How to watch the trial of the 3 Tacoma police officers accused of killing Manuel Ellis
The long-anticipated trial of three Tacoma police officers accused of killing Manuel “Manny” Ellis in 2020 is underway after many delays, and members of the public will be able to view the trial in person and online.
Jury selection began on Sept. 19, and opening statements are expected to begin the first week of October, with jury deliberation expected to begin in December. The trial is being held in Pierce County Superior Court, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., in the County-City Building in Courtroom 323.
Over three-and-a-half-years ago, Ellis was walking home from a convenience store in the South End when he encountered officers Christopher Burbank and Mathew Collins at the corner of 96th Street South and Ainsworth Avenue. The encounter was followed by an altercation that ended with Ellis’ death. Ellis was beaten, shocked with a Taser, restrained on the ground with his legs tied to the handcuffs behind his back, and his head was placed in a spit hood. At one point he told officers he could not breathe.
Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson charged officers Burbank and Collins with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter a year after the Pierce County medical examiner conducted Ellis’ autopsy and ruled his death a homicide. Timothy Rankine was charged with first-degree manslaughter. He arrived at the scene after a call for backup and kneeled on Ellis, records show.
Manuel Ellis trial timeline
Important dates:
Sept. 16: Jury selection
Oct. 2: Projected opening statements
Dec. 4: Anticipated first day of juror deliberation
In-person viewing information
There will be a certain number of seats available for the public in the courtroom.
Gallery seating availability during jury selection is limited to six seats for the public.
Gallery seating availability during trial days and jury deliberation increases to 30 seats for the public.
Tickets for gallery seating during jury selection, trial days and jury deliberations become available at noon the day before a trial day on the Pierce County website.
Members of the public who reserve a seat for in-person viewing must bring their ticket in a digital or printed format. Check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the trial on the second floor entrance to the County-City Building. After a person’s reservation is confirmed, they will receive a wristband for the day and will be given access to the courtroom on the third floor. Gallery members will be required to turn their phones off and place into a YONDR pouch before entering the courtroom. The YONDR pouches, which are secure bags meant to store mobile devices in mobile-free spaces, can only be opened by court staff. Gallery members are encouraged to be seated by 9 a.m.
Court screening guidelines
In-person viewers should expect to pass through a security-screening process as they enter the courthouse. People entering the courthouse will be required to go through a metal detector, and personal belongings might be inspected with X-ray screening equipment.
Types of security screenings
General Screening Line - The general screening line procedure includes X-ray of all hand-carried items, such as purses, briefcases and backpacks.
Express Line - The express line does not allow hand-carried items such as purses and laptops.
ADA Line - The ADA line accommodates those needing mobility assistance, such as wheelchairs, crutches and scooters.
Visit the Pierce County website for a complete list of prohibited items in the courtroom.
Live streaming the trial
The entire trial, except for jury selection, will be live streamed on the Pierce County website. People viewing the trial via the live stream are not allowed to record any of the proceedings without prior permission from the judicial officer presiding in the courtroom.
The video will not play if the court is at recess or off the record. The page will give a notification when the court is back on the record, so people viewing the live stream must constantly refresh the page.
This story was originally published September 27, 2023 at 12:33 PM.
