Randy Roedema argued that he suffered anxiety and fear of being attacked while serving a work-release sentence at Adams County jail.ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — A former police officer convicted in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain will continue serving his sentence in a jail work-release program, rather than on in-home detention, 9NEWS Investigates has learned.
In a ruling made on June 21, the judge who presided over the three trials of first responders accused of wrongdoing in McClain’s death deferred a decision on the request indefinitely. District Judge Mark Warner made the decision after concluding that he did not have jurisdiction to rule on the request because Roedema had appealed his conviction.Roedema’s attorneys had filed a motion with the appeals court seeking an order that would give Warner the power to rule on the request.
Two paramedics then injected McClain with the sedative Ketamine, and a short time later his heart stopped.The jury that found Roedema guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault, and also acquitted another officer involved in the incident.A third jury convicted paramedic Peter Cichuniec of second-degree assault and criminally negligent homicide and paramedic Jeremy Cooper of criminally negligent homicide.