Denver Police Scandal: Officers Fired After Awful Photo Fiasco
In a headline that makes you want to pull out your phone and post a meme, three Denver-area cops were abruptly let go – and a fourth quit after they took and shared some cringe-worthy selfies while reenacting the chokehold that ultimately took a young Black man’s life.
Interim chief Vanessa Wilson delivered the harsh verdict at a press conference: “These actions are reprehensible.” She added, “I am disgusted to my core.”
Who Were the Bad Guys?
- Jason Rosenblatt – one of the men who helped put the 23‑year‑old Elijah McClain down
- Erica Marrero – the officer with a grin that could have been a photo filter
- Kyle Dittrich – teamed up with Jaron to pull a carotid hold on camera
- Jaron Jones – resigned, apparently realizing he’d just joined the “selfie cult” that wouldn’t be sanctioned in official policy
The illegal photos were taken near the actual chokehold scene. One shot shows Dittrich and Jones pretending to squeeze the neck like a “human truffle.” Marrero is seen laughing, probably because the picture made the team think their “locker‑room makeshift cardio session” had been perfectly practiced.
Rosenblatt’s Slip‑Up
Wilson explained that Rosenblatt was dismissed partly because he did a “HaHa” in reply to the photo. Apparently, you can’t joke around when the police department is trying to patch up a national scandal.
Elijah McClain’s tragic story
McClain was strolling in Aurora back in August 2019 when three officers, on the rumor of a “suspicious” man, approached him. He had done absolutely nothing wrong.
Audio evidence was released: McClain says, “I can’t breathe.” The officers then employed a chokehold that, in part, was fatal. Paramedics sprayed sedative ketamine; he then slipped into cardiac arrest and was taken off life support a few days later. A local prosecutor decided not to file criminal charges, citing an autopsy that listed death as “undetermined.”
Civics & the Justice System
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has brought in a special prosecutor to review the whole ordeal. This week, the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice announced they’re investigating whether McClain’s civil rights were violated.
Wrap‑up
So, you can see a police department got caught doing what’s basically a “safety demo” gone wrong. Whatever you use to capture videos, it’s clear something really needs to happen to keep the city from turning into a real-life “in‑the‑loop” nightmare.
