On December 21, 2023, a King County jury ruled in favor of five Black officers who experienced years of racial and other harassment while working for the University of Washington Police Department. Filed in 2021, the case of Ellis v. University of Washington Police Department alleged that the officers were subjected to racist comments and slurs, racial stereotyping, and disparate treatment compared to white colleagues.
The jury heard testimony from approximately 60 witnesses and reviewed hundreds of exhibits. After deliberating for a week, the jury awarded the officers more than $16.66 million in economic and emotional distress damages. Another $8.79 million was recovered in post-trial relief, which included awards of attorneys’ fees, litigation costs, and additional compensation to offset the plaintiffs for adverse tax consequences. The total judgment is $25.45 million.
Terrell Marshall Law Group proudly represents the five officers. The team at Terrell Marshall was made up of attorneys Toby Marshall, Beth Terrell, Ryan Tack-Hooper, Eden Nordby, Amanda Steiner, and Elizabeth Adams; senior paralegal Jennifer Boschen; and litigation assistant Laura Murray.