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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 26 SepteMber 2022
Amended autopsy: Black man died due to sedative, restraint

Associated Press even though his blood ket-
DENVER (AP) — A Black amine level was consistent
man died after a police en- with a ‘therapeutic’ blood
counter in a Denver suburb concentration.”
in 2019 because he was in- He said he could not rule
jected with a powerful sed- out that changes in Mc-
ative after being forcibly Clain’s blood chemistry, like
restrained, according to an an increase in lactic acid,
amended autopsy report due to his exertion while
publicly released Friday. being restrained by police
Despite the finding, the contributed to his death
death of Elijah McClain, but concluded there was
a 23-year-old massage no evidence that injuries in-
therapist, was still listed as flicted by police caused his
undetermined, not a ho- death.
micide, the report shows. “I believe that Mr. McClain
McClain was put in a neck would most likely be alive
hold and injected with ket- but for the administration of
amine after being stopped ketamine,” said Cina, who
by police in Aurora for “be- noted that body camera
ing suspicious.” He was un- footage shows McClain be-
armed. coming “extremely sedat-
The original autopsy report A demonstrator carries an image of Elijah McClain during a rally and march in Aurora, Colo., June ed” within a few minutes of
that was written soon after 27, 2020. being given the drug.
his death in August 2019 Cina acknowledged that
did not reach a conclusion year indicted three officers ing the national reckoning completed in July 2021, Dr. other reasonable patholo-
about how he died or what and two paramedics on over racism and police bru- Stephen Cina, a patholo- gists with different experi-
type of death is was, such manslaughter and reck- tality. gist, concluded that the ence and training may
as if it was natural, acci- less homicide charges in The five accused have not ketamine dosage given to have labeled such a death,
dental or a homicide. That McClain’s death after the yet entered pleas and their McClain, which was higher while in police custody, as
was a major reason why case drew renewed at- lawyers have not com- than recommended for a homicide or accident,
prosecutors initially decid- tention following the killing mented publicly on the someone his size, “was too but that he believes the
ed not to pursue charges. of George Floyd in 2020. It charges. much for this individual and appropriate classification is
But a state grand jury last became a rallying cry dur- In the updated report, it resulted in an overdose, undetermined.q

US steps up diplomatic efforts with China on Taiwan, Russia

NEW YORK (AP) — The nese invasion.
Biden administration on China regards the self-gov-
Friday ramped up its diplo- erned island of Taiwan as
matic efforts to press China its sovereign territory, has
to end provocative ac- not ruled out force to re-
tions against Taiwan and unify it with the mainland
warned it about any active and has in recent months
support for Russia in its war stepped up military activity
against Ukraine. in the area. That activity is
Secretary of State Antony at least partially in response
Blinken made both cases in to high-level U.S. congres-
a meeting with his Chinese sional visits to Taipei, includ-
counterpart on Friday in a ing by House Speaker Nan-
meeting on the sidelines cy Pelosi, and stepped-up
of the annual U.N. Gen- American arms sales.
eral Assembly in New York, Blinken “stressed that pre-
according to U.S. officials. serving peace and stabil-
The session was one of the ity across the Taiwan Strait
few that Blinken kept on his is critical to regional and
schedule after the death of global security and pros-
his father on Thursday. perity,” Price said in a state-
The officials wouldn’t de- ment. It added that the U.S.
scribe the Chinese re- remains committed to its
sponse, but said Foreign U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the 77th “one-China policy” which
Minister Wang Yi was re- United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. does not support Taiwan-
ceptive to the messages ese independence.
and that the two men dis- and Wang come amid a and China’s tacit support the administration’s com- On Russia, U.S. officials
cussed the need “to main- period of intense tensions for the war in Ukraine are mitment to “maintaining said Blinken underscored
tain open lines of commu- on both issues and ahead just two of the latest irritants peace and stability across the damage that would
nication and responsibly of an expected meeting in relations between Wash- the Taiwan Strait” despite be done to the Sino-U.S.
manage the U.S.-China re- in November between ington and Beijing. Biden’s assertion earlier this relationship should Beijing
lationship, especially during Presidents Joe Biden and State Department spokes- week that the U.S. would take a more active role
times of tension.” Xi Jinping. Biden’s recent man Ned Price said Blink- send troops to defend Tai- in supporting the war in
The talks between Blinken comments about Taiwan en had affirmed to Wang wan in the event of a Chi- Ukraine.q