Defendants Christopher "Shane" Burbank, left, and Timothy Rankine sit in the gallery during the pre-trail motion in the trial of Tacoma Police Officers Christopher Burbank, Matthew Collins and Timothy Rankine in the killing of Manny Ellis at Pierce County Superior Court Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, Tacoma, Wash.
“Attorney fees are expensive, and this was a lengthy trial, and so the motion, you know, makes sense,” Casey Arbenz, who represented Collins during the trial.
“There is no basis for sanctions in this case, and there’s no willful violation by the AGO,” Lori Ann Nicolavo of the WA Attorney General’s office said. Still, attorneys for the former officers argued that the statute isn’t completely clear, and their clients are entitled to have their legal costs covered. Ultimately, their motion was denied.“These guys lost their entire careers, faced 20 years in prison,” Arbenz said. “To say that they got a half million is, I think, borders on kind of shocking. I mean, they didn't get anything, they lost everything, and now have to move forward in their own way.