in the death of manuel ellis during an arrest last year. video showing officers hitting him and pinning him to the ground. ellis can be heard saying, i can t breathe. here s our chief justice correspondent, pierre thomas. reporter: today, three tacoma police officers, familiar setting of appearing before a judge. but in the unfamiliar role of being suspects themselves. in shackles and wearing orange prisoner jumpsuits. violent, serious, violent offense. reporter: two officers facing multiple charges including second-degree murder. a third officer charged with first degree manslaughter. the charges are tied to the violent confrontation and death of manuel ellis, another black man begging to breathe. i can t breathe! i can t breathe! reporter: ellis, beating and tased, before his hands and feet were bound, writhing in pain. aah! reporter: autopsy concluding he died from a lack of oxygen due to physical restraint. do it again, i want your
independent autopsy concluding that it was murder. and as victor blackwell tells us, all of the family wants is the truth about what happened. happy birthday to you reporter: on the day kendrick johnson would have turned 18 his family is still seeking answers in his death. i walk into his room and i kiss his picture and say, happy birthday, kendrick. reporter: in january, kendrick found dead in the center of a gym roll mat at the high school. they noticed bruising on kendrick s right side jaw. lowndes county sheriff was on the scene. the only one that fit the physical and forensic evidence we received was this an accident. reporter: they believed kendrick climbed on mice matter and slipped his shoulders into the center of the mat to reach for a shoe that got stuck upside