State Attorney General charges three officers for death of Manuel Ellis
Candles and signs are seen during a vigil for Manuel Ellis. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)
The state Attorney General’s Office announced Thursday that it has filed felony charges against three Tacoma police officers in the death of Manuel Ellis.
Ellis died in Tacoma while in police custody on March 3, 2020. An autopsy by the Pierce County Medical Examiner concluded the death a homicide, but found drugs and a heart condition also contributed to Ellis’ death.
Two officers Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins have been charged with second-degree murder, while a third, Timothy Rankine, was charged with first-degree manslaughter charges. In total, six officers were involved.
Attorney: No justice yet in Tacoma death strikingly similar to George Floyd’s April 20, 2021 at 4:25 pm
Attorney James Bible speaks to the media flanked by the family of Manuel Ellis. (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
Tuesday saw a jury convict Derek Chauvin on three counts for the murder of George Floyd. But for another, similar incident that took place in Tacoma just two month’s before Floyd’s death in 2020, a family is pushing for justice of its own.
Civil rights attorney James Bible represents the family of Manuel Ellis, and labeled Tuesday’s verdict in Chauvin’s trial “an emotional moment for the entire nation.” He believes it was the compelling video of Chauvin leaning on George Floyd’s neck that lead to the eventual conviction.
January 5, 2021 at 2:16 pm
Attorney James Bible speaks to the media flanked by the family of Manuel Ellis and members of the Tacoma Action Collective, during a press conference at the Emerald Queen Riverboat Casino on June 9, 2020 in Tacoma, Washington. Ellis, a 33 year old black man, died while in the custody of the Tacoma Police department in March. Ellis mother, Marcia Carter-Patterson, is seated on the right. (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
A new report from the independent investigation by the Washington State Patrol revealed that a fifth police officer was directly involved in the police death of Manuel Ellis. That officer has since been placed on leave.