$6M settlement reached in Manny Ellis case, Tacoma police custody death in 2020

The City of Tacoma settled a lawsuit with the family of Manuel “Manny” Ellis after his death while in the custody of Tacoma police officers in 2020.

The settlement was reached on June 30, and the City of Tacoma will pay the family of Ellis $6 million.

City of Tacoma v. Manny Ellis settlement

Ellis died on March 3, 2020, while in the custody of Tacoma police officers after he was arrested during his walk home near 96th Avenue and South Ainsworth.

Throughout Ellis’ arrest, officers punched, tased, hogtied, and handcuffed him. Video footage from the arrest detailed Ellis telling officers that he could not breathe, along with videos detailing Ellis in a chokehold by an officer.

Ellis’ death was ruled a homicide by a medical examiner due to the lack of oxygen from physical restraint; however, defense attorneys argued his death was caused by methamphetamine and a heart condition.

Former Tacoma police officers Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins were both charged by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter. Additionally, Timothy Rankine was charged with first-degree manslaughter.

All three officers were acquitted in December 2023, and the City of Tacoma paid each officer $500,000 to resign voluntarily, leaving the department “in good standing.”

Ellis’ family filed a civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit in U.S. District Court in September 2021. The lawsuit also named various individual officers and Pierce County for their involvement in his death.

Pierce County agreed to settle with the Ellis family as part of a separate lawsuit for $4 million in 2022.

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