Works In Progress - July 2003 - LEIU:After-Action Report

Police arrested 12 people, injuring several seriously, after a peaceful march June 2nd against the Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit (LEIU) convention Seattle. Some of the people arrested live in Olympia and are requesting help finding video of their arrests.

Laurel Smith, a union shop steward and activist, who is also a former Evergreen student, was diagnosed by Capital Medical Center staff as having multiple head injuries sustained after police officers slammed her head into the pavement at 5th and Union four or more times. She momentarily lost consciousness during the arrest and only awoke in the police van on the way to the precinct lockup. In pain and shock from the beating received from Seattle police officers, not to mention the large dose of pepper spray, she suddenly began to sing. When she arrived at the precinct, the driver of the van complimented her on her voice.

"I just do this for the paycheck, she recalls him saying.

Smith helps coordinate the Books to Prisoners program in the Olympia area and was not looking for a confrontation with police when she went to Seattle.

"It was a benign and agreeable actions," she said, describing the 700 person symbolic protest as largely ineffective. She said she would probably not be attending any protests in the near future.

"I already choose my protests carefullynow even more carefully. Now is the time for creativity. Simply showing up in the street with noise makers is not going to do it."

She described the action as draining, citing the small numbers who turned out and the fact that no jail support was organized for those who were arrested. She was released by Seattle Police at 3:30am and found herself alone on the street, dazed and in pain. She was released without her wallet or belongings and had still not received them almost two weeks later.

Her arrest report claims she assaulted an officer, interfering with his duties. Accounts published elsewhere described the assault upon the officer as "spit on his safety glasses and left arm." It is not known how well the officer is recovering from the misdemeanors suffered against his person.

In the first two weeks since her arrest, Laurel had not been allowed to sleep for more than an hour or two at a time. Her doctor recommended she be checked several times each night for symptoms of further brain damage due to blood clots or cerebral bleeding. Early in her incarceration, she had been given aspirin to help with the pain. However, aspirin is not recommended for people with head injuries since it promotes bleeding. A nurse at the jail also offered her more aspirin. She recalls the nurse saying she "could not have a concussion" prior to any examination. Later on, the nurse pressed her for details of what she had done to deserve arrest. Smith became suspicious that the nurse was trying to elicit a confession, and even began wondering whether she was a nurse at all.

Laurel Smith was arrested around 8:36pm at 5th and Union. She was wearing her blonde hair tied back, black pinstripe pants and a black tee shirt. She had an orange-red shoulder bag which was last seen in the precinct house where she was first incarcerated, before transport to the jail. She is about 5'7" and is of slight build. If you saw her being arrested on the south-east corner of the hotel, near the line of riot police at 5th and Union, she needs your testimony.

If you have photographs or video, she needs that as well. Anyone who has information can call Olympia Copwatch investigator Drew Hendricks at (360) 455-4336. We will give your contact information to Laurel Smith or arrange a meeting.