In a nine-week trial that has captivated the nation, lawyers for three Washington state police officers charged in the death of Manuel Ellis presented their closing arguments on Tuesday. The officers, Christopher Burbank, Matthew Collins, and Timothy Rankine, are facing charges of murder and manslaughter stemming from the events that led to Ellis' death in March 2020. Prosecutors alleged that the officers used excessive force, including choking, shocking, and holding Ellis facedown, while the defense argued that Ellis' death was the result of drug use and his own violent behavior.

During closing arguments, defense attorney Wayne Fricke, representing Officer Christopher Burbank, claimed that Ellis was addicted to methamphetamine, which made him violent, unpredictable, and paranoid. Fricke argued that Ellis created the situation that required the officers to use force against him. He emphasized that the officers did not act with malice and that convicting them would compound the tragedy of Ellis' death. Special prosecutor Patty Eakes, representing the Washington Attorney General's Office, countered by urging the jury to compare the officers' statements with videos and witness testimony to determine their credibility.

Eakes played audio clips of the officers' statements and compared them with the videos to show inconsistencies. She pointed out that Collins claimed Ellis lifted him off his feet and threw him into the street, but this was not witnessed by anyone or captured on video. Eakes also highlighted the contradiction between the officers' statements and the videos regarding the presence of Officer Burbank. She played a video and displayed screenshots clearly showing Burbank standing in front of Collins the entire time. Eakes argued that the officers' statements were contradicted by the six witnesses who testified, making Ellis out to be violent in ways not seen on the video. She asked the jury to trust the video and the eyewitnesses.

The defense countered by claiming that the videos and witnesses were flawed. Fricke pointed out that witness Sara McDowell, who recorded part of the incident, can be heard on the video yelling, "Just arrest him." He questioned why she would say that if there was nothing to arrest Ellis for. Fricke also raised concerns about the two phones that recorded the videos, which stopped working after the phone owners met with the family's lawyer. The defense maintained that the officers acted appropriately, and the arrest was lawful because Ellis had committed assault and resisted arrest.

In her closing arguments, special prosecutor Patty Eakes emphasized that the officers' actions were responsible for Ellis' death. She argued that they did not respond to Ellis' pleas for breath and instead treated him "like an animal" in a dehumanizing position. Eakes highlighted the ruling by the Pierce County Medical Examiner, which determined Ellis' death to be a homicide due to physical restraint. She reminded the jury that the officers' actions constituted a felony, whether it was unlawful imprisonment or assault, making them guilty of felony murder.

The trial marks an important moment in Washington state's legal history, as it is the first time an officer has been charged in a suspect's death since the removal of the malice requirement in 2018. The jury will now begin deliberations after the prosecution has one more chance to address them. The outcome of this trial has the potential to have far-reaching implications for the accountability of police officers in cases involving excessive force.