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Jury begins deliberations in Manny Ellis death trial

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Published  December 14, 2023 6:39pm PST
Manuel Ellis
FOX 13 Seattle

Jury deliberating trial in the death of Manny Ellis

The fate of three Tacoma Police officers charged in the death of Manny Ellis is now in the hands of jurors.

TACOMA, Wash. - After more than two months of hearings, the jury in the Manny Ellis death trial went into deliberations.

Ellis died while in Tacoma Police custody in March 2020.

Tacoma Officers Matthew Collins and Christopher Burbank, first on scene, are charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter.

Officer Timothy Rankine, a part of the second unit on scene, is charged with first-degree manslaughter.

The standard sentence for second-degree murder is 10 to 18 years. The standard sentence for first degree manslaughter is 6.5 to 8.5 years.

The max sentence for both charges is life in prison.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 'Evokes all the stereotypes of Nazi Germany:' Judge calls out prosecution in Ellis death trial for word choice

The 12-person jury is made up of four women and eight men; the majority of the jury is white.

There is no time frame for how long deliberations could take. Officials say the jury could decide on a verdict as early as Monday or the case could extend into next year.