Paramedics on Trial for Negligence and Overdose Death of Elijah McClain

Two paramedics in Colorado are facing trial for the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died in 2019 after being forcibly restrained by police and injected with a powerful sedative. The prosecutor argued that the paramedics "did nothing" to help McClain and instead administered an overdose of ketamine, while the defense attorney sought to shift blame to the officers. The trial is significant as it is rare for medical first responders to face criminal charges. McClain's case gained renewed attention during the social justice protests following George Floyd's murder, leading to the indictment of the paramedics and three officers. Two officers were acquitted, and the third was convicted. The amended coroner's report found that McClain died from complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint.