Acquittal: Aurora Officer Found Not Guilty in Elijah McClain's Death
Aurora Police Officer Nathan Woodyard has been acquitted of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died after an encounter with first responders in 2019. Woodyard is one of three officers and two paramedics charged in the case. The trial against the other officers resulted in a split verdict, while the paramedics' trial is scheduled to begin later this month. Prosecutors argued that Woodyard escalated the situation and ignored de-escalation policies, while the defense claimed he entrusted McClain's care to his fellow officer and the paramedics. The jury deliberated for about a day-and-a-half before reaching their verdict.