Sadé Smith Joined The Day With Trae to Discuss the Michael Rowland Case and the King County Jail

Seattle Attorney Sadé A. Smith joined The Day With Trae to talk with host Trae Holiday about the Michael Rowland case and the issues in the King County Jail. The case, which she previously discussed on HeartBeat With Cindi Bright, centers around the death of Michael Rowland at the King County Jail, where Mr. Rowland was pinned down by officers and later found dead in his cell.

“I would say he was murdered,” Smith said. “It was horrific. If it wasn’t for the actions of SPD and the King County Jail guards he would still be alive.”

Smith said that despite the incident happening in April of 2022, it wasn’t until December when details emerged thanks to intensive reporting by Sydney Brownstone.

“It was clear he was in a mental health crisis,” Smith said. “Instead of giving him care and the resources he needed, SPD responded and held him down in the same position George Floyd was killed in. He was then taken to the King County Jail where the jail guards did the same thing, and minutes later he was found dead.”

Smith also brought up national statistics around the King County Jail, saying that the suicide rate is eight times the national average and over a six month period in 2022 there were over 500 documented instances of use of force, assault and critical incidents.

“There is massive harm that’s being done in the King County Jail,” Smith said. “And the reason that people being affected is because they can’t afford bail.”

Smith said in 2020 Dow Constantine acknowledged that it was time to shut down the King County Jail.

“We can’t keep having empty reform and we really need to see action,” Smith said. “Shutting down the jail is where we need to start.”

Holiday and Smith also talked about what can be done moving forward, including investing in resources and housing for individuals in need.

“There’s a difference between policing and public safety,” Smith said. “If those resources went into housing people and providing care, you would never see those people in the jail system again.”

She also added that it costs the jails $73,000 per year to keep one individual in jail.

You can watch the full interview above