Three Tacoma Officers Charged With Murder in Death of Man in Police Custody
Three Tacoma, Washington, police officers have been charged in the death of a black man who died while in police custody last year.
Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins were both charged with second-degree murder, and Timothy Rankine was charged with first-degree manslaughter in the March 3, 2020 death of 33-year-old Manuel Ellis. The charges were issued by Washington’s attorney general, Bob Ferguson.
Ellis died after telling the officers that he couldn’t breathe as he was being restrained in police custody.
His death was ruled as homicide by the Pierce County medical examiner, and was attributed to a lack of oxygen from being restrained. An enlarged heart and methamphetamine intoxication were also listed as contributing factors to his death.