Colorado governor orders investigation reopened into Elijah McClain's death while in police custody


Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on Thursday signed an executive order directing the state attorney general reopen the investigation into the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old unarmed Black man who was killed last year after police put him into a chokehold.
"Elijah McClain should be alive today, and we owe it to his family to take this step and elevate the pursuit of justice in his name to a statewide concern," Polis said in a statement. There have been renewed calls for justice in the case following George Floyd's death late last month while in police custody.
On Aug. 24, McClain, a massage therapist, was walking down a street in Aurora, Colorado, after going to a store and buying iced tea. McClain had a blood disorder, and his sister, Samara McClain, said because he would get cold easily, he often wore a ski mask. Police received a call about McClain, with the person saying he looked "suspicious" because of the mask.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Police body camera footage captured an officer pulling over and approaching McClain, telling him he had "a right to stop you because you're being suspicious." Police said McClain fought back, and a second officer moved to restrain him. McClain is heard sobbing throughout the video, explaining that he was listening to music and was trying to turn it off when the officer approached him.
McClain begs for the officers to stop, and tells them, "Let go of me. I am an introvert. Please respect the boundaries that I am speaking." He is also heard saying several times, "I'm just different." An officer put him in a chokehold, and he was on the ground for 15 minutes, as officers and paramedics stood nearby. He eventually received an injection of the sedative ketamine, and suffered cardiac arrest while on the way to the hospital. Doctors declared him brain dead on Aug. 27, and he was removed from life support on Aug. 30.
A forensic pathologist was unable to determine the exact cause of death, but said "physical exertion during the confrontation likely contributed," The Associated Press reports. The three white officers involved in McClain's death were put on leave, but after District Attorney Dave Young said he did not see enough evidence to support charging them, they returned to the force. Polis' decision to reopen the case was applauded by Mari Newman, the McClain family attorney. "Clearly, Aurora has no intention of taking responsibility for murdering an innocent young man," she told AP. "Its entire effort is to defend its brutality at all costs, and to lie to the public it is supposed to serve. It is time for a responsible adult to step in."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Sail in style onboard the brand-new Explora II
The Week Recommends Hit the high seas on a luxury cruise from Barcelona to Rome
-
Is the EU funding Russia more than Ukraine?
The Explainer EU remains largest importer of Russian fossil fuels despite sanctions aimed at crippling Kremlin's war effort
-
Posh crisps: an 'elite' tier of snacking
The Week Recommends Hand-cooked and dusted in 'decadent' flavours, the humble potato chip is being elevated to new levels
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC parade
speed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack
-
2 Israel Embassy staff shot dead at DC Jewish museum
speed read The suspected gunman chanted 'free, free Palestine'
-
Bombing of fertility clinic blamed on 'antinatalist'
speed read A car bombing injured four people and damaged a fertility clinic and nearby buildings in Palm Springs, California
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attack
Speed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglers
speed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers
-
Judge ends Eric Adams case, Trump leverage
Speed Read Federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed, as requested by Trump's Justice Department
-
Texas arrests midwife on felony abortion charges
Speed Read Maria Margarita Rojas and an employee at one of her clinics are the first to be criminally charged under Texas' near-total abortion ban
-
South Carolina to execute prisoner by firing squad
speed read Death row inmate Brad Sigmon prefers the squad over the electric chair or lethal injection, his lawyer said