Former paramedic Jeremy Cooper, one of the two paramedics involved in the death of Elijah McClain, has been sentenced to four years of probation, including 14 months in jail. Cooper injected McClain with ketamine before his death in 2019. McClain, a Black man, died after being forcibly restrained by police in a Denver suburb. The sentencing of Cooper comes after a series of trials that resulted in the convictions of a police officer and another paramedic. McClain's mother, Sheneen McClain, believes that justice has not been served and that other firefighters and police on the scene were complicit in her son's killing. The convictions in this case are seen as a result of the nationwide reckoning over racist policing and deaths in police custody sparked by George Floyd's murder in 2020. The acquittals of the two officers involved in McClain's death were unsurprising, as juries are often reluctant to second guess the actions of police and first responders. Since McClain's death, many departments and paramedic units have reexamined how they treat suspects, but it may take years to determine the effectiveness of these efforts. The protests over McClain's death and Floyd's death led to state legislation to curb the use of neck holds and chokeholds by police. Cooper's attorneys did not comment on the sentencing. The Colorado health department has instructed paramedics not to administer ketamine to people suspected of having excited delirium, a definition that has been criticized as unscientific and rooted in racism. Racial justice advocates believe that change is not happening quickly enough.
Eric Garner, an African American man, died 10 years ago on July 17, 2014, after being put in a chokehold by a white New York City police officer. Garner's death, captured on bystander video, sparked protests and became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement. The phrase 'I can't breathe' became synonymous with police brutality. Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, led a march in Staten Island to honor her son and continue the fight for justice. Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who used the banned chokehold, was fired in 2019 but faced no criminal charges. Garner's family settled a lawsuit against New York City for $5.9 million and sought a judicial inquiry into his death in 2021. Alvin Bragg, a civil rights lawyer who represented Garner's family, praised their commitment to using Garner's legacy for change. The anniversary of Garner's death serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight against police brutality and the need for justice and reform.