SEATTLE — Two defendants arrested in Seattle’s May Day rioting pleaded not guilty to assault charges against them.
Police used tear gas and flash-bang grenades in arresting 17 people that night. Most of the charges are misdemeanors for damaging property. But five people were charged with felonies, including three who are accused of assaulting police.
In court today, 18-year-old Josh Patterson and 20-year-old Marcel Davis pleaded not guilty of assault for throwing rocks at police.
The judge refused to release Davis, who's being held on 60-thousand dollars bond on his own recognizance. Prosecutors said in court he threw a softball sized-rock,which KIRO cameras show him carrying that night. Prosecutors said it hit a police officer in the knee.
Patterson is already on juvenile probation, but he was released today on his own recognizance. He's required to check in with his juvenile probation officer.
Prosecutors said in court the rock cracked an officer’s kneecap, and that it has affected her job and quality of life.
Davis has a long juvenile record from the Spokane area and has been jailed in King County a half-dozen times since October.
Court documents said Davis had also handed out rocks to other protestors.
Police say eight officers were hurt in the riots that night. But the officer hit in the knee had the most severe injury. Other police nursed bruises from having bottles, rocks, fists and other objects hurled at them.