In a case drawing parallels to the George Floyd incident, three police officers from Tacoma, Washington, have been found not guilty of all charges related to the 2020 killing of a Black man, Manuel Ellis. The verdict follows a 10-week trial in which Christopher Burbank, 38, and Matthew Collins, 40, were acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges, while Timothy Rankine, 34, was found not guilty of manslaughter.
Manuel Ellis, 33, died while in police custody on March 3, 2020, in Tacoma, Washington. Footage presented during the trial depicted the officers placing Ellis, who was unarmed, in a chokehold, deploying a stun gun, and using their body weight to restrain him on the street. Ellis could be heard pleading with the officers, saying, “Can’t breathe, sir, can’t breathe.”
The defense asserted that Ellis succumbed to a lethal combination of methamphetamine and a pre-existing heart condition, further claiming that he had kicked the door of the police car. Witnesses for the prosecution countered, contending that the officers initiated an unwarranted attempt to subdue Ellis without provocation while he was on the sidewalk.
Criticism emerged as the defense was allowed to bring up Ellis’s prior arrests in 2015 and 2019 during the trial, potentially influencing the jury’s perception of the victim. Matthew Ericksen, a lawyer representing the Ellis family, expressed concern about the prejudicial impact of focusing on Manny’s past.
Defense lawyers, including Casey Arbenz representing Matthew Collins, welcomed the verdict as a “huge sigh of relief.” Arbenz emphasized that the jury looked beyond the video evidence and maintained that the officers should never have faced charges. City officials disclosed that the Tacoma Police Department is nearing the conclusion of its internal investigation into the officers’ conduct, which may lead to disciplinary actions.
Manuel Ellis’s death occurred approximately three months before the killing of George Floyd, a catalyst for widespread protests advocating for police accountability and racial justice in the United States and globally.
The not guilty verdict in the trial of the Tacoma police officers underscores the complexities and challenges surrounding cases involving law enforcement actions. As the legal process unfolds, attention remains on the broader issues of police accountability, racial justice, and the ongoing efforts to address systemic concerns within the criminal justice system.
