Lawyers for three Washington state officers charged in the death of a Black man say Manuel Ellis died from drugs, not excessive force.

Lawyers for three Washington state police officers charged in the 2020 death of a Black man told the jury Tuesday that his death was the result of drug use, not excessive force that included officers choking, shocking and holding him facedown.

Manuel Ellis was addicted to methamphetamine, and it caused him to be violent, unpredictable, and paranoid, said Wayne Fricke, who represents Tacoma police Officer Christopher Burbank.

“This is a situation where he created his own death,” Fricke said during closing arguments in the officers’ nine-week trial on murder and manslaughter charges. “It was his behavior that forced the officers to use force against him because he created a situation that required them to act.”

Fricke’s remarks followed closing arguments by special prosecutor Patty Eakes, who urged the jury to compare the officers’ statements with videos and witness testimony to determine the officers’ credibility. Eakes is prosecuting the case on behalf of the Washington Attorney General’s Office.

  • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
    833·
    11 months ago

    Radical idea, but, we could stop sending police officers to deal with people on drugs, since police are clearly not equipped to deal with it.

      • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
        111·
        11 months ago

        Nobody ever said the police wouldn’t be on standby if situations actually do turn violent. They just shouldn’t be first responders for this shit. They clearly aren’t trained to deal with anything else.

        • Kerensky1101@lemmy.world
          51·
          11 months ago

          The police in America are very much not trained for anything.

          Police in some countries are required to obtain at least a four year degree and attend a two year police academy before they can start.

          Contrast that to the city I used to live in where they had a written test to be a police officer. A written test where they had to reduce the math competency portion from a 4th grade math level to a 1st grade math level due to too many candidates failing the test. Other than that, the only other requirement is a two year degree that is very generic

      • Chetzemoka@startrek.website
        71·
        11 months ago

        In related news, we never even tried because people like making things up so they can continue being scared of their own shadows.

  • Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world
    813·
    11 months ago

    “This is a situation where he created his own death,”

    “It was his behavior that forced the officers to use force against him…"

    Lol same language as “why did you make me hurt you?” And “If you didn’t act up, I wouldn’t have hit you.”

    You absolutely bet these officers abuse their family.

    • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
      20·
      11 months ago

      In some cases, being high and fighting the police kinda changes the situation.

      Having said that, this clearly does not seem to be the case here. Police using excessive force and then lying about it. Good they have footage of their actions. Lock them up for life to scare their colleagues I say

    • funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works
      251·
      11 months ago

      lots of people’s grandparents are on pharmaceutical drugs that impair their ability, are often unwell and have trouble breathing.

      I dont see why that should be a good reason for putting my full weight on gamgam’s windpipe with my knee.

    • Kalash@feddit.ch
      86·
      11 months ago

      Well, that happened in 2020 and he did have trouble breathing … probably covid related.

      • Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
        242·
        11 months ago

        A police officer had his knee crushing his neck as Floyd pleaded that he couldn’t breath until his was murdered. I don’t think Covid has fuck all to do an with his death

      • girsaysdoom@sh.itjust.works
        1·
        11 months ago

        I think you’re proving their point even moreso. If there are less issues associated with drugs in this man’s death then the police action was consequentially more of a factor.

        • Kalash@feddit.ch
          4·
          11 months ago

          then the police action was consequentially more of a factor.

          This is very much my point.

          I thought suggesting that George Floyd died due to covid was ridiculous enough of a statement for not having to add an /s. The joke is that it’s something absurd that police might say as a defense …

    • prole@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      2·
      11 months ago

      Two completely different cases, my dude. That’s not really how the justice system works.

      • nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca
        15·
        11 months ago

        1. Wait for someone to take medication.

        2. Choke them to death

        3. Be found but guilty because they were on drugs.

        Congrats you legalized murder.

        • SwampYankee@mander.xyz
          2·
          11 months ago

          I don’t know that people really consider Floyd a hero… A martyr, maybe. He wasn’t fighting for anything except his own life, and it’s enough of a crime that it was taken away from him for allegedly using a fake $20 bill. Whatever kind of symbolic figure he is, is because of things that were done to him, not things that he did himself. The situation didn’t even warrant his arrest, but Thomas Lane walked up behind him sitting in his car and tapped on his window WITH A FUCKING GUN. Is that what they’re teaching in police gun safety classes? At no point did any one of those absolute shitbirds do a single thing right in their interaction with Floyd.