“We want police to stop killing our families”
Statement as Trial for Manny Ellis's Killers, 3 Tacoma Officers, Approaches
Wednesday September 6, 2023
The Washington Coalition for Police Accountability released the following public statements regarding the jury trial, just scheduled for September 18th, of three Tacoma Police Department officers charged with murdering Tacoma resident Manny Ellis.
“As a mother whose life was shattered when her child was killed by police, I’ll say it again: We want police to stop killing our families. We want our sons and daughters to know they will be treated fairly if they encounter police. Our hearts go out to the Ellis’ family, who will never stop suffering the loss of their loved one.” - Sonia Joseph, Board Chair of Washington Coalition for Police Accountability, whose son Giovonn Joseph-McDade was killed by Kent police in 2017.
“For the families impacted by police violence, it’s not just about justice after the fact. It’s about preventing unnecessary police violence in the future. A jury trial of Tacoma police officers for hogtying and suffocating a Tacoma man may bring justice for Manny Ellis’ family and community. It may take those police officers off our streets. But it doesn’t change the fact that Mr. Ellis’ horrific death should never have happened in the first place.” - Dr. Gary Damon, Jr., Interim Executive Director of the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability
Police in Washington State have killed more than 300 people since 2015—roughly 1 in 6 of all homicides in the state, according to homicide data from the WA State Department of Health.
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WCPA is a coalition of families who have lost loved ones to police violence, advocates, experts, and organizations working together on state-wide policies to reduce police violence and increase accountability. The coalition grew out of advocacy for WA Initiative 940 in 2018. The WCPA was formed in 2020, against the backdrop of the murder of George Floyd, and the killing and ensuing coverup of the death of Manny Ellis in Tacoma, to address the significant gaps in I-940 and to broaden the work overall to address police violence in Washington state.
The WCPA became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2022. Its mission is to create safer communities in Washington state by promoting the implementation of policies that reduce violence and increase police accountability.
