Current:Home > StocksJudge frees Colorado paramedic convicted in death of Elijah McClain from prison-LoTradeCoin
Judge frees Colorado paramedic convicted in death of Elijah McClain from prison
View Date:2024-12-23 19:45:39
DENVER (AP) — A Colorado paramedic convicted in the death of Elijah McClain, a Black man whose name became part of the rallying cries for social justice that swept the U.S. in 2020, is being released from prison after a judge reduced his sentence to four years of probation Friday.
Judge Mark Warner ruled that “unusual and extenuating circumstances” in the case justified reducing the five-year prison sentence for Peter Cichuniec, The Denver Post reported.
Warner is the same judge who sentenced Cichuniec to prison in March.
McClain was walking down the street in a Denver suburb in 2019 when police responding to a suspicious person report forcibly restrained him and put him in a neck hold. His final words — “I can’t breathe” — foreshadowed those of George Floyd a year later in Minneapolis.
Cichuniec and a fellow paramedic were convicted in December of criminally negligent homicide for injecting McClain with ketamine, a powerful sedative blamed for killing the 23-year-old massage therapist. Cichuniec also was convicted on a more serious charge of second-degree assault for giving a drug without consent or a legitimate medical purpose.
McClain’s death and others have raised questions about the use of ketamine to subdue struggling suspects, and the prosecution sent shock waves through the ranks of paramedics across the U.S.
“After considering the evidence, a statewide grand jury indicted Cichuniec and a jury of his peers found him guilty of his criminal acts that led to the death of Elijah McClain. We are disappointed the court reduced his sentence today, but we respect the court’s decision,” the office of Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser said in a statement.
Colorado’s mandatory sentencing law allows a court to modify a sentence after a defendant has served least 119 days in prison if the judge finds the case is exceptional and involves “unusual and extenuating circumstances.”
McClain’s mother, Sheneen McClain, declined via email to comment Friday. In March she celebrated the original sentence handed down by the judge as she left the courtroom that day, raising her fist in the air.
veryGood! (719)
Related
- Suicides in the US military increased in 2023, continuing a long-term trend
- Two 80-something journalists tried ChatGPT. Then, they sued to protect the ‘written word’
- US, Canada and Finland look to build more icebreakers to counter Russia in the Arctic
- Iranian court orders US to pay $6.7 billion after sanctions allegedly stopped special bandage supply
- Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul press conference highlights: 'Problem Child' goads 'Iron Mike'
- He was orphaned in the Holocaust and never met any family. Now he has cousins, thanks to DNA tests
- The Aspark Owl Hypercar just destroyed the Rimac Nevera's top speed record. Is it the fastest EV ever?
- Gen Z is trading degrees for tool belts. Trade school benefits outweigh college costs.
- Horoscopes Today, November 11, 2024
- Louisiana lawmakers work to address ‘silent danger’ of thousands of dead and beetle-infested trees
Ranking
- Man gets a life sentence in the shotgun death of a New Mexico police officer
- Government power in the US is a swirl of checks and balances, as a recent Supreme Court ruling shows
- More than 1 million Houston-area customers still without power after Beryl
- Blown landing-gear tire causes a flight delay at Tampa International Airport; no injuries reported
- Worker trapped under rubble after construction accident in Kentucky
- Big Lots to close 35 to 40 stores this year amid 'doubt' the company can survive
- Scarlett Johansson says 'Poor Things' gave her hope for 'Fly Me to the Moon'
- Mirage Casino closing this month, but it has $1.6 million in prizes to pay out first
Recommendation
-
Watch out, Temu: Amazon Haul, Amazon's new discount store, is coming for the holidays
-
Olivia Munn's Newsroom Costar Sam Waterston Played This Special Role in Her Wedding to John Mulaney
-
The request for federal aid after Beryl opens rift between White House and Texas
-
RHOC's Shannon Beador Slams Tamra Judge for Lack of Support After DUI Arrest
-
Texas mother sentenced to 50 years for leaving kids in dire conditions as son’s body decomposed
-
A stegosaurus nicknamed Apex will be auctioned in New York. Its remains show signs of arthritis
-
In the South, Sea Level Rise Accelerates at Some of the Most Extreme Rates on Earth
-
Bonds have been sinking. Do they still have a place in your retirement account?