Judge in trial of 3 Washington police officers allows a breathing expert to testify over objections

By MARTHA BELLISLE
Associated Press

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Five weeks into the trial against three Tacoma, Washington, police officers charged in the 2020 death of Manny Ellis and prosecutors had to convince the judge to let their breathing expert tell the jury what happens to a person who is held face down with pressure on their back. Lawyers for the officers had objected to the testimony from the state’s pulmonology expert Dr. Curtis Veal, arguing the state already had a cardiologist and forensic pathologist tell the jury about hypoxia and positional asphyxia. They argued that Veal’s testimony would just repeat that information as the trial is already weeks behind schedule. After hours of testimony and arguments, the judge agreed to bring the jury in and let Veal take the stand, just before the noon break.