The saga surrounding the death of Manuel Ellis has sparked considerable interest online, particularly concerning his criminal history. This article delves into the specifics of his case and the subsequent trial verdict.
Ellis, an African-American man, tragically lost his life while in police custody in Tacoma, Washington, in March 2020. The incident occurred during a time of heightened national awareness around police brutality and racial injustice, further fuelled by the unfortunate killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The narrative suggests that Ellis encountered police officers while returning home from a local convenience store. This seemingly innocuous encounter took a dramatic turn, culminating in a physical altercation and Ellis being forcefully restrained on the ground. His death was recorded at the scene, with the autopsy reporting a homicide due to oxygen deprivation caused by physical restraint.
The case has returned to the media spotlight recently, following the acquittal of three Tacoma police officers implicated in Ellis’s death by a Pierce County jury.
Queries regarding Ellis’ criminal history have surged online since his death on March 3, 2020. The courtroom was packed when the verdict was announced, with attendees including families from both sides and relatives of victims of police violence.
Leslie Cushman, the founder of the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability and author of Initiative 940, was also present and voiced concerns about the trial process. She felt that while Ellis’ criminal history, medical background, and personal life were laid bare for all to see, the training and conduct of the police officers involved were not scrutinised to the same extent.
Although specific details about Ellis’s criminal record remain elusive, he had been known to struggle with drug addiction and mental health issues.
Updates on the trial and verdict have already been disseminated. The recent acquittal of the three Tacoma police officers implicated in Ellis’ death was the culmination of a nearly four-year-long saga. Officers Matthew Collins and Christopher “Shane” Burbank faced second-degree murder charges, while Officer Timothy Rankine, Collins, and Burbank were up on manslaughter charges.
Following the verdict, the officers embraced their legal counsel, while Ellis’s family promptly exited the courthouse. The trial judge, Bryan Chushcoff, expressed concerns about potential disturbances following the verdict and as the officers left the courthouse.
To summarise the circumstances of Ellis’s death, he was an African-American man who died while in police custody in Tacoma, Washington, in March 2020. He was reportedly involved in an altercation with police officers while on his way home from a convenience store. The officers physically restrained him during the encounter, during which Ellis stated multiple times that he couldn’t breathe. His death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, who cited physical restraint and oxygen deprivation as contributing factors.
The case gained national attention amidst a wave of protests against police brutality and racial injustice, following the killing of George Floyd.
