BRIGHTON, Colo. — The second former paramedic who was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain was sentenced to probation on Friday.

>> Read more trending news

Jeremy Cooper was sentenced to four years of probation and 14 months in a work release program, according to KMGH. He is expected to complete about 100 hours of public service under the work release program.

Cooper was facing three years in prison, according to The Associated Press. He was reportedly the one who had administrated the dose of the sedative ketamine to McClain before he died.

Cooper along with another former paramedic Peter Cichuniec, were both found guilty in December of criminally negligent homicide after administering a deadly dose of ketamine to McClain, according to KMGH

Cichuniec was sentenced to five years in prison in Colorado plus three years of parole, the news outlet reported. Both were facing additional charges of reckless manslaughter and second-degree assault with intent to cause bodily injury/causing serious bodily injury but a jury found them not guilty.

McClain, 23, was stopped on his way home from a convenience store on Aug. 24, 2019. by police, after someone called about a suspicious person, the AP reported. An officer claimed that McClain tried to reach for an officer’s gun, which prosecutors disputed. Another officer had put McClain in a neck hold that led to him being unconscious temporarily.

McClain was also pinned down before Cooper injected him with an overdose of ketamine. According to the AP, Cichuniec was a senior officer who said that he made the decision to use the ketamine.

Prosecutors claimed that the paramedics did not conduct basic medical checks on McClain before administering the ketamine, the AP reported. Experts testified that the dose that McClain was given was reportedly too much for someone weighing 140 pounds. Prosecutors also claimed that the paramedics did not monitor him after giving him the ketamine.

McClain died six days later, KDVR reported. A revised statement from the coroner said he died due to ketamine administration following forcible restraint.

© 2024 Cox Media Group