Ellis' family members and their supporters expressed anger at the outcome of the first such case brought against law enforcement officers under a new police-accountability statute that Washington state voters approved by referendum five years ago.
The three men were cleared of criminal wrongdoing in the death of Ellis, 33, despite witness testimony and video evidence presented at trial showing the officers putting Ellis in a chokehold, shooting him with a stun gun and pinning him to the street with their weight on March 3, 2020.
Video footage showed Collins restraining Ellis by the neck as Burbank fired a Taser into his chest while he lay on the ground. Ellis, who was unarmed, could be heard repeatedly saying: "Can't breathe, sir," during the encounter and was declared dead at the scene.
