/PG/ Tacoma, Washington (Signal High) —– A U.S. jury has cleared three police officers of all criminal wrongdoing in the death of an unarmed black man, badly beaten and died in their custody.
Manuel Ellis, 33, was walking home from a nearby 7-Eleven store, carrying doughnuts he had purchased for his children, in the evening of March 3, 2020. Tacoma Police claim that Ellis attempted to open the door of a passing car and became aggressive when confronted. Police claim Ellis gave them no choice but to use force against him.
Three independent witnesses and several video recordings contradicted this. The following facts were observed: Police abruptly opened and struck Ellis with the passenger door of a police car. Ellis was beaten while being restrained face down on the pavement. He pleaded for help, saying he could not breathe. Ellis had his hands up when he was tazed, while being held in a choke hold from behind. When Ellis begged the officer to release his neck, addressing the officer as “sir,” and stating that he couldn’t breathe, one of the officers told him to “shut the fuck up.” Officers put a spit hood over Ellis and restrained him on the sidewalk for nine minutes. When emergency services arrived, he was pronounced dead on scene.
The medical examiner ruled Ellis’ death a homicide, caused by oxygen starvation, with a heart condition and trace methamphetamine in his system as contributing factors.
Lawyers for the defense argued Ellis died from a heart condition and methamphetamine. They said in court that they believe Ellis was a good man when he was sober, but the “meth caused him to be violent, unpredictable and paranoid.” Defense attorney Wayne Fricke said “This is a situation where [Ellis] created his own death. It was hiss behaviour that forced the officers to use force against him.”
Tacoma police officers Matthew Collyns, 40, and Christopher, 38, were acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter. Timothy Rankine, 34, was acquitted of manslaughter. They have all resigned in exchange for a $500,000.00 payout.
Ellis’ death occurred shortly before the murder of George Floyd. It is said to have added to the sense of outrage leading to the riots that ensued.
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