AURORA, Colo. — Nathan Woodyard, the Aurora Police officer acquitted of all charges earlier this month in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, has returned to work on restricted duty, the city said Tuesday.
"Consistent with the requirements set forth in the Aurora City Charter, Nathan Woodyard is no longer suspended without pay following his acquittal on Nov. 6," city spokesperson Ryan Luby said in an email to 9NEWS. "He has elected to reintegrate with the APD and is currently on Restricted Duty (not in uniform, no public contact, and no enforcement actions) pending next steps in the reintegration process."
"Any member of the Civil Service who has been on extended absence is subject to reintegration to bring them up to speed on changes to workplace practices and policies," Luby said. "The length of a reintegration period varies depending on the employee, the length of their extended absence and any other circumstances that may arise before or during that process. Consequently, Mr. Woodyard would need to undergo reintegration for a period of time as numerous policies and practices at the Aurora Police Department have changed since he was placed on administrative leave without pay in Sept. 2021."
The city said once Woodyard successfully completes the reintegration process "and after accounting for any other circumstances that may arise," he will be eligible for reassignment to a position within the police department, at the chief's discretion.
The city said Tuesday that Woodyard will receive $212,546.04 in back pay.
Woodyard was found not guilty on Nov. 6 of reckless manslaughter and of the lesser included charge of criminally negligent homicide. He was the first officer to contact McClain on Aug. 24, 2019, after a teenage boy called 911 and relayed that he saw McClain wearing a coat and mask and acting "suspicious." McClain was not breaking any laws when he was stopped, and was not armed.
Woodyard was suspended from the department without pay pending the outcome of the trial. When asked the status of Woodyard's employment after the verdict came down, an Aurora city spokesperson said they didn't know what the next steps would be, but the city charter would guide those steps.
Woodyard’s trial was the second of three for first responders accused of wrongdoing in McClain’s death.
The first trial ended in a split verdict. Officer Randy Roedema was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. Upon his conviction Roedema, who had been suspended, was terminated, according to a City of Aurora spokesperson.
Jason Rosenblatt, who was tried at the same time, was acquitted of both counts he faced. He was fired from Aurora PD in 2020 for responding “ha ha” to a photo other officers took appearing to administer a carotid hold on one another at the scene of McClain’s death.
Jury selection began Monday in the trial of Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, who were called to the scene in 2019 as paramedics with Aurora Fire Rescue.
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