A trial related to the tragic death of Elijah McClain continued to unfold on Wednesday as Aurora officer Nathan Woodyard, accused of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, took the stand. He described the terrifying moments, citing the fear of never seeing his wife again that drove him to place the 23-year-old Black man in a neck hold. According to Woodyard, another officer alleged McClain had reached for a firearm, an assertion that has been unequivocally challenged by prosecutors and is unobservable in the body camera footage.
Defense attorneys for two other officers implicated in the incident have similarly used the alleged attempt to seize a gun as a foundation for their defense narrative. McClain’s untimely death in 2019 became a potent symbol for social justice protests triggered by the killing of George Floyd.
Woodyard’s counsel maintained that he was reacting based on the circumstances at the moment. Woodyard was the first officer to respond when a 911 distress call was placed by a teenager, reporting a “sketchy” individual. The person turned out to be McClain, who was merely enjoying music in his earbuds and rhythmically waving his arms as he walked home at night.
The interaction quickly took a sinister turn, escalating beyond control. Prosecutors argue that Officer Woodyard made physical contact with McClain unexpectedly, failing to explain the cause for the confrontation or introduce himself as an officer of the law. This sudden intervention startled McClain while trying to continue on his way home.
In his defense, Woodyard recounts that McClain was pushed up against a wall by himself and fellow officers, Jason Rosenblatt and Randy Roedema. At this point, he claims to have heard McClain exclaim, “I intend to take my power back,” followed by Roedema yelling out that McClain had attempted to seize a weapon.
Conversely, recent court proceedings have found Roedema guilty while acquitting Rosenblatt. During the mounting chaos, Woodyard attempted to exert control over McClain by applying a carotid control hold, which restrictive technique has since been prohibited in Colorado and numerous other states in the wake of Floyd’s murder.
According to prosecutors, the applied control hold didn’t only transiently render McClain unconscious but set off a sequence of significant medical issues. These concerns were exacerbated by the administration of a sedative overdose, which seemed to lead to McClain’s tragic demise.
The two paramedics involved in the case, Jeremy Cooper and Lt. Peter Cichuniec, deny the charges and their trial is set to go ahead later this month.
Woodyard stated that McClain signaled his difficulty with breathing following the hold, prompting the officer to remove his mask. McClain was then placed on his side in what is known as the recovery position. Overwhelmed by what had transpired, Woodyard removed himself from the situation and when his supervisor arrived, the shaken officer was advised to take a break.
The prosecution, however, proposes that Woodyard’s focus was more on possible administrative implications rather than addressing McClain’s deteriorating health condition. This narrative was further supported by evidence of Woodyard pulling Rosenblatt aside upon returning on the scene, placing them outside the purview of any body cameras.
As McClain’s condition worsened, Roedema, proposed a plan of action to facilitate McClain’s relocation to a stretcher once the sedative had taken full effect. However, despite offering his assistance, Woodyard has been accused of doing nothing to aid McClain in a crucial time.
Woodyard denies any neglect of duty, stating he was not focusing on McClain at the time. The tragic events of that fateful night continue to reverberate through the courtroom, reminding everyone of the value of life, the importance of duty, and the significant implications of a single moment in time.
