Gov. appoints prosecutor in Elijah McClain case
Aurora, Colorado — Three Aurora police officers are under investigation for taking inappropriate photos at a memorial for Elijah McClain, sources tell CBS Denver’s Brian Maass.
McClain died after a confrontation with Aurora police in August 2019. The community has demanded the three officers and two paramedics involved in the incident be fired.
The three officers were removed from patrol duty last week.
Maass says the officers were shown in the photos reenacting the carotid restraint that was used on McClain:
My sources say the photos were disseminated within @AuroraPD to other officers and showed the officers reenacting the hold that preceeded McClains death. Question :were the officers on duty and in uniform? Its hard to believe this story could get worse. It just did. @CBSDenver
— Brian Maass (@Briancbs4) June 30, 2020
The department’s interim police chief, Vanessa Wilson, released a statement on the matter late Monday night saying:
“Thursday afternoon, I was apprised of allegations reported to Internal Affairs by an Aurora Police Officer alleging multiple Aurora Police officers were depicted in photographs near the site where Elijah McClain died. All involved officers were immediately placed on administrative leave with pay in non-enforcement capacities.
“I immediately ordered Internal Affairs to make this investigation their top priority. This accelerated investigation was completed this evening.
“This investigation will be publicly released in its entirety promptly upon its conclusion. This will include reports, photographic evidence obtained, officer’s names, and my final determination which can rise to the level of termination.”
KEVIN MOHATT / REUTERS
Mari Newman