Former paramedic sentenced to 4 years probation in police-stop killing of Elijah McClain
April 26 (UPI) -- Former first responder Jeremy Cooper was sentenced Friday to four years probation for the the death of Elijah McClain.
He's the final of three men to be sentenced in McClain's death.
District Court Judge Mark Warner imposed the sentence, which includes 14 months in jail with work-release and 100 hours of community service.
His sentence will begin June 7.
"The life of Elijah McClain mattered, and matters," Warner said. "It's almost unthinkable, the way things rolled out and the facts and circumstances in this case."
Cooper was convicted of negligent homicide in the 2019 killing after paramedics used ketamine to sedate McClain, 23, during a police encounter in Aurora, Colo.
McClain, who was Black, was unarmed and not accused of breaking any laws when he was killed.
Cooper had faced up to three years in prison. Warner, in passing the sentence, said that while Cooper had injected McClain with more ketamine than protocol for a person his size, Cooper had shown remorse and was not likely to commit crimes in the future.
Cooper and co-defendant Peter Cichuniec were found guilty of negligent homicide in December. Cichuniec got five years for assault and another year for the criminally negligent homicide charge.
They were found to have improperly treated McClain before and after he was given ketamine.
After the December verdicts, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said, "Elijah did nothing wrong that evening. His life mattered and he should be here today. Accountability does not end with these trials. Too many times we have seen people die when officers unnecessarily escalate situations that don't call for the use of force."
McClain was confronted by police after a 911 caller reported him as "suspicious." An officer grabbed him within seconds and forced him to the ground, where he was held in a position that cut off oxygen to his brain for a short time.
Cooper administered ketamaine to sedate him after McClain became upset while handcuffed and restrained on the ground for about 10 minutes. McClain died when his heart stopped after the ketamine dose.
Former Colorado police officer Randy Roedema was sentenced to 14 months in prison and four years probation for his role in McClain's death.
Former officer Jason Rosenblatt was acquitted in the case.
