Manuel Ellis’ Family Reaches $4 Million Settlement Over Police Killing

Manuel Ellis’ family has reached a $4 million proposed settlement against Pierce County, Washington this week, per ABC News. 

The settlement—which still has to be approved Tuesday by the Pierce County Council—comes over two years after Ellis was stopped by police while heading home from a convenience store, and died at the hands of local police. Tacoma police officers Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins, who witnesses say attacked the 33-year-old unprovoked, were charged with second-degree murder after he yelled “I can’t breathe” while in handcuffs and being restrained. Officer Timothy Rankine, who has been accused of kneeling on Ellis’ back and shoulders despite his plea for breath, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter. All officers have pleaded not guilty. 

“We are happy to have reached this agreement with the County,” the family attorney Matthew A. Ericksen Sr. shared in an email. “By reaching this resolution Pierce County has established a foundation upon which the Ellis family and the community can begin the process of moving forward.”

The family is continuing to push a federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Tacoma and officers involved. Burbank and Collins claimed after Ellis’ death that he was trying to get into occupied cars before attacking them. His death was ruled a homicide by the Pierce County medical examiner, and he died of a lack of oxygen caused by restraint, with an enlarged heart and methamphetamine intoxication playing a reported role. 

At the time of his death, Ellis—who was a musician at his church—had an 11-year-old son and 18-month-old daughter.

“There’s no price that you can put on my brother’s life,” said Monèt Carter-Mixon to KNKX. “His life was priceless.”