Jury in Manny Ellis trial ordered to restart deliberations for second time in 2 days

TACOMA, Wash. — For the second time in as many days, a judge has ordered that jury deliberations restart in the trial against three Tacoma police officers accused in the death of Manuel Ellis.

On Tuesday morning, a juror reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. That juror was replaced by the second alternate. Just a day prior, a separate juror was replaced by the first alternate due to family emergency.

After the first juror had to replaced on Monday, the judge ordered deliberations to start from scratch so that the alternate could be caught up. That same order was issued Tuesday to account for the second alternate. This comes after deliberations had run for the latter half of last week.

Tacoma officers Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins are charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter. Timothy Rankine is charged with first-degree manslaughter.

Ellis died in police custody, and jurors will decide if the officers are responsible.

Prosecutors say the officers used excessive force that led to Ellis’s death, while the defense pointed to Ellis’s use of methamphetamine and an enlarged heart.

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