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Elijah McClain Hearing
The trial of a police officer charged in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain is scheduled to resume today.
Nathan Woodyard, who is currently suspended from the Aurora police department, is facing charges of reckless manslaughter and negligent homicide.
Three medical witnesses from NMS labs in Pennsylvania took the stand in a day-long testimony Tuesday. They tested McClain’s bloodwork to determine what substances were in his blood.
Michael Lamb, a forensic toxicologist, testified that cannabinoids were found in McClain’s system. The defendants asked Lamb if the presence of marijuana could lead to a negative reaction to a dose of ketamine, to which he responded, “I’m not aware of that.”
Woodyard was the first of three officers to arrest McClain after someone reported him as “sketchy”.
Prosecutors say Woodyard put McClain in a neck hold that left him unconscious, leaving him vulnerable to a ketamine overdose that led to the 23-year-old’s death.
Colorado Lawyer Pleads Guilty In Trump Election Case
A Colorado Attorney has pleaded guilty in the case of Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss, and the attempt to overturn election results in Georgia. Jenna Ellis is now the fourth defendant in the case to enter into a plea deal with prosecutors.
Ellis pled guilty yesterday to counts of aiding and abetting false statements and writings, violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and soliciting the violation of oath by a public officer.
Eighteen others are facing similar felony charges, including Donald Trump.
Ellis says she did not fact check the information other lawyers assured her was accurate when committing the acts.
Ellis was sentenced to five years of probation, $5,000 in restitution and 100 hours of community service.
Before working with Trump, Ellis worked in Weld County and was fired after failing to follow protocol, according to the Colorado Sun. Earlier this year she was censured by Colorado’s Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, after making “reckless” statements about the 2020 election.
Boulder County Allocates Denver Broncos Funds
Longmont is allocating the one million dollars to over 35 organizations, like the Boulder Community Housing Corporation and the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center to support youth activity programs.
Organizations that applied for the funding were reviewed based on their involvement in youth physical and mental health, education, sports, arts and sciences.
According to the Daily Camera, Longmont gave over $900,000 dollars to the different youth focused programs and plans to invest the remaining $77,000 on individuals within a program “that diverts youth away from the traditional court system.”
Reconsideration Of Passenger Rail Line To Steamboat Springs
The Colorado Department of Transportation may expand a passenger rail line from Denver to Steamboat Springs. The passenger cars would also make stops at Craig and Granby, among other small municipalities.
CDOT Spokesperson Tim Hoover says the rail could help ski resort employees get to work easier by avoiding I-70 traffic. It would also provide a more relaxing experience to resort visitors.
If the plan is approved, the passenger rail would be operational in 5 to 10 years.
Gun Related Deaths Decreased in 2022
Denver saw a decrease in gun-related killings last year.
According to the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the rate of gun homicides in Denver decreased to 11.5 from 12.9 per 100 thousand people. Their analysis tracked the rate from 2021 to 2022 in 100 big cities across the nation, finding a similar trend in blue states.
Denver Authorities are optimistic that the downward trend in gun deaths in the city will continue following a decreased rate of homicides this year.
Axios Denver reports that the rate of gun homicides is much higher in cities like New Orleans and Washington, DC.
