In a highly anticipated trial, three Washington state police officers, Christopher Burbank, Matthew Collins, and Timothy Rankine, were acquitted of all charges in the death of Manuel “Manny” Ellis, a Black man who died in police custody in 2020. The jury found Burbank and Collins not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, while Rankine was acquitted of manslaughter charges. All three officers had pleaded not guilty.

During the nine-week trial, the defense attorneys for the officers argued that Ellis' death was a result of his drug use and not excessive force used by the officers. Wayne Fricke, who represented Burbank, claimed that Ellis' addiction to methamphetamine made him violent, unpredictable, and paranoid, ultimately leading to his own death. Fricke emphasized that the officers were forced to use force against Ellis because of his behavior.

Manuel Ellis died on March 3, 2020, nearly three months before the death of George Floyd, which ignited global protests against police brutality. The acquittal of the three officers marked the first trial of officers charged in a suspect's death since Washington state voters passed a measure in 2018 that removed the requirement for prosecutors to prove police acted with malice.

The encounter between Ellis and the officers was captured on a doorbell surveillance camera and witnessed by bystanders. The footage showed Ellis raising his hands in a surrender position, but he was shot with a Taser by Burbank and restrained by Collins with his arm around Ellis' neck. Witnesses testified that Ellis did not attack the officers and saw no aggressive behavior from him.

The Pierce County medical examiner ruled Ellis' death a homicide caused by oxygen deprivation. However, the defense attorneys argued that Ellis' death was a result of a combination of a high level of methamphetamine in his system and a heart irregularity. The officers maintained that Ellis initiated the confrontation by lifting Collins off the ground and throwing him onto his back, contradicting the accounts of other witnesses.

Collins testified during the trial that he would not have acted differently, despite lamenting Ellis' death. He denied hearing Ellis repeatedly say that he couldn't breathe and justified his actions by claiming Ellis started the confrontation. Rankine, another officer involved, called Ellis' death a tragedy but stated that he believed Ellis could still breathe since he was able to talk.

Manuel Ellis' death became a symbol for racial justice demonstrators in the Pacific Northwest. However, it didn't receive the same level of attention as the killing of George Floyd, as it coincided with the initial outbreak of Covid-19 in the United States. The trial itself lasted over two months and was the first held under a state law enacted five years prior to facilitate the prosecution of police officers accused of wrongfully using deadly force.

The incident leading to Ellis' death began when he encountered a patrol car stopped at a red light with Burbank and Collins inside. Witnesses reported a brief conversation between Ellis and the officers, followed by Burbank opening his door, knocking Ellis down. The officers, both white, proceeded to tackle and punch Ellis, with one using a Taser and the other applying a neck restraint. Officer Rankine arrived later, handcuffing Ellis face-down and kneeling on his upper back as Ellis pleaded for breath. Video footage captured Ellis respectfully addressing the officers as “sir” while expressing his inability to breathe, to which one officer responded with profanity.

The acquittal of the three officers in the death of Manuel Ellis has sparked public outrage and renewed discussions about police accountability and the use of force. Critics argue that the verdict perpetuates a systemic issue of police officers being cleared of charges in cases involving Black individuals. Meanwhile, supporters of the officers believe that the jury made the right decision based on the evidence presented during the trial. The impact of this verdict on ongoing efforts to address police brutality and racial injustice remains to be seen.