The statement “I can’t breathe” resonates with many black people and the world. These words uttered by the late George Floyd became a world headline in the battle against racism and police brutality.
However, before George Flyod’s unfortunate death, there was Manuel Ellis. The 33-year-old African-American man died on March 3, 2020, just three months before Floyd. In a similar context, Ellis also told the police officers that he “couldn’t breathe” before he passed away.
Three Washington police officers are now on trial for the death of Ellis, citing racism and excessive use of police force. However, these officers and their attorneys argue that Ellis “caused his death.” According to their reports, he died because of his drug use and not excessive force, thereby causing his death.
They also claimed that he was aggressive after they stopped him for allegedly harassing a woman at an intersection. Christopher “Shane” Burbank, Timothy Rankine, and Matthew Collins are the three officers involved. Both Collins and Rankine are charged with first-degree manslaughter, while Burbank is facing second-degree murder charges.
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This case is very serious, so all three officers are on leave. However, they are on paid leave and can roam freely in public. They all pled not guilty on trial, even with the shocking evidence against them.
At the closing of their trial, Burbank’s attorney, Wayne Fricke, said, “This is a situation where he created his death. His behavior forced the officers to use force against him because he created a situation that required them to act.”
He continued, “No one wanted him to die, but ultimately he died, and that’s sad. We don’t compound that tragedy by convicting innocent people of these charges. It’s not based on the evidence, but it’s based on something else. This should not be a political decision.”
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However, there are a lot of witnesses and evidence against the officers. According to videos from multiple sources, Ellis was entirely compliant when they stopped him. Party Eakes, representing the late Ellis, also disagrees with Fricke’s description of the incident.
He said in a statement, “Manny Ellis told them, over and over and over again, that he couldn’t breathe. They heard him. And each of the defendants chose to ignore him and to let him die. They chose instead to treat him like an animal.”
Several videos also show Ellis being cooperative with the officers. Without provocation, they hit him with a car door, beat him, and pinned him down aggressively. This case is quite similar to Floyd’s as Ellis begged the officer who had his knee on his throat for several minutes.
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He kept telling him that he couldn’t breathe, but his pleas were brushed aside. A medical autopsy also corroborated this story with a report ruling Ellis’s death as a homicide caused by oxygen deprivation from physical restraint.
Therefore, that is proof that he did not die because of drugs. Ellis’ family and the public hope the court will do justice. In this case, a win is a win for all people of color against police brutality of all types.
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