January 18th 2024.
In a recent development, it has been revealed that the three police officers from Washington state who were involved in the tragic death of Manuel Ellis, a Black man, will each receive a sum of $500,000 as part of their voluntary separation agreements with the Tacoma Police Department. This decision comes after the officers - Timothy Rankine, Matthew Collins, and Christopher Burbank - were acquitted of all criminal charges in December, following a two-month trial. Rankine was charged with manslaughter, while Collins and Burbank faced both manslaughter and second-degree murder charges.
The city released these agreements alongside Police Chief Avery Moore's statement that the officers did not violate the use-of-force policy in place on the day of Ellis' death, March 3, 2020. However, Collins was found to have violated a policy regarding courtesy. City Manager Elizabeth Pauli expressed that these agreements pave the way for a responsible and positive future for both the community and the Tacoma Police Department.
However, not everyone is pleased with this outcome. Matthew Ericksen, an attorney representing Ellis' family, criticized the agreements, calling them "perverse" and accusing the officers of being "rewarded" for Ellis' death. He also pointed out that the officers had already received a total of $1.5 million while on leave for nearly four years. This has sparked outrage and raised questions about the accountability of law enforcement.
In light of these events, the U.S. attorney's office in Seattle has announced that they will be reviewing the case, and the Justice Department has the power to prosecute for federal civil rights violations. The extent of this review has not been disclosed at this time. Ellis, who was only 33 years old, died after an encounter with the officers while walking home in Tacoma. The officers claimed that he had become aggressive, but witness testimonies and surveillance footage contradicted their accounts. Ellis, who was already handcuffed and lying face down, repeatedly stated that he couldn't breathe. His death became a catalyst for racial justice protests in the Pacific Northwest.
This trial was the first to take place under a state law that was implemented five years ago with the aim of making it easier to prosecute police officers who are accused of using deadly force unjustly. Last year, the Ellis family settled a federal wrongful death lawsuit against Pierce County - which includes Tacoma - for $4 million. This serves as a reminder of the tragic loss of a life and the ongoing fight for justice and accountability in our society.
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