DENVER- The following statement can be attributed to Lisa Duran Executive Director of Colorado Immigration Rights Coalition:
“Two years after 23-year-old Elijah Jovan McClain was killed, we see a step in the right direction. The actions of three Aurora police officers and two EMTs charged with his medical care have resulted in criminal charges and the prospect of a trial.
As a statewide organization for immigrant rights, CIRC knows too well the over-policing to which Black and Brown communities are subjected. Too often simple contact with law enforcement officers can turn abusive or deadly, and lack of accountability leaves families and entire communities bereft of justice. We call on all law enforcement agencies to lay aside widespread jailing and the use of brutal force in communities of color in the U.S.
We look forward to a trial that will hold these individuals accountable for the unnecessary and cruel loss of Elijah McClain’s life. We know that real justice would be that Elijah McClain would still be alive.”