The Colorado Attorney General’s office intends to defend the convictions on appeal.
• Two other officers involved in the incident were acquitted, while one, Randy Roedema, was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and assault and has appealed his conviction.