‘Body slammed him onto the ground’; Witness gives testimony of Manny Ellis’ struggle with officers

Key eyewitnesses take the stand in Manny Ellis death trial

Witnesses who the defense described as the 'most significant for the state’s case' took the stand Tuesday, in the trial of the three officers charged in the death of Manny Ellis.

TACOMA, Wash. - Witnesses who the defense described as key for the state’s case took the stand in the trial of the three officers charged in the death of Manny Ellis.

Tacoma Police Officers Matthew Collins and Christopher Burbank are charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. Officer Timothy Rankine is charged with manslaughter. All three have pleaded not guilty.

Sara McDowell and Keyon Lowery say they were there the night it happened.

Lowery and McDowell were in separate cars behind the responding Tacoma Police car. McDowell captured video of the incident on her cellphone.

"Manny, he turned around. To me, what looked like he was walking away, going toward the sidewalk again, but before he could get to the sidewalk or walk away, the passenger officer swung his door open and knocked Manuel to the floor, or to the ground. He was on his knees, and then he jumped out," described McDowell on the stand. "The driver officer flicked on his yellow lights, jumped out, ran away the front of the cop car and grabbed Manuel and, like, flipped—body slammed him onto the ground. The passenger officer came from the side, or came, you know, they were all right there. Came, and started punching Manuel in the face over and over again."

The defense asked McDowell how Ellis responded to the officers.

Defense Attorney: "You heard the officer say to Mr. Ellis, ‘Put your hands behind your head.’"

McDowell: "Yes"

Defense: "Multiple times?"

McDowell: "I just, oh yeah. Yes, at the end"

Defense: "So, they told Mr. Ellis to put his hands behind his back, multiple times, but Mr. Ellis didn’t do that?"

McDowell: "No."

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The defense also questioned McDowell with how well she can remember the specifics of the incident.

Defense: "You mentioned in an interview that it’s been so long ago, that you’re really not sure about the events that happened on that night"

McDowell: "I can remember it, overall, what happened, what I’ve seen. I can’t remember all the details completely."

According to the Attorney General’s office the next two witnesses expected to take the stand are a neighbor whose doorbell camera captured video of the incident, and an audio expert.