Pierce County Agrees To Settlement In Manuel Ellis Wrongful Death Lawsuit

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) – The Pierce County Council has approved a settlement that will pay $4 million to the family of Manuel Ellis, a Black man killed by police two years ago as he pleaded for breath.

The deal ends the county’s involvement in the case, though Ellis’ sister, Monet Carter-Mixon, and mother, Marcia Carter, continue to pursue their wrongful death lawsuit against Tacoma, whose officers were more involved in Ellis’ detention – some of whom have been charged criminally. Ellis, 33, died March 3, 2020, just weeks before George Floyd’s death triggered a nationwide reckoning on race and policing.

The death made Ellis’ name synonymous with pleas for justice at protests in the Northwest.

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