Elijah McClain's Pleas Echo in Trial for Officers' Involvement in His Death

Two Colorado police officers are on trial for using excessive force during an unjustified stop of Elijah McClain, a black man who died after being placed in a chokehold and injected with ketamine by a medic. Prosecutors argue that the officers ignored McClain's pleas of "I can't breathe," while the defense blames the paramedics for administering the sedative. McClain's death gained renewed attention following the murder of George Floyd. The trial will largely rely on body camera footage of the incident, where McClain can be heard pleading for help. This is the first of three trials related to McClain's death.