NEWS GLEAMS | DOJ Announces Probe Into Death of Manuel Ellis; Boeing Under Investigation for Airplane Accident

A roundup of news and announcements we don't want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

by Vee Hua 華婷婷

Justice Department Announces Probe Into Death of Manuel Ellis in Tacoma

As previously reported in the Emerald, on Dec. 21, 2023, the three officers responsible for the 2020 death of 33-year-old Manuel Ellis were acquitted of all charges of murder and manslaughter. However, the U.S. Department of Justice announced last week that it will undertake its own investigation to determine whether the officers' actions in beating, tasering, and hogtying Ellis were a violation of federal law.

"Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman's office said in an email that it is 'conducting an independent review of the state's case concerning Manuel Ellis' death. If that review reveals violations of federal criminal statutes, the Justice Department will take appropriate action,'" KNKX reported. "After the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement, Ellis' family demanded that the Justice Department seek a consent decree, or court-ordered settlement for reform, with the Tacoma Police Department during a news conference with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and the Alaska Oregon Washington State Area Conference of the NAACP."

During the trial proceedings, both the defense and prosecution had differing accounts of what happened during the encounter, which took place at a Tacoma intersection. Ellis had been walking home from a 7-Eleven when he passed officers Matthew Collins and Christopher Burbank inside their police vehicle. The officers claimed Ellis had tried to open their car door and became aggressive; eyewitnesses stated that the officers antagonized Ellis first and did not stop attacking him even after he was face down on the ground and told them he could not breathe.

Following the acquittals of officers Timothy Rankine, Burbank, and Collins, the Tacoma Police Chief essentially cleared them of wrongdoing and entered into a voluntary resignation agreement with each officer, who each accepted $500,000 in payment to leave the police force.

During a Tacoma City Council meeting on Jan. 17, upset residents testified to the injustice of the officers being paid out in spite of Ellis' death. In that same meeting, KOMO News reported that the Tacoma City Council voted to issue a letter supporting a bill in Olympia that would ban police use of hogties, which were used to restrain Ellis.

Seattle City Council Picks Nominations for Vacant Seat

The Seattle City Council has announced its eight potential nominations to fill the seat vacated by former Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (Position 8, Citywide), now that Mosqueda has moved onto her newly elected position as a King County Councilmember. Through an open process, 72 eligible applicants completed their application materials, which were shared online last week via the City Council's Council Vacancy website. From that list, each of the eight existing councilmembers selected one individual of their preference.

The candidates and their selectors are as follows:

• Juan Cotto, selected by Maritza Rivera (District 4, Northeast Seattle)
• Neha Nariya, selected by Cathy Moore (District 5, North Seattle)
• Mark Solomon, selected by Rob Saka (District 1, West Seattle, South Park, Georgetown, SoDo, and Pioneer Square)
• Vivian Song, selected by Dan Strauss (District 6, Northwest Seattle)
• Steven Strand, selected by Sara Nelson (Position 9, Citywide)
• Mari Sugiyama, selected by Tammy Morales (District 2, Yesler Terrace to Rainier Beach)
• Linh Thai, selected by Joy Hollingsworth (District 3, Central Area)
• Tanya Woo, selected by Bob Kettle (District 7, Pioneer Square to Queen Anne and Magnolia)

A community forum will be held with each candidate through Seattle CityClub on Jan. 18. Following that, on Monday, Jan. 22, at 9:30 a.m., councilmembers will host a Special Council Meeting where finalists who have participated in the Community Forum can speak directly with the council. The council will then vote on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 2 p.m. for its selection to fill the vacant seat.

Alaska Airlines and Boeing Continue to Face Consequences From Airplane Accident

On Jan. 5, an Alaska Airlines flight departing from Portland experienced rapid decompression midair when a door plug fell out of the Boeing 737 MAX 9's side wall. No passengers were hurt, but the airplane had to make an emergency landing, and all models of the airplane were immediately grounded by Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, the other U.S. airline that uses the model in large quantities. The unexpected malfunction immediately led to a number of flight delays and cancellations, declines in each company's stock prices, investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and, most recently, a civil suit from passengers on the Alaska Airlines flight.

Most significantly, the FAA announced an audit of Boeing and its subsidiary companies, which are regularly subcontracted to make specific components of each aircraft. In a statement on Jan. 17, the FAA wrote, "After taking decisive action to ground 171 Boeing 737-9 MAX airplanes, the FAA is now investigating Boeing's manufacturing practices and production lines, including those involving subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems, bolstering its oversight of Boeing, and examining potential system change."

Whistleblowers at Spirit AeroSystems — the subcontractor that makes the door plugs — and former Boeing employees have alleged that Boeing pushes for speed in the production timeline over the safety of passengers. They also allege that quality assurance is often overlooked in the process.

According to the FAA, all Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft with door plugs will remain grounded until a review of an inspection and maintenance process has been approved. Boeing has said it will cooperate with the FAA's investigation.

Between March 2019 and December 2020, an earlier model of the Boeing 737 MAX was grounded following two fatal crashes. The crashes involved Lion Air in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines in March 2019, and both showed evidence of failure due to the same technical malfunction. After that period, the FAA was criticized for allowing Boeing to conduct its own investigations into the malfunctions.

Port of Seattle Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed Is First Somali Woman Elected to Public Office in Washington State

by Sharon Maeda

Hamdi Mohamed was elected to the Port of Seattle Commission in November 2021. She made history as the first Somali woman elected to public office in Washington State and was the first Black woman elected to the Port of Seattle Commission. In another historic first, the Port Commission elected Mohamed as its president for 2024, making her the first Woman of Color and immigrant to assume the role.

"I'm thankful for this historic opportunity my colleagues have provided me in taking the helm of this organization as Commission President for 2024," Mohamed said in a Port of Seattle press release. "I'm proud to represent the more than 2 million people of King County and am committed to working diligently on their behalf alongside my colleagues."

Mohamed's decision to run for Port Commissioner stems from her long history and connection with the Port. Mohamed's father was a truck driver, and her mother worked at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). She and her husband also currently live in SeaTac, near the airport, and are both proud University of Washington graduates.

In addition to her work at the Port, Mohamed currently serves as director of the City of Seattle's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. Prior to her time at the City, she served as a policy adviser to King County Executive Dow Constantine and was the Deputy District Director for U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, where she helped small and medium-sized businesses navigate the impacts of new public policies. She also worked for CARE International and the Refugee Women's Alliance, in roles that were dedicated to fighting poverty and empowering immigrants.

📸 Featured Image: Protesters at a silent march in Tacoma on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, demanding justice for Manny Ellis, who was shot by police in March 2020. (Photo: Ronnie Estoque)

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