The trial of the three officers charged in Manuel Ellis’ death is now entering its eighth week.
A police training expert testified Monday that the use of force against Ellis was appropriate. It’s the direct opposite of what prosecutors argued earlier in the trial.
Prosecutors say Tacoma Police Officers Matthew Collins, Christopher Burbank, and Timothy Rankine tackled, punched, and tazed Ellis before holding him face down on the sidewalk, even after he said he couldn’t breathe.
Chris Nielson is a training sergeant for Renton Police. He testified Monday that the officers’ actions were justified because the tactics they used to try to subdue Ellis failed.
″When you’re making force decisions, you have to gauge the amount of force you use based on the amount of resistance you’re getting and then come in with enough force to overcome that resistance,” he said.
This was the first day of testimony following a week-long pause in the trial after two jurors tested positive for COVID-19.
We’ll likely see a few more weeks of testimony before the case is handed to the jury.
You can livestream the trial each day on our website.
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