Acquittal of 3 Tacoma Police Officers in Manuel Ellis' Death Sparks Outrage and Protests
Three Tacoma police officers have been found not guilty on all charges in the 2020 death of Manuel "Manny" Ellis, a Black man who died in police custody after saying he couldn't breathe. The officers were accused of unlawfully using deadly force on Ellis during his arrest. The verdict comes after a monthslong trial and marks the first time Washington's attorney general has criminally charged officers for the unlawful use of deadly force. Ellis' death led to protests in Tacoma and occurred just months before the police killing of George Floyd.