SMDH. The old, dusty self-defense argument seemed to come through for Aurora officer Nathan Woodyard, who put Elijah McClain in a chokehold after he allegedly tried to grab his firearm. He’s the second officer charged in connection to the killing to walk free.
Woodyard was the first officer to approach McClain that fateful night in August of 2019. Authorities say McClain was walking home from the convenience store when someone called 911 to report him as a suspicious-looking Black man. Within eight seconds of exiting his patrol car, Woodyard ran up on McClain and immediately tried to grab him, prosecutors argued. Per USA TODAY’s report, they also claim that instead of de-escalating the situation, Woodyard made the situation more intense as he tackled McClain to the ground and placed him the now-banned carotid artery control hold which rendered him temporarily unconscious.
Woodyard testified with tears in his eyes that he restrained McClain out of self-defense.
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Last week, Woodyard testified he put McClain in the carotid control hold because he feared for his life. He said he had heard McClain say, “I intend to take my power back,” and another officer said, “He just grabbed your gun, dude.”
Prosecutors say McClain never tried to grab an officer’s weapon, and it can’t be seen in body camera footage.
Woodyard’s attorneys main angle was to separate their client from the paramedics who administered a fatal dose of ketamine to McClain, the report says. Though, prosecutors claim McClain’s condition began to deteriorate from his interaction with Woodyard and his two colleagues and also because Woodyard failed to perform a medical follow-up.
In the end, the jury returned a not guilty verdict, unconvinced that the cop’s actions met the definition of homicide and manslaughter.
Officer Randy Roedema was also charged in the death and was convicted of criminally negligent homicide. Officer Jason Rosenblatt was charged with the same crime in addition to reckless manslaughter but was acquitted last month, per the report. The paramedics are still awaiting trial but Monday’s verdict meant defeat for McClain’s mother.
“My son was murdered by killer cops and their accomplices. And the system, the justice system, allows them to continue with their crimes,” said Sheneen, McClain’s mother, via NBC.