Three Washington state police officers were cleared of all criminal charges Thursday in the death of Manuel "Manny" Ellis, a Black man, in 2020. The jury found that the officers were not responsible for Ellis' death, despite the Pierce County medical examiner ruling it a homicide caused by oxygen deprivation. The verdict has been met with disappointment and outrage from Ellis' family and the community, sparking protests in Tacoma and other cities across the state. The Washington State Patrol has launched an internal investigation into the incident.
