Judge Mark Warner sentenced former Colorado police officer Randy Roedema to 14 months in prison and four years in probation for his role in the death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain.
The Black man lost his life in 2018 after he was subdued by law enforcement personnel and injected with ketamine against his will. After Roedema's sentencing, McClain's mother, Sheneen, called the jail term and probation "a slap on the wrist" for the death of her son.
Randy Roedema's Sentencing
In her statement, she said that the ruling was not justice and was not accountability. Outside of the court, Sheneen added that they are not valued by the system, noting that the entire situation was about "good versus evil."
Last year, the former Colorado police officer was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and assault in the death of McClain. A second officer, identified as Jason Rosenblatt, was acquitted of all charges, including reckless manslaughter and assault, in the same trial, as per CNN.
In 2020, the second officer was fired by the police department and Roedema was suspended and later fired after his conviction. The latter will serve a 14-month jail sentence on the assault conviction and will serve 90 days in jail for criminally negligent homicide, which is concurrent with the first sentence, plus four years of probation.
During the former police officer's first public statements since the death of the 23-year-old Black man, Roedema offered his "deepest condolences" to the young man's family. He added that he often thinks of what could have been done differently the night of the incident.
Roedema called McClain's death a "horrible outcome that nobody intended or wanted." He did not testify during his trial nor were his police interviews following the incident entered into evidence during court proceedings.
Elijah McClain's Death
During the sentencing, the judge said that the court was shocked by what appeared to be indifference to McClain's suffering after he was taken into custody and placed in handcuffs. Warner added that it was crucial for people to be aware that criminally negligent homicide is not considered a violent crime, according to ABC News.
Judge Warner added that on top of Roedema being placed under probation for four years, he is also required to serve 200 hours of community service. The sentencing came after a jury found the former Colorado police officer guilty on Oct. 13 in the first trial concerning McClain's death.
Sheneen was calling for the maximum sentence possible for her son's killer, adding that their communities could not know peace until the Justice Department holds their own enforcers accountable for their actions.
Roedema's sentencing comes a month after a jury convicted two paramedics who injected McClain with a powerful sedative while he was in police custody. In total, five men were prosecuted in the Black man's case and three have been convicted.
Sheneen also called Roedema a "bully with a badge," saying that it was clear to her that the former police officer "was not taught the valuable lessons of life's purpose," said the New York Times.
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