world

Boston policeman who arrested Gates won't apologize

69 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

69 Comments
Login to comment

"it is not against the law to yell at police" = that is disorderly conduct. And I don't see one shred of evidence about "racial profiling"

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Gates does not own this house -that is a huge difference. A landload only needs to provide notification to inspect the premises and what we have here was possible criminal activity -the Police can just enter and notify the landlord.

Let's say the door got messed up by a burgular before Gates arrived -and the burgular is still inside. That could have happened also -all the more reason not to be a nutter.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

the high road? the officer won't even apologize, which is all the professor is asking for. He isn't suing, which he has every right to do. So who's taking the high road?

the cop was basically called stupid by the President of the United States. Can't top that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Oh, he'll apologize, I'm sure of that. Give it about a week. What I am not sure is if Gates is right or not. what I am still sure of, as I was yesterday, is that he's gonna get paid big.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

maybe in the future, what should be done, is bring the same color cop to the scene as the person being complained about.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

tell me if i'm wrong but aren't proportionally more crimes committed by black people? if that's the case wouldn't you proportionally stop more black people? especially if it was reported that 2 black men were breaking in?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

But Gates countered by saying Crowley was clearly responding to racial profiling and “couldn’t understand a black man standing up for his rights, right in his face.”

The "right in his face" remark suggests, to me, that Dr. Gates was being belligerent.

There is a way to stand up for one's rights, without being "in your face" about it. Dr. Gates, of all people, should know that.

As for Obama's comments about this, he should put a cork in it. How can he say for a fact that the cops acted "stupidly"? He wasn't there.

Besides, tis is a local issue. It's not his concern. This is none of the federal government's business. Or perhaps Obama needs a distraction from his plummeting approval ratings on the economy and health-care.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Some good background info in the article above. Helps to keep the situation more neutral.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm sorry but after years of recieving this kind of treatment from the local jcops I can understand why gates raised his voice. I would/have don't the same when the police assume they are above answering questions. More crimes maybe commuted by black Americans than white but look at the other figures there. Lower income on average, discrimination, tougher sentencing etc. Common practise is "see a black man or tattooed man then they are upto no good" America is a long way from equality but things are getting there.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Badsey,

I think the police assumed Gates was the trespasser rather than the resident. Bad start. And I don't think it's a public disorder unless he's outside his house, which the police did ask him to step outside just before arresting him.

I think both sides kinda escalated the situation.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

JenniferKim,

Obama was asked by the press about it. In his whole statement, he did preface his opinion by admitting he's a friend of Gates and thus biased and that he doesn't know the whole situation but that from what info was available out there, the following was his opinion. He did not say that as fact; the fact he said about is the "that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

after years of recieving this kind of treatment from the local jcops I can understand why gates raised his voice

You've been found inside premises where a break-in has been reported, and been asked to provide ID? That seems to be all that happened here. As far as the officer was concerned, he found a man inside a building he'd been told to expect a break-in at; good enough reason to demand ID before providing your own name and number. And I agree with JenniferKim that the 'in his face' bit suggests belligerence on the part of Gates.

Seems to me Mr Gates was lucky not to get tasered by a REAL cop.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Heheheh, if that was Texas where real men are, they would've shot the cop. Texans are very protective of their homes. ;-)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Gates has demanded an apology from Sgt James Crowley"

Here we go again. You do not 'demand' an apology, especially in a situation like this. And if you do demand it, you are pretty much assuring that unless the other guy falls slobbering to his knees, he definitely won't give it. This is challenging language, and surely appeals to your followers, but it's an ego battle and guaranteed to make enemies.

If, as Weiblatt said above “The point is that the police sergeant needs to be the bigger person, take the higher road, be more professional.” then equally Gates needs to rise above it and gain respect from all sides.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Gates does not own this house -that is a huge difference. A landload only needs to provide notification to inspect the premises and what we have here was possible criminal activity -the Police can just enter and notify the landlord.

That is most certainly not the case. Renting a house does not preclude you from warrantless searches if the homeowner consents. It's not the homeowner's right to consent to a search of a renter's property, only the resident can consent to a search without a warrant.

The police can not just enter and notify the landlord. Not at all.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When the police looked at who is the owner of the house Gates name would have not come up on the title/deed, they would have needed to contact the renting/leasing party to see who indeeds lives in the house.

Renting/Ownership are not the same = read those rent contracts.

