James Smith Interview, August 24, 2019

INDEXED CLIP TIME: 00:00:05.460 --> 00:05:08.810 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Maren Orchard interviews James Smith on August 24, 2019 during Late Skate at Anacostia Park. In this clip, James Smith talks about overpolicing and police harrassment. SUBJECTS: Late Skate in Anacostia Park; Anacostia Park (Washington, D.C.); Anacostia Park and Community Collaborative; National Park Service -- Anacostia Park; Police harrassment; Overpolicing; Illegal search and seizure; Fourth Amendment rights

Alright, it is August 24, 2019, and we are at Anacostia Park Late Skate. And this is the Late Skate event. And I am Maren Orchard and I'm interviewing James. So could you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself and some of your story?

My name is James Smith. I've been in this community for 54 years. I love this city. But there's a lot of stuff that ain't right in his city. I mean, I can't say bad stuff about it. I can't say good things about it. The only one I could speak good about is Marion Barry. He did a lot for the kids. Break down 80% of the community is messed up. Most of people getting in trouble are juveniles You know why? She started a summer job. But it ain't working though. It just started. When Marion Barry was here, it was okay. Think about it. You had about 70% kids got killed. Like the night when they killed that little girl, killed the little boy by mistake. Me personally, I love DC. But it just, something needs to change. And maybe I don't know what to say about it or what to do about it.

Me personally, I've been through a lot. I mean, I've been locked up a lot. And park police, they visit. I mean, if you drive through the park and your tag is dead, they want to lock you up. Why not give you a warning? But they lock you up. They don't tell everybody that. They only say what a person did. But they don't say he didn't have no drugs in his car. He has no gun in his car. He got locked up because he he had dead tags. Park police don't do what Metropolitan Police do. Which they're crooked too. Me personally, I believe that all of them are crooked and it makes me bitter to society. [inaudible] but it makes me bitter.

So do you feel like your community is over policed? Like they're doing too much?

Yeah, right now, the Lord is good though. And I'm just saying you got to protect people, right? But some things are uncalled for. If you leave out this parking lot right now and your tag is dead or your license is suspended... give me a warning. Park my car. Why are you going to lock me up and send me through the system? That's what they do.

How do you think that over policing and making too many arrests affects your community? You said that it makes you bitter. Do you see it affecting other people?

Yeah, because they're saying I'm driving bad and you're locking somebody up, he ain't got no gun, no drugs. None of that. That's what they look for. And you still lock them up. Why not give them a warning? And they don't talk about jump out. Jump out [inaudible]. You can be driving and you got somebody in your car with you. They jump out and pull you over and search your car. But how can you search my car and I didn't do nothing?

Do you think that's changed over time? That it happens a lot now, more than it used too?

Now personally, me, me I'm saying me as I experienced it, it's totally different right now. I mean, we did we did catch a break. At my age. But right now you ain't catching no break. I think the District of Columbia, I don't know what they're doing. If they change over to federal... If the federal takes over this whole shit is going to be some garbage. It is. And me, I feel it. Cuz I've been here. I'm getting all wanna be crying. But I feel it though.

[inaudible]

All my life. All my life.

Do you ever think about [inaudible -- something about Southeast DC]

No because [inaudible -- something about Southeast DC]

If you really think about your upbringing [inaudible]

If I drive up 12 Park Road, certain police pull you over. You know why they pull you over? Cuz there's three people in the car and you look like you know what's up. And how can you pull me over and search my car and I ain't do nothing.

How does it make you feel when that happens?

Fucked up. And it causes some shit. Believe that. I just went through it.

Yeah.

That's why I know they're some garbage. All of them work together. They [?] like they want to help us, but believe it, that's not what's up. And any discrimination about white, black and all that... they do that to everybody. Me they already know. They pulled me over, or if I'm walking cuz I'm on parole, they treat me like, something's wrong with him or watch him. And if you really want to know the whole story, parole is some shit. I could be in the car with you [inaudible] pulled over by the police, they can violate me. For what? What did I do?

Yeah, but hey make a long story short... this city ain't right.

INDEXED CLIP TIME: 00:00:05.460 --> 00:05:08.810 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Maren Orchard interviews James Smith on August 24, 2019 during Late Skate at Anacostia Park. In this clip, James Smith talks about unfair criminal justice and police violence. SUBJECTS: Police harrassment; Overpolicing; Illegal search and seizure; Fourth Amendment rights; Police violence; Criminal justice system

Is there anything about DC that gives you hope? [inaudible]

I ain't got no hope. I really don't got no hope. And I'm 54. If I ain't go no hope, [inaudible]. You can't get no hope. You can't get no hope if hope ain't getting to you. I just don't mean me personally. I just don't understand. If the police, the chief and the rest of them saying this is what's going on. But you don't know what your police is doing out there. There's some garbage. Believe that. And I won't tell you that something's wrong. 30 years out of my life. And I'm 54. [inaudible] All they do is process and let the courts decide. I don't think it's a good place to live.

Do you think it's like that everywhere?

Nah. PG's [Prince George County] messed up too though. But DC is off the radar. [inaudible] So they do a lot of stuff. Jump out. They jump out, beat your ass and everything. But when they go to court, the paperwork is totally different. So how can you beat the system? If they beat your ass and you come in with your arm broke, your leg broke. So I did this on my own? Judges don't want to hear that shit. They look at your record. If you gotta messed up record, he's sure. I can tell you this, [inaudible] I never had any experience with the park police. But they're some garbage, I know some people that had some. Hey I'm not saying that they just jump out and bother with you. You gotta be drinking or doing something for them to do something. but my point is if you leaving out and they pull you up, and your tag is dead, why not give me a warning? Why lock me up?

INDEXED CLIP TIME: 00:13:31.410 --> 00:15:10.340 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Maren Orchard interviews James Smith on August 24, 2019 during Late Skate at Anacostia Park. In this clip, James Smith talks about needed improvements at Anacostia Park. SUBJECTS: Late Skate in Anacostia Park; Anacostia Park (Washington, D.C.); Roller skating; Basketball courts; Cookouts

And what they need to do is get more basketball courts down here. A new one. Keep the kids occupied. Look at those little raggedy-assed courts over there.

Are there other things you can think of that Anacostia Park should do to help more people?

Nah. They do a good job because they let you come down to cookout. Enjoy yourself. Like the skating rink, that's good. That's been there all my life. It' been there and I appreciate that. I just don't come here because I'm not a skater. I like cooking out down here. You know, I'm never going to knock this park because it's a good park. But they need courts. And they need to lay off people when it's not necessary. They're not discriminating, it's white and black. The black one more harder though, you know. I don't know why. But I think they want to press their supervisors or something. But you got my story now.

Is there anything else you want to share?

What else do you need to know?

You tell your story really well. Are you here with anyone today?

My wife, over there. All in all, this is a good spot. But it just the police. It ain't right. What's going on in the community? You know, me. I talk to everybody because, I tell them I've been through it. And right now I'm proud of myself because I went through [inaudible] and I got a job. So I'm proud of myself and I tell everybody else, that's what you need to do. But I got to let them learn on their own. And I really, I learned a lot. I did a lot but I learned a lot, you know. And I always tell [inaudible] you got always think about reality. You just can't do this and think that it's gonna be alright. Cuz its coming back to you. And I love my wife to death. And my son and my daughter. So I changed. I would hope another person change. I can't dictate and say they will. But, if they've been through what I've been through, you're learning. So I'm good now.

It's been nice talking to you. Nice. Nice for you to hear me out.

Thank you so much for sharing.

This ain't no bad park. But they can improve it a little bit.

Thank you.