Appeals Court Orders New Trials in Elijah McClain Paramedics Case

The Colorado Court of Appeals reversed the homicide convictions of two former Aurora paramedics in Elijah McClain’s 2019 death, ruling the trial court misapplied the standard of care by instructing jurors to rely on generic meanings rather than a professional standard under the circumstances. The decision means new trials for Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, who were convicted of criminally negligent homicide (Cooper also for second‑degree assault) and were sentenced to probation. The ruling emphasizes the need for jurors to apply a professional standard of care rather than a generic “reasonable person” standard in such cases.