For example damaging the front door or changing the property in any way could get you kicked out or nullify your contract.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

You just don't aggravate police officers when they are trying to do their job. An educated man should know this, and a thinking man certainly knows this. So when does Gates plan to apologize to the police officer???

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Gates said he was “outraged” by the arrest, wants an apology from Crowley and would use the experience to help make a documentary about racial profiling in the United States. Tis isn’t about me, this is about the vulnerability of black men in America,” he said.

We should change that to, "This isn't about me, this is about my documentary."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Honestly, the problem here is probably the guy's baggage. The cops were called because of a possible break in. It's reasonable to assume they're going to approach him as a suspect. That's what Gates refuses to understand. He's pretending the only deciding factor is race and nothing else.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Old Indian saying" -- White Man will never understand until he has walked in my moccasins for as long as I.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Personally, I am more impressed with a black Harvard Educator than I am with a Kenyan black President of these United States.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm not denying racism exists. I'm just denying that it always exists.

Back in university I was making a turn and didn't look properly and realized that I was about to turn into someone who had just stepped into the crosswalk so I had to slam on my brakes. The guy happened to be black. His response? "I know I'm black, but it's the middle of the day," as if to say I should at least wait until night to run down a black man.

Racism is real, but sometimes people just have baggage. My guess is that Gates is a guy with baggage. He assumes racism is the motivation for the action just because it's possible, just like the guy I almost hit with my car. I'm thinking, "Holy crap I could have hit someone" and he's thinking, "Holy crap this white guy almost killed me because I'm black." There are times where racist intent is wrongly assumed and the burden of proof turns to the accused.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Race relations...a black eye for America...still today.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Obama said police had acted “stupidly.”

The person behind the curtain programing the almighty teleprompter must have been asleep at the keyboard. Watch for the White House to release a statement of what The One "really" meant.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Nandakandamanda,

but it's an ego battle...

I couldn't agree more. Look at how much time and energy has been spent on this.

The professor shouldn't have "demanded" an apology and the cop should have offered one without demand.

Taka

0 ( +0 / -0 )

After reading the full report by the officer (which the Boston papers have pulled from their site, oddly enough) the officer was responding to a complaint of attempted breaking and entering. There were more than one witness to the event, including civilians and cops. Mr. Gates apparently started the altercation and insisted on continuing it even after the cop had given him the information that Mr. Gates wanted so he could later file a complaint. By the time Mr. Gates was arrested there were about a dozen people there; cops, campus security, passers by and the neighbor who called in that the house was being broken into. Mr. Gates did say that there had been a previous break in attempt as well.

I think the president is backing the wrong horse on this one. You can't stand in a public place and scream at a cop in front of a bunch of people without being arrested. No matter what race you are.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Personally, I am more impressed with a black Harvard Educator than I am >with a Kenyan black President of these United States.

Why? William A Hinton became a Harvard Professor in 1949. Barack H. Obama became US President in 2009.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

tell me if i'm wrong but aren't proportionally more crimes committed by black people?

More black people are convicted of crimes than white people - law of the privileged nothing to do with justice.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think it was foolish of Obama to have made this statement. He would have been better off remaining silent on this local issue. It was obviously a total misunderstanding between a cop who showed up expecting a black burglar and a black professor expecting a white racist.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ossan, that sums it up nicely.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Boy, amazing how one tiny altercation stirs up the proverbial "racial shitstorm" in the US. On the one hand, the officer was just doing his job. I have cops in my family and the amount of BS they have to deal with on a daily basis is unbelievable. ON the other hand, I completely understand how Mr. Gates is probably feeling about this.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Some of you really need to take a criminal justice class to see that America's crime rate as it relates to race is a little more complex than group A commits more crime than group B. The Black population crime statistics indicate that Black crime rate is not proportionate to their population. If you take the two populations and compare them side by side, it is pretty plain to see that a Black man is more likely to go to jail than a white one. This doesn't necessarily mean that the majority of the crime in the US is committed by black people. 20% of the black population committing crimes is not the same as 8% of the White population commiting crimes.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

President Barack Obama said police had acted “stupidly.”

