Closing arguments scheduled Friday in trial of police officer charged in Elijah McClain's death

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Closing arguments are scheduled Friday in the trial of a police officer charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man stopped as he walked home from the store after someone reported that he was suspicious. The trial of two other police officers indicted in McClain's death ended in a split verdict last month, with Jason Rosenblatt acquitted of all charges and Randy Roedema convicted of the least serious charges he faced — criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault — which could lead to a sentence of anywhere from probation to prison time. But while attorneys in the first trial suggested McClain bore some responsibility for his medical decline by struggling with police, Woodyard's lawyers, Megan Downing and Andrew Ho, have seemed more sympathetic to him. Unlike the other officers, Woodyard also took the stand, testifying this week that he put McClain in the carotid control hold because he feared for his life after he heard McClain say, “I intend to take my power back” and Roedema say, “He just grabbed your gun, dude.” Prosecutors say McClain never tried to grab an officer’s weapon, and it can’t be seen in body camera footage, which is shaky and dark before all the cameras fall off during the ensuing struggle.