After spending half his life in prison, Washington Appellate Project client freed based on youth and extraordinary rehabilitation
September 2, 2026 – On August 31, 2026, James Ellis was released from prison following a successful appeal by the Washington Appellate Project. Mr. Ellis pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2008 and was sentenced to 25 years at the age of 18. He was resentenced in 2021 following the Supreme Court’s Blake decision. However, in November 2025, the Supreme Court decided that the 2021 resentencing failed to account for Ellis’s youth in 2008. It ordered a full resentencing.
On August 28, 2026, Judge Stanley Rumbaugh conducted a new sentencing hearing. The court considered how Mr. Ellis’s young age in 2008 mitigated his conduct. In deciding the appropriate sentence, Judge Rumbaugh said the facts of the offense showed an element of youthful impulsivity as well as peer pressure. “[There was] no thought of how this would affect the future.” Judge Rumbaugh considered Mr. Ellis’s childhood and surrounding environment and recognized that “violence can be a learned response.”
The court also reviewed Mr. Ellis’s extraordinary record of rehabilitation, including education and job training. The court was particularly impressed with his wildland firefighting. Mr. Ellis’s grueling and dangerous work saved lives and communities, and he was regarded as a “hero.” His years as a firefighter fueled his passion for environmental issues [1, 2]. One of Ellis’s defense attorneys pointed out not only is his work as a firefighter remarkable, it demonstrated his ability to successfully reenter society: “He’s been in the community, and he’s been successful.”
The courtroom was packed with Mr. Ellis’s loved ones and supporters. His older son, now 19, addressed the court and shared an emotional account of the positive impact his father has had on him. Mr. Ellis’s attorneys and other supporters addressed the court’s concerns about reentry, explaining that Mr. Ellis has housing set up, arrangements to get a phone and basic necessities, and a large support system. A representative from the Department of Corrections also appeared at the hearing, ready to assure the court that they were prepared to release Mr. Ellis as soon as Monday the 31st.
The prosecution asked for a sentence of 20 years and 5 months. However, Judge Rumbaugh did not believe 33 more months in prison was necessary to Mr. Ellis’s rehabilitation. He recognized, “Mr. Ellis has accomplished more inside of prison than many people accomplish from the outside.” In front of Mr. Ellis’s family and supporters, Rumbaugh decided: “Mr. Ellis will be released forthwith,” Mr. Ellis walked out of prison on Monday after serving 18 and a half years.
Read more: Pierce County judge calls imprisoned man’s firefighting ‘remarkable,’ sets him free.
[1] Expecting the Unexpected: Why wildland firefighters think about heat when it’s cold
[2] In the face of danger: a personal account of wildland firefighting