How does he know? Completely outrageous for the president of the US to make a statement like this when there's been no formal investigation of what actually happened. But I'm not surprised either since the left needs to perpetuate racism in order to garner money and votes.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Gates was irrational, but that's what racism does to a man. Would Gates have yelled so much if Barack wasn't his friend? I bet Gates has experienced unfair treatment throughout his entire life. I bet Crowley has lived the statistics of black vs white crime....On a side note.... Coming from an Japanese American, I have been to Boston as a visitor. When I bought a beer at the Fleet Center the man who checked my ID made a racial comment to my face. In all my 25 years in Southern California never have I ever experienced such a blatant form of racism.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I bet Gates has experienced unfair treatment throughout his entire life.

Huh? The guy's a tenured professor at the most pestigious ivy league school in the nation. The mean salary of a Harvard professor is about $169,000. And he likely benefited from affirmative action along the way. Not to mention he's a personal friend of the president of the United States. So what's all this "unfair treatment" you're talking about?

Bottom line: When a policeman asks to see your ID, you say "Yes sir" and give it to him.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Helter_Skelter at 05:46 AM JST - 24th July I bet Gates has experienced unfair treatment throughout his entire life. Huh? The guy's a tenured professor at the most pestigious ivy league school in the nation.

Yes he is and what about his abilities as a professor? Please tell us what you think about his qualifications..

Helter_Skelter at 05:46 AM JST - 24th July The mean salary of a Harvard professor is about $169,000.

Yes a professor earning that little to teach our future generation. I think most teachers should be paid higher than what we pay them now.

But what does his earnings have to do about his qualifications?

Helter_Skelter at 05:46 AM JST - 24th July And he likely benefited from affirmative action along the way.

So your saying that he has gotten special treatment sometime in his life? So he could not become a professor at Harvard with out government help?

If you have proof of this please share with the rest of us. Tell us how affirmative actions helped him and when.

To make bold statements like your must be backed up.

Because anyone can say what ever they want about someone with out proof. It get's hard when you have to produce facts about that.

So please tell us when did the good professor get that special help?

Or are you just profiling the professor because he is black? You know, the old far right wing saying that a minority can not make it without affirmative action helping them out.

So please show us your proof...

Helter_Skelter at 05:46 AM JST - 24th July Not to mention he's a personal friend of the president of the United States.

So Gates benefited from his friendship with the President? So while the President was a powerful Senator he made sure that Prof Gates got taken care of?

President Obama was the junior Senator and he was not that powerful. So how did Prof Gates benefit there?

Helter_Skelter at 05:46 AM JST - 24th July So what's all this "unfair treatment" you're talking about?

Getting arrested at your own home because you asked for the officers ID and badge. I think I would call that unfair treatment.

Helter_Skelter at 05:46 AM JST - 24th July Bottom line: When a policeman asks to see your ID, you say "Yes sir" and give it to him.

And when a citizen asks an officer for his name and badge number that officer is also suppose to provide it and say, "Yes Sir, here it is". Prof Gates did his part why didn't the officer?

To protect and serve does not mean you can do whatever you want. You too have to be polite to the people you are helping.

Or are police above all that, are they too special?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I was just gonna say something along those lines. I mean, the guy is a Certified Genius. Even if he did benefit from Affirmative Action at some point earlier on, I am sure he could have done just as well without it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Boy, amazing how one tiny altercation stirs up the proverbial "racial shitstorm" in the US.

How does he know? Completely outrageous for the president of the US to make a statement like this when there's been no formal investigation of what actually happened. But I'm not surprised either since the left needs to perpetuate racism in order to garner money and votes

This kind of stuff is commented on on any given day at this site. Think gaijin and J police. A foreigner is racially profiled by the J cops and acts up. Some of you should take a serious look into the mirror.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I mean, the guy is a Certified Genius.

Well, some of the stupidest people I know are "intellectuals".

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well, it's his own choice. He won't be punished or suspended his duty for not apoligizing to Professor Gates. But, he will deserve the consequence for what he did, and he is the one who will be sorry for that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Coming from an Japanese American, I have been to Boston as a visitor. >When I bought a beer at the Fleet Center the man who checked my ID made >a racial comment to my face. In all my 25 years in Southern California >never have I ever experienced such a blatant form of racism.

