The Aurora Civil Service Commission is holding closed hearings Monday and Tuesday for appeals by two former police officers of their firings over a photo mocking Elijah McClain, who died after an encounter with officers in 2019.

The commission is hearing appeals by former officers Erica Marrero and Kyle Dittrich, Aurora spokesperson Michael Bryant said in an email. He said the City Charter gives appellants the right to request closed hearings. 

Written findings of the appeal typically take one to three weeks to release, he said. 

The photo appears shows Marrero, Kyle Dittrich and Jaron Jones reenacting a chokehold like the one officers used on McClain. Paramedics called to the scene injected him with ketamine, and he died days after the encounter. Jones resigned, and Marrero and Dittrich were fired.

Prosecutors from the 17th Judicial District initially chose not to pursue charges against any of the officers involved in the incident detaining McClain, but in January Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a grand jury investigation into his death.

The commission held a closed hearing for former officer Jason Rosenblatt on Jan. 21 and Jan. 22. Rosenblatt was among the officers at the scene when they detained McClain. Although he was not in the photo, he received it by text and replied “ha ha,” now-Chief Vanessa Wilson previously said.

A police spokesperson cited the possibility of protests related to Rosenblatt’s hearing as the reason for closing it.