Former Tacoma police officer Timothy Rankine, who was acquitted of criminal charges in the 2020 death of Manny Ellis, has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against city and state officials, claiming he was falsely accused of criminal and racial misconduct.
Former Tacoma police officer Timothy Rankine, who was acquitted of criminal charges in the 2020 death of Manny Ellis, has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against city and state officials, claiming he was falsely accused of criminal and racial misconduct.
Ellis, a black man, died in March 2020 while in Tacoma police custody after being shocked, beaten, and held face down on a sidewalk while pleading for breath.
During a trial last year, Rankine, who is Asian American, testified that he held Ellis down on his back, despite Ellis pleading that he could not breathe.
The officers' attorneys argued that Ellis died from a lethal amount of methamphetamine as well as a heart condition, not from the officers' actions. However, the Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide and said it was caused by a lack of oxygen during the physical restraint.
Rankine's lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims that he was falsely accused of criminal misconduct and racial bias, and that the charges against him were politically motivated.
The lawsuit also alleges that Rankine and his family were subjected to threats and harassment as a result of the charges against him.
Rankine is seeking $47 million in damages.
The Tacoma City Council has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
The Ellis family has filed a separate federal lawsuit against the city and the officers. The family previously settled for $4 million with Pierce County, which first investigated Ellis' death.
The Department of Justice is also investigating the case for possible civil rights violations.
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* Rankine's lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges to the Ellis investigation and prosecution.
* The three officers involved in Ellis' death have all been acquitted of criminal charges.
* The Ellis family has maintained that the officers' actions were excessive and that they should be held accountable for his death.
* The city of Tacoma has defended the officers' actions, saying that they used reasonable force in response to Ellis' resistance.
* The Department of Justice investigation is ongoing, and it is unclear whether any federal charges will be filed.
* The Ellis case has raised questions about police use of force and racial bias.
* The Tacoma Police Department has implemented reforms in response to the Ellis case, including new training on de-escalation and crisis intervention.
* The Ellis family has called for more accountability from police officers and for changes to the criminal justice system.
* The lawsuit filed by Rankine is likely to further prolong the legal battle over the Ellis case.