I'm sorry that happened. There are a-h's everywhere. But I hope you don't take that to be a reflection of everyone in Boston.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Hey, i never said the guy was perfect. I am just saying that he probably never needed any sort of affirmative action to get to where he is. I don't care how much affirmative action exists in the US, but no college is gonna just give someone the title of Suma Kum Laude just because they are of a different skin color. Especially not one so prestigious as the one he went to school at. You gotta work your bum off to get that on top of being an exception person.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Helter Skelter,

Unless you are a woman or a person of color, you will never know what that word unfair means. You will never know the reality that a black person in today's society goes through. The subtleties like walking around a store and being watched. Or what the sign "We have the right to refuse service to anyone" really means. Crowley's great great grandfather was a white man. Gates' great great grandfather was a slave. Isn't that unfair?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Unless you are a woman or a person of color, you will never know what that word unfair means. You will never know the reality that a black person in today's society goes through. The subtleties like walking around a store and being watched. Or what the sign "We have the right to refuse service to anyone" really means.

Yes, yes, yes, you've had a horrible life. Everyone hates you, nobody trusts you, and its all because of your skin color. Seriously, what a load of bull.

Based on what I read of this case, the cop made the right call. Having a man screaming in your face, waving his cane around, calling you a racist for daring to question what he is doing in a place that he has just broken into. Disorderly conduct seems about right. They shouldn't have dropped the charges against him, and if anyone should apologize, its this professor, who screamed racism merely because the cop was white.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Campus security arrived confirming to Crowley that it was Gates' home. If this is simply about protocol, then why arrest a man in his own home? Disorderly conduct is code for "cop saving face" after making a bad call. Admit your mistake as the police station did and apologize.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The police didn't admit their mistake, or apologize. The man was arrested for disorderly conduct, a crime he was obviously guilty of, not for B&E. He had no business getting in the cops face, no business screaming at him when the officer asked for ID to prove he lived there. He did those things, he ought to have been prosecuted.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This story has kind of morphed since more information has become available.

Am I to understand that the police officer, responding to a call about a b&e, entered the home of a professor to determine if he, in fact, lived there and then arrested said professor for disorderly conduct in his own home?

It is impossible for me to see this as situation of right and wrong. Neither of these two parties seem to be angels, in my opinion.

Taka

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sgt James Crowley can't afford to apologize unless demanded by the police force. If he does he loses face for himself and fellow officers, both black and white. < :-)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Helter_Skelter said:

Well, some of the stupidest people I know are "intellectuals".

Helter gets his definition of stupid right out of the Rush Limbaugh dictionary. Stupid - 1.) People who disagree with you; 2.) People who are different than you; 3.) People who do different things than you;

Helter would have intelligence measured differently. IQ tests would ask if you own a gun - bonus 30 point. Another extra point for every time you have been to a firing range.

The professor was coming home from a trip to China; obviously a very long journey. I am going to have to assume he felt hassled in some way. The cop felt the professor was being uncooperative. I feel most people can agree on these assumptions. It is the cops job to deal with situations like this. I know plenty of good cops that would never have let the situation escalate. They could have easily calmed the professor down. And to those who say it is not the cop's job - it sure isn't the cops job to control innocent people inside their own home either. The cop may have had the right to enter the premises if he thought a felony could be taking place but the professor was under very little obligation under the law. There was no need to arrest the professor.

Furthermore to those who say the professor was lucky not to have been tazered. Get over your ego of protecting cops every action because your daughter is a cop. Cops not only have the responsibility of being extremely aggressive when force is needed with criminals but they must learn to be very careful in dealing with innocent people. Before a huge pack get their knickers in a bunch, I will admit that one will often not know the difference immediately and must secure the situation. But one good test would be if a person was perfectly innocent prior to the cops arrival on the scene, never had been in trouble with the law, had lived on this earth for half a century and following the officer's arrival has committed a crime then the officer is clearly not very good at dealing with innocent people who have a long history of obedience to law and order.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They could have easily calmed the professor down.

Apparently they could not. Read the police report.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/17512830/Gates-Police-Report It may be their side but everybody seems to agree that this is what happened. So Gates has to use his shoulder on a sticky door to get into the house. There has been a previous burgulary attempt. Neighbor sees this and calls cops, reports two black men breaking in. Cop arrives, find one black man in house. Cop askes for ID. Black man launches into tirade in loud voice and demands cops info. Cop gives info. Man gets on phone and starts asking for chief. Asks cop for ID again, still yelling epithets. Cop gives ID info, man continues to refuse to give his. Second cop arrives. They ask man to come outside. Man does, continuing his tirade. Man finally gives ID. Neighbors and campus security arrive. Man continues tirade. Campus security informs cops that man is resident. Cops ask man to calm down, inform him that he is creating a public distrubance. Man refuses to calm down. Cops inform man that if he doesn't calm down he is going to be arrested. Man continues tirade. The cuffs go on.

