Jury Acquits Tacoma Officers in Death of Manny Ellis

Three police officers in Tacoma, Washington have been acquitted of all charges in the 2020 death of Manuel "Manny" Ellis, a Black man. The jury cleared Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, and Timothy Rankine of manslaughter charges. The officers' defense argued that Ellis' death was a result of drug use, not excessive force. Ellis died in police custody, repeatedly saying "Can't breathe, sir," three months before George Floyd's death. This was the first trial of officers charged in a suspect's death since a 2018 state measure removed the requirement to prove police acted with malice.