AURORA, Colo. — Nathan Woodyard, the Aurora Police officer who was acquitted of all charges in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, has resigned from the department, a city spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Woodyard resigned on Friday, said City of Aurora spokesperson Ryan Luby. After Woodyard's acquittal on Nov. 6, he was no longer suspended without pay and had been on personal leave. In November, the city said that Woodyard would receive back pay.
Woodyard was found not guilty of reckless manslaughter and of the lesser included charge of criminally negligent homicide. He was the first officer to contact McClain on Aug. 24, 2019, after a teenage boy called 911 and relayed that he saw McClain wearing a coat and mask and acting "suspicious." McClain was not breaking any laws when he was stopped, and was not armed.
Within seconds of contacting McClain, the officer grabbed him, and a struggle ensued. McClain was forcibly taken to the ground and placed in a carotid hold, which cut off oxygen to his brain for a short time.
McClain was then handcuffed and restrained on the ground for roughly 10 minutes before being injected with the sedative ketamine. His heart stopped and he later died.
Woodyard’s trial was the second of three for first responders accused of wrongdoing in McClain’s death.
The first trial ended in a split verdict. Officer Randy Roedema was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. Upon his conviction Roedema, who had been suspended, was terminated. Earlier this month, he was sentenced and will serve a total of 14 months. The sentence was authorized to be served as work release instead of straight jail.
Jason Rosenblatt, who was tried at the same time as Roedema, was acquitted of both counts he faced. He was fired from Aurora Police in 2020 for responding “ha ha” to a photo other officers took appearing to administer a carotid hold on one another at the scene of McClain’s death.
Two Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics, Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, were both found guilty of criminally negligent homicide by a jury in December. Cooper faces up to six years in prison, and Cichuniec faces up to 16 years. Their sentencings are scheduled for March 1.
This article includes previous reporting by Kevin Vaughan and Janet Oravetz.
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