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| |  | A mural of Elijah McClain, painted by Thomas "Detour" Evans, on the back side of the Epic Brewing building in Denver. (Hyoung Chang/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) |
| Retrial Ordered in Elijah McClain Case | A Colorado appeals court has overturned the homicide convictions for the two paramedics convicted in Elijah McClain’s death, prompting new trials and reigniting debate over police accountability, paramedics’ medical protocols, and justice for the Black community. [AP News] | - The 2019 incident: Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist was walking home from a convenience store when a 911 caller reported that a “sketchy” Black man was walking in the neighborhood. Three Aurora police officers put McClain in a neckhold, who was listening to music on his earbuds, and paramedics Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper injected him with ketamine. He suffered a cardiac arrest, and was taken off life support three days later.
- The first trial’s outcome: In 2023, prosecutors argued the paramedics failed to perform basic medical checks before subduing McClain, and expert witnesses testified the dose given was excessive for his size. Cooper and Cichuniec were convicted of criminally negligent homicide. Cichuniec also received a five-year assault conviction that was later reduced to four years probation. Cooper avoided prison and instead served 14 months in jail with work release and probation.
- Thursday’s reversal: The appeals court last week ordered the new trials citing inadequate jury instructions, determining that the judge in the 2023 case didn’t properly clarify the standard of care required from paramedics, which the judge determined caused jury confusion. [9News]
- McClain’s legacy: Following his death, the Aurora Police Department was investigated and a consent decree was agreed to between the City of Aurora and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser in 2021. With the decree’s end date in early 2027, there are looming concerns that Aurora PD still has not properly addressed its use-of-force policies, changed hiring practices to reflect the city’s diversity, or resolved issues within APD’s culture. These concerns come in light of the police killings of three people in mental health crises in Aurora in the last year. [City of Aurora; Denver Post; 9News]
- What’s next: AG Weiser plans to appeal the latest court decision, which could delay the new trial for the paramedics.
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| What Denver's Talking About |
|  | Should Denver enforce age requirements for e-scooters and bikes? (RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) |
| 🛴Lack of Checks for Denver E-Scooter Age Requirement Under Fire | Despite the 18-and-older age requirement for Veo scooters and e-bikes — Denver’s new micromobility provider — many kids and teens are riding them anyway, leading to accidents and safety concerns near schools. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has acknowledged that “age verification has never been required,” and Veo maintains that they have not identified a widespread issue with underage riders in Denver. [Denverite] | | 🏗️ Auraria Launches First On-Campus Housing | The Auraria campus has begun construction on an $80 million, seven-story apartment building with 176 income-restricted units for people earning 60% to 100% of the area median income. The building marks the campus’s first public apartment project and aims to support students, faculty, and staff in need of affordable housing options. [Denver Post] | | ⛔ Bow Mar Wants to Close the Gates on Denver and Littleton | The town of Bow Mar plans to install gates along public roads, such as South Sheridan Boulevard, that would restrict non-resident access. Citing public safety concerns, the mayors of Denver and Littleton are threatening reciprocal road closures. The three mayors have been deadlocked on a resolution for weeks. [Denverite] | | 📋 Historic Highs in State Teacher License Revocations, Suspensions | Teacher license revocations in Colorado have surged in the last five years, with 31 licenses lost in 2022 hitting a record high. Nearly half of all revoked or suspended licenses since 2000 involve sex offenses. Experts say the high rate is likely due to better reporting, new laws, and more high-profile abuse cases, and not necessarily more teacher misconduct taking place. Additionally, this upswing in the state is not mirrored nationally. [Denver Post] |
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The comedy world can’t get enough of our Republican gubernatorial primary. In a recent episode of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” the comedian spoofed the tense words between 9News debate moderator Kyle Clark and candidate Victor Marx, who recently said he had “one of the most extraordinary lives in human history.” Oliver had some thoughts on who “won” that exchange on the debate stage. Give it a watch 🥴 |
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