Gates was arrested for being too stupid to shut his mouth even when the cops were trying to calm him down. He ignored a legally given order from a police officer to stop creating a public nuisance. That is grounds for arrest.

It's pretty straightforward and even Gates seems to agree with the details; according to the news accounts I've read. Gates says he was arrested because he is black. That's not the case. He was arrested because he refused to obey a lawfully given order and continued to create a pubic nuisance. I'm a white guy and if I was yelling at a cop I would expect to be arrested too. Gates was WAAAAY out of line. Racism had nothing to do with this. I am flabbergasted that anybody would think that it did. Except, apparently, for Gates and Obama.

They are the racists in this case.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

ca1ic0cat said:

Apparently they could not. Read the police report.

My statement, "I know plenty of good cops that would never have let the situation escalate. They could have easily calmed the professor down."

Sorry, the cops I know were not in the police report. As far as I know they have not been to Cambridge recently. Learn to read my clearly spelled out opinion next time before applying "facts" that have nothing to do with my opinion.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

goodjackass, you wouldn't want to let the facts get in the way of a good rant, would you? What evidence do you have that the cops involved are not every bit as skilled as your supposed cop acquaintences? How are you so sure that the cops you know could have calmed this guy down? Keep trolling, you're doing a great job.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The truth is in the "audio tape", the officer made! When that is made public then, you can have an informed opinion. I am deeply offended by Racism, also I am deeply offended by accusers of Racism, that get it wrong. One can argue that "Gates" in his angry indignity, appeared unstable and the officer according to protocol had to intervene for "Gates" own safety. He actually had no choice. (not anything like the recent Oklahoma event.) Unless every one becomes guilty of "anything" profiling. Each case must be evaluated for what it is, not what we want it to be, to support our own prejudices. (whatever those may be! Racial or other wise)

..Cinoti

0 ( +0 / -0 )

ca1ic0cat said:

goodjackass, you wouldn't want to let the facts get in the way of a good rant, would you?

I just gave my opinion. I posted two comments on this thread. I did not post any comments on other related articles. I hardly think that qualifies me as a troll. You just did not like that I caught you screwing up. You were schooling me on reading the police report and I turned it around on you. You did not properly read my comment.

Like I said I am entitled to my opinion. My opinion is that when you have someone, who has never been previously arrested, well over half a century old, was not doing anything wrong when the police approached him, a cop should be able to walk away without turning the guy into a criminal suspect. If Gates would have been convicted without a suspended sentence he would have become a criminal due to his encounter with this cop investigating a crime that never took place.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Obama said police had acted “stupidly.”

The person behind the curtain programing the almighty teleprompter must have been asleep at the keyboard. Watch for the White House to release a statement of what The One "really" meant.

Ha ha ha, excellent call, RomeoRamenII. The Messiah has revised his statement as of today!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No name calling! We're all mature adults here, right?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Gooddonkey: Now your just backpedaling. Yes your are entitled to your opinion and your opinion is wrong and not only that it is insulting to the police officers involved in that incident.

Your statement that you bolded for us was clearly implying that those officers involved in the incident were not good cops because of the fact that the professor didn't calm down. You can spin all you want but that is exactly what you were implying. When the police approached him they didn't know if he was indeed doing nothing wrong because they didn't know if he lived there and he wasn't cooperating with the police when asking for ID and when he did give ID, after the officers gave their ID's several times, it did not include his address, after it was confirmed he continued on with his screaming which was causing a public nuisance and was warned and yet still continued.

Here is something you should also think about, police across the US quite often arrest people and put them in their squad cars because it causes them to A. calm down and gather their thoughts or B. If they don't calm down they're going to be contained.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If my neighbor was shouting in front of his house in the middle of the night, I would hope that the police would take him away for disturbing the peace.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The cop did his job, i don't blame him for not apologizing. Gates was a fool pure and simple, and the only person who's making this about race is him.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This much is not in dispute: Gates was arrested "after" providing proof he was lawfully occupying his own home. The police report says he was "exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior in public place." That being his own front porch. Small wonder the charge has dropped.

Because sometimes, they just don't see you. It's one of the frustrating verities of African-American life. Sometimes you simply know: They are looking your way but seeing their fears, their preconceptions and stereotypes, that other black guy who did them wrong, everything except the one and only you.

