The family of Elijah McClain is outraged after learning one of the officers connected to his death has rejoined the force.
The Sentinel Colorado reports the Aurora Police Department rehired Matthew Green on Jan. 10 as a patrol officer. The outlet stated Green was eligible for rehire as he is not one of the officers facing charges for the 23-year-old’s death.
On Aug. 24, 2019, Green was one of the backup officers on the scene while the responding officers wrestled and restrained Elijah. The initial responding officers included Jason Rosenblatt, Randy Roedema and Nathan Woodyard.
During an independent investigation, video camera footage showed Green threatening Elijah with his police dog. Green worked with the K-9 unit of the force from 2017-2020, per the Sentinel.
In the footage, Green reportedly can be heard yelling at Elijah, “Dude, if you keep messing around, I’m gonna bring my dog out; he’s gonna dog-bite you, you understand me? Keep messing around.”
Documents obtained by the outlet state that Green also took part in restraining Elijah. He replaced officer Rosenblatt who was holding down the young man’s legs.
Elijah was then placed in a chokehold by officer Rosenblatt while paramedics were called to the scene. Upon arrival, paramedics Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper injected Elijah, handcuffed on the ground, with an overdose of the sedative ketamine. Elijah went into cardiac arrest following the overdose and died after being taken off life support three days later.
As Blavity noted, Elijah was unarmed when the police approached him.
In 2021, the three original police officers and two paramedics were indicted for felony manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.
According to the Sentinel Colorado, APD spokesman Matthew Longshore stated, “Officer Green was within the allowed timeframe for reinstatement to APD. He will be assigned to patrol after he completes the reintegration process.”
Elijah’s mother, Sheneen McClain, was disturbed by the news of Green regaining employment as a police officer.
“They are doing everything they can to undo police accountability in my son’s murder,” she told the Sentinel.
Community activist Candice Bailey has organized protests and reform regarding Elijah’s case. She expressed her frustration over the police department’s choice.
“On the eve of the arraignments of the trial, they rehire the man who was culpable in assisting in the murder of Elijah McClain?” she said, according to the Sentinel. “This is more than a slap in the face not only to the Black and brown people of Aurora, but to all the people there.”
Although Green escaped direct repercussions, Sheneen addressed his actions directly.
“He’s an asshole for taking on the slave mentality of telling a person of color they’re going to be attacked by a police dog,” she said. “In my opinion, everyone that was there that night and did nothing to help my son stay alive are all accessories to my son’s murder.”
The mother continued to express her disbelief over the handling of her son’s murder. Friends and family described Elijah as a sweet, soft-spoken young man.
“They’re disrespecting my family by not holding everybody at the murder site accountable,” added Sheneen. “Him threatening my son with his dog though my son was already handcuffed — that’s their club and he is a part of that club. It’s a bulls**t club. For whatever reason, his prejudice is required at APD.”
