Colorado paramedics convicted in the death of Elijah McClain
NBCDec 30, 2023
Paramedic Jailed for Elijah McClain Death
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The Facts
Peter Cichuniec, a Colorado paramedic, was on Friday sentenced to five years in prison for second degree assault after he was convicted in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain — a 23-year-old Black man who died after being forcibly restrained by police and injected with a powerful sedative
Cichuniec was one of two paramedics found guilty of criminally negligent homicide for administering a fatal dose of ketamine to McClain. In addition to the five years for assault, he was also given a one-year sentence for the homicide charge, to be served concurrently. He was further sentenced to three years of probation.
The Spin
Left narrative
This verdict sets an example in public safety and sends a strong message that no matter the profession, no one complicit in police brutality is immune from criminal prosecution. McClain was administered an overdose of ketamine in an encounter that should have never happened in the first place. While paramedics are largely protected from liability while treating people in emergencies, this unparalleled trial shows they will be held accountable for callously disregarding the life of an innocent man.
Right narrative
What happened to McClain is a tragedy, but it's wrong to punish the paramedic for making a split-second decision to subdue and calm a suspect, with no intent to hurt him. It's unfair to hold Cichuniec responsible or sacrifice medical discretion in the hunt for accountability in McClain's death. Convicting a paramedic isn't justice. It's the very definition of a scapegoat. This could have a chilling effect on first responders and give paramedics pause when rendering aid in their line of duty.
