DENVER (AP) — Colorado’s governor appointed a special prosecutor Thursday to investigate the death of Elijah McClain, 23-year-old Black man who was put into a neck hold by police in suburban Denver last year.
Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order directing state Attorney General Phil Weiser to investigate McClain’s death and possibly prosecute those involved.
McClain’s name has become a rallying cry during the national reckoning over racism and police brutality following the deaths of George Floyd and others.
“Elijah McClain should be alive today, and we owe it to his family to take this step and elevate the pursuit of justice in his name to a statewide concern,” Polis said in a statement.
Police say McClain refused to stop walking and fought back when officers confronted him and tried to take him into custody.
