Manuel Ellis Decision Delayed 4-6 More Weeks: AG's Office

TACOMA, WA — It has been nearly 13 months since Manuel Ellis was killed by Tacoma police, and it will be at least one more month until the Attorney General's Office finishes its investigation into his death.

In late February, the AG's office had said they would be announcing a decision in Ellis' case by the end of March — now, March has passed, and they say their work will likely take another four to six weeks.

In a post explaining the delay, the attorney general's office says that, since their announcement in February, the team has put more than 600 hours in on Ellis' case, but they still need more time to make sure their review is thorough and fair:

"We appreciate and understand that the Ellis family and many others have waited for a resolution to the investigation and a final charging decision," the office said. "Our work, however, must be thorough. A premature decision would be a disservice to the interests of justice."

Once their work is finished, the Attorney General's Office will announce a charging decision in Ellis' case, and has promised to provide all their findings to the public.

The review of Ellis' death has been a long and difficult one, and the delay is disappointing news for local leaders who had been hoping for closure, both for Ellis' family and the community. On the anniversary of Ellis' death last month, the Tacoma City Council issued a letter mourning Elli's death and urging the AG's office to complete their review swiftly. It reads, in part:

"Last week, we heard the Ellis family's call for closure, and we heard them implore you to move forward in your review of the Manuel Ellis case. We believe every one of us can empathize with the family's frustration and heartbreak on the anniversary of the loss of their loved one."

Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man, was killed while being restrained by four Tacoma police officers on March 3, 2020. The officers claim Ellis had been combative and needed to be restrained for his own safety. Video of the incident shows Ellis telling officers he cannot breathe multiple times before dying, and the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office later ruled Ellis' death a homicide by asphyxiation.

Washington state law requires that investigations into deadly use of force by law enforcement officers be handled by an "independent" agency, so the Pierce County Sheriff's Department was initially assigned to review the Tacoma police officer's conduct. However, after working the case for months, it was discovered that the sheriff's department had also briefly had a deputy on scene during Ellis' arrest, meaning their investigation was not fully independent. Gov. Jay Inslee then ordered the Washington State Patrol to begin the investigation anew.

WSP completed their work in November, and handed their findings to the Attorney General's Office, who now have to decide if the involved officers will be charged for Ellis' death.

The four Tacoma Police officers who were on scene at the time of Ellis' death remain on leave.

Following the news that the decision would be delayed, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards issued a statement, reading:

"At the urging of the Ellis Family and the Tacoma community, the City Council and I have repeatedly called for a thorough and independent state investigation into the death of Manuel Ellis. it resolution and a final decision in this case."

Related: 1 Year Since Manuel Ellis' Death, Local Leaders Call For Closure