A Colorado officer has been found guilty in the death of Elijah McClain, who was pinned down before a medic injected him with ketamine and he died.

The jury unanimously convicted officer Randy Roedema of criminally negligent homicide and assault in the third degree.

The same charges against another officer, Jason Rosenblatt, were acquitted.

It was alleged that both men used excessive force and ignored the unarmed black man’s repeated cries of “I can’t breathe”.

As a result of Colorado law, Roedema may now be sentenced to prison and fined.

Mr. Rosenblatt was fired from the Aurora Police Department in 2020 after being suspended without pay.

After deliberating for 16 hours over two days, the 12-member jury reached a verdict on Thursday. In connection with Mr McClain’s death, there will be three trials.

The 23-year-old autistic massage therapist was walking home from a corner shop when three white police officers confronted him after an emergency caller reported a “sketchy” person.

He pleaded with officers that he did nothing wrong before they wrestled him to the ground and put him in a chokehold.

McClain was heard telling the officers seven times: “I can’t breathe” – the same refrain George Floyd used before he was murdered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2020.

To sedate Mr McClain, a medic injected him with ketamine after officers called for help.

It was impossible for Mr McClain to regain consciousness after he went limp, stopped breathing, and stopped breathing. Three days later, he was pronounced brain-dead.