“Horrible sentencing”: Only 14 months sentence for Randy Roedema in Elijah McClain’s murder trial leaves netizens disappointed

Outrage ensued on Friday, January 5, when Randy Roedema, the former Colorado Police Officer convicted in the 2019 murder of 23-year-old Elijah McClain, was handed a 14-month county jail sentence. Back in October of last year, the Colorado officer was declared guilty of third-degree assault along with criminally negligent homicide.

Netizens were incredibly outraged at Randy Roedema's prison sentence as people felt like just over a year was too low a jail sentence for what Roedema and his fellow officers had done. Netizens asked whether Elijah McClain’s life was worth only this much. One X (formerly known as Twitter) user commented:

Netizens were outraged by the sentencing (Image via X/@AliVelshi)

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"His life was worth so much more": Netizens fail to understand Randy Roedema's sentencing

On Friday, January 5, Randy Roedema, one of the officers involved in the killing of Elijah McClain, was given a 14-month prison sentence, four years of probation, and community service. The former officer was charged with criminally negligent homicide, which carries a 3-year prison sentence at max, and third-degree assault, which has a maximum of a couple of years in jail, last year.

However, Judge Mark Warner decided that no state prison time was mandated in the case. Warner noted during the sentencing that although Colorado law does not see criminally negligent homicide as a violent crime, Roedema's extreme actions against a handcuffed, unthreatening, innocent member of society with a positive social history forced his hand.

Netizens were outraged by the decision and felt like the sentence was insufficient for the officer's actions. "His life was worth so much more," said an X user as hoards of people expressed their displeasure at the sentence.

Here are a few X reactions to the sentencing:

Netizens were disgusted (Image via X/@AliVelshi)

Netizens were disgusted (Image via X/@AliVelshi)

The attorney of one of the three officers involved, Jason Rosenblatt, had told the judge that Roedoma had allegedly pressed his leg onto McClain's back and even jerked his arms. Elijah's mother, Sheneen McClain, was present at the sentencing. She heard the defendant's claims about being innocent about Elijah's death and was quoted by the Guardian as saying,

"I only heard lies and blaming others for their trained cruelty. I heard no humanity or accountability."

She further declared,

"Elijah McClain was held down by Randy Roedema and tortured in numerous ways for no other reason except Elijah was different."

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The Tragedy of Elijah McClain

The 2019 Elijah McClain killing shook the United States to the core and brought about a plethora of protests demanding police reforms. The 23-year-old massage therapist was walking home on August 24 from a gas station store after purchase when the police received a 911 call, which alleged that McClain, who was wearing a dark ski mask, "looks sketchy."

What happened next was recorded on the officers' bodycams, and the footage was posted online. Aurora police department officer Nathan Woodyard immediately pulled up after spotting Elijah McClain and confronted him. Elijah stated that he was going home and simply listening to music.

Woodyard grabbed him after simply asking him to stop and saying, "I have a right to stop you because you’re being suspicious." A struggle ensued, and officers Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt supported Woodyard in tackling a confused Elija McClain to the ground. The officers held their body weight against the youngster until he passed out.

McClain could be heard crying out that he was going home and was introverted and "different." He cried out,

"I'm just different. That's all. I'm so sorry. I have no gun. I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why are you attacking me?"

He tried to tell the officers further,

"I don’t even kill flies. I don’t eat meat."

After a while, Elijah McClain could be heard vomiting multiple times as the officers asked him to stop doing so. McClain apologized and said he was not trying to do that and could not breathe correctly. The officers decided to call the EMT and administer Ketamine. Two paramedics arrive and give him 500 mg of Ketamine before loading him onto the ambulance.

They later found out that Elijah McClain did not have a pulse anymore. Two of the three officers involved in the incident were acquitted last year, with the primary responder Nathan Woodyard, even receiving a $200,000 backpay and his job back at the Aurora police department. The two first responders were also found guilty of negligent homicide in December of last year.