A judge in Colorado has modified the five-year prison sentence for a paramedic, Peter Cichuniec, who was convicted in the death of Elijah McClain, a Black pedestrian who was given a lethal dose of ketamine after a confrontation with police in 2019. Cichuniec’s sentence was reduced to four years of probation after being found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault. Another paramedic involved, Jeremy Cooper, was also found guilty and sentenced to four years’ probation earlier this year. The decision to modify Cichuniec’s sentence was met with disappointment from the Colorado attorney general, who stated that the court’s decision was respected despite being against it. Elijah McClain’s mother, Sheneen McClain, has been vocal in holding the paramedics responsible for her son’s death and opposed the modification of Cichuniec’s sentence. This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available.
Antonio Planas, a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital, reported on this development in the case.
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