Aurora police officers file appeals after they were fired for Elijah McClain photos
07/10/2020 11:20 am PDT
via KDVR:
AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- Three Aurora officers fired for their connection to photos taken at the Elijah McClain memorial have filed appeals against the discipline.
KDVR-TV FOX31 Problem Solvers confirmed that Officer Kyle Dittrich, Officer Erica Marrero and Officer Jason Rosenblatt are appealing their termination.
The officers were fired last Friday after an investigation into a photo that had been shared through text with other officers.
TRUE CRIME DAILY: Elijah McClain case coverage - TCD
The photo showed Officer Jaron Jones with his arm around Dittrich's neck in what appears to be a choke hold while Marrero stood nearby smiling. Jones resigned after the investigation into the photo became public. Rosenblatt was also fired after responding to the photo, saying, “HaHa.”
The Denver Post reports the officers who took the pictures explained during the internal affairs investigation said they were trying to cheer up Rosenblatt and another officer, who they considered friends, with the photos when they took them in October. Dittrich said he thought the photos would be funny.
Dittrich and Marrero's appeals were filed with the Aurora Civil Services Commission on Wednesday. Rosenblatt filed his appeal on Thursday.
The next step will be for a hearing to be held, at which time all evidence will be reviewed and the commission will rule on whether to uphold or adjust Interim Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson's disciplinary decision.
Elijah McClain was wearing a mask on the night of August 24, 2019, when someone called 911 to report that he seemed suspicious. Aurora police officers approached McClain, leading to a struggle. McClain was handcuffed and officers requested medical assistance. Aurora Fire Rescue later injected him with ketamine in an attempt to sedate him, police said. He suffered cardiac arrest during the ambulance ride to a nearby hospital. He later died.
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