Paramedic charged with manslaughter for restraining man
Share this @internewscast.com

Police and paramedics attend to Jesus Lopez Barcenas, shown in the gurney, following his arrest in Boulder, Colorado. A paramedic is now facing a manslaughter charge (Boulder County Prosecutor’s Office).

A Colorado paramedic is facing a manslaughter charge after he sedated and restrained a handcuffed man who later went into cardiac arrest and died.

Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty revealed the charges against Edward McClure on Friday, citing that the paramedic’s “reckless acts” resulted in the “untimely and tragic death” of 36-year-old Jesus Lopez Barcenas. The charges arose from Dougherty’s investigation into the use of force following Barcenas’ arrest on December 27. Barcenas died two days later.

The sequence of events began around 8:15 a.m. on that late December morning when Boulder police responded to a report of a suspicious individual on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus, prosecutors detailed in an account of the incident. Upon arrival, officers reported that Barcenas ignored their inquiries and refused to sit down, claiming a nearby building was on fire. When officers attempted to handcuff Barcenas, he allegedly resisted and tried to seize one of their firearms. A struggle occurred, but the officers ultimately managed to secure him in handcuffs.

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

Much of the ordeal was captured on officers’ body camera footage.

McClure and other paramedics from American Medical Response (AMR) arrived on the scene to treat any patients who needed assistance. Cops told McClure that he needed to check out Barcenas before they could take him to jail. Before evaluating Barcenas, McClure allegedly injected him with 5 milligrams of Droperidol, a sedative, in the buttocks while saying “I love holes in the pants.” They then put the suspect face down on a gurney in a prone position.

“Now let’s strap the crap out of him,” McClure said, according to the report.

Cops and paramedics then placed Barcenas in the back of the ambulance and started to put the seatbelt on him. He was still face down and handcuffed, per prosecutors.

“Just keep him face down,” McClure allegedly said. “I don’t care. Oh, just go over his arms. I don’t want to move him.”

McClure also placed a “spit sock” mask over Barcenas’ head, prosecutors said. The mask helps prevent arrested suspects from spewing bodily fluids at first responders, but Barcenas was not spitting at anyone, prosecutors noted.

More from Law&Crime: Diabetic daughter admits to fatally injecting 81-year-old mom with insulin because she ‘got upset’

Barcenas’ condition took a turn for the worse on the ride to the hospital, the report said. McClure was administering CPR as they arrived and rolled him to the emergency department. He died two days later.

An autopsy determined Barcenas died of “sudden cardiac arrest following a prolonged physical altercation and struggle, which included prone positioning and the use of restraints and a sedative (butyrophenone) medication.” The toxic effects of methamphetamine also contributed to his death, prosecutors said. Barcenas had a bag of meth on him when he was arrested, according to cops. The manner of death was listed as homicide.

According to prosecutors, AMR fired McClure three days after the incident for violating “several of their polices and protocols in his treatment of Mr. Barcenas.” It is against AMR policy to place handcuffed subjects face down on a gurney, prosecutors wrote.

Dougherty cleared police officers of any wrongdoing.

“However, the reckless acts of the paramedic led to the untimely and tragic death of Mr. Barcenas. Our prosecution team will fight hard to secure the right outcome in this criminal prosecution, particularly for the loving family of Mr. Barcenas and for this community,” Dougherty wrote.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Judge Removes Silence Order in Bryan Kohberger Case, But There’s No Discussion Yet

The judge presiding over the trial of Idaho college murderer Bryan Kohberger…

Maurene Comey’s farewell message to SDNY following unexpected termination

On the left, you see U.S. President Donald Trump shaking hands with…

Police Report: Man Drove with Deceased Woman’s Body During Pursuit

Left: Gavin Thompson (Lancaster County Department of Corrections). Right: Dorinda Segebrecht (Iowa…

Ex-Boyfriend Accused of Spiking Vodka with Bleach After Breakup

Share copy link Edwin Guzman (Volusia County Sheriff”s Office). A Florida boyfriend…

State Attorney General Initially Praises Immigrant Arrests, Later Dismisses Charges

Left: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducting a raid (Fox News/YouTube). Right:…

Trump Administration and Clergy Members Triumph Over Child Abuse Legislation

USA President Donald Trump and Melania Trump during the funeral ceremony of…

Court Dismisses Lawsuit Regarding the Release of Personal Information of January 6th FBI Agents

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses his supporters at the Save America Rally…

Trump’s Pardon Unable to Aid Jan. 6 Defendant in Unrelated Case

Left: President Donald Trump makes a statement after signing legislation that prevents…

Man Pursues Children with Car After ‘Ding Dong Ditch’ Prank: Police Report

Background: The 1200 block of 28th Ave North in Naples, Florida (Google…

Judge Rules Trump’s Dismissal of FTC Commissioner Was ‘Unlawful’

Left: U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt is captured moments before delivering his “On…

Hospital Accused of Losing Track of Bodies and Misleading Families About Decomposing Remains, Lawsuits Allege

Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, Calif. (Google Maps). Numerous hospitals in California…

Allegations Surface of Mother Confined Daughter to Closet

Virginia Gonzales (City of Austin/Austin Police Department). In Texas, a mother is…