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TOPLINE
As public pressure mounts over last year’s death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain in Aurora, Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday appointed a special prosecutor to investigate the case, marking the latest incident to rise to scrutiny nationwide over police use of force.
AURORA, CO – OCT. 1: LaWayne Mosley, left, father of Elijah McClain, speaks during a press … [+]
The Denver Post via Getty Images
KEY FACTS
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser will serve as special prosecutor.
District Attorney Dave Young previously declined to charge the officers involved last year and defended his decision Thursday, saying he could not “prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers involved in this incident were not justified in their actions based on what they knew at the time of this incident,” according to the Denver Post.
Aurora police stopped McClain on Aug. 24, 2019, after a 911 caller had reported him as suspicious.
McClain, who was listening to music and did not immediately comply with police orders to stop walking, was taken to the ground by officers trying to arrest him.
One used a carotid hold on him, and a paramedic injected him with ketamine, according to the Denver Post.
McClain suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital, and was pronounced dead on Aug. 30.
In recent weeks, following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police, the news of McClain’s death has reemerged amid a growing public outcry over police brutality.
Crucial Quote
“The pain, frustration, and anger that his family and many Coloradans are feeling from his death is understandable and justified. Whenever someone dies after an encounter with law enforcement, the community deserves a thorough investigation. Our investigation will be thorough, guided by the facts, and worthy of public trust and confidence in the criminal justice system,” Weiser said in a statement.
Key background
Floyd died on Memorial Day after a then Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for roughly 8 minutes, despite Floyd’s cries that he could not breath. Following an international outcry, and as protesters pushed to “defund the police,” municipalities across the country and members of Congress have been reexamining policing. While efforts in Congress to craft legislation have stalled amid partisan debate, some jurisdictions already have taken action. The Louisville Metro Council voted unanimously to ban no-knock police warrants, similar to the one issued by plainclothes officers who killed Taylor. Other cities are looking at banning or severely limiting the use of chokeholds and other neck restraints.
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