By definition, racism denies individuality and preconceptions leave us blind, making it possible for even a man who leads diversity training to look at a small, graying scholar and see a menace to society. If Gates was loud and agitated, common sense says Crowly should'vd removed the source of the agitation - himself.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I have Police training under PC 832 Laws of Arrest. This was a simple B&E case that was unreasonably escalated into a false arrest case.

Once an Officer detains a suspect for reasonable suspicion of a B&E crime, after being given proof of legal residence from the suspect, the officer was suppose to immediately vacate the owners property.

A Police Officer cannot arrest a citizen on his own property for being irate at the officer under the 1st Amendment (Freedom of Speech. The only legal reason an officer can put the handcuffs on a suspect is if the suspect makes verbal threats to the officer safety, comments like "I have a gun and I'm gonna shoot you.

Officer Crowly may have not been a racist, but he did show an ego trip. If I was Gates, I would sue the officer for false arrest once the charges were dropped by the DA which they were, that outta humble that officer.

A Police officer is suppose to protect, serve, and respect the public. The only legal way Crowly could have arrested Gates legally, is if Gates had no ID proof of residence.

If I was the Officer, I would have just said sorry to Gates, and that I was only here to protect your property. End of case....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

AK, have you heard the 911 call? I have.

Did Gates present a picture ID? Did the picture ID include the same residence in which he was renting?

I've had police and legal trainin', too, AK, and I don't agree with you that a person can say anything he wants 'under the First Amendment' from the alleged protection of bein' on his own property. Also... Laws vary from juristiction to juristiction and from Federal on down.

Do you know that Gates is an infamous race-baiter?

When the black and white police officers had enough of Gates, Gates started cryin' for his mommy.

Pathetic racist.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

AK619 "Cannot arrest a citizen on his own property"

He was outside of his own house, and police defined front porch as public place. Technically, this is correct.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

You can't stand in a public place and scream at a cop in front of a bunch of people without being arrested. No matter what race you are.

Sure you can. Abortion clinic protestors do it all the time. And if you want to say that people do not have the RIGHT to do so, you are definitely wrong. What, you think this is Iran?

Taka makes a great point that both have ego problems. Unfortunately, one wears a badge, has a gun, and AUTHORITAY, and is supposed to act under very strict procedures to serve and protect. Whether the other is right or wrong in being vocal is immaterial. If the officer had apologized, everyone could have chalked it up to a human mistake, which it probably was. The police department's reaction and some of the attitudes of posters here show that because Gates is a black man, he is going to have to sue to make his point and punish that institution for what it did to a private citizen.

Racial pride is going to cost Massachusetts taxpayers heavily. I am pretty sure that there are people who believe that a white man should never apologize to a black man. Ooops. They are going to pay with their wallets and their jobs. Gates will probably give the money he wins to the NAACP. He does not need the money, but he pretty well HAS to sue now.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

To USARonin: Was your Police training certified POST? If you read what I wrote, a Police officer can only detain a suspect legally if oral threats are towards the officers safety or others in his presence, such as " I have a gun, and I'm going to shoot you.

Even though some citizens are disrespecful in speech, an officer is suppose to mantain distance, patience, and self control until the suspect cools down. A suspect cannot be arrested for calling an officer curse words. If you did have Police training, can you tell me the levels of force? Whats the difference between reasonable suspicion and prabable cause to arrest?

This is what I know as an Officer.... when an Officer makes an arrest and the DA drops the charges for lack of evidence, a suspect can bring a civil action for false arrest against the Police department.

Many minorities are paranoid of the Police, because of there defacto historical racism generally towards non whites. Race might not always be the case, I believe the officers ego was the problem in this case.

In California, a citizens property is beyond the public side walk, such as crossing the fence of a house from the side walk. The suspects home porch is not considered Public property, its the private property of the home owner, including the grass surrounding the house. As I stated before, some Officers have an ego trip, dosen't mean there racist.

Gate's should bring a civil action for false arrest, the DA dropped the charges, Crowly will loose in court for false arrest thats it. Crowly should have just left once he was presented proof that Gates lived at the address, an officer arguing and handcuffing a citizen on his property is totally illegal.

Once the DA drops the charges after an arrest, a citizen may bring a false arrest case, its the citizens personal choice.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Actually, this can become a race discrimination case if Crowly continues not to apoligize, the DA dropped the charges against Gates.

Its becoming apparent, that Crowly was perhaps a racist. I would just say sorry to Gates, and be subjest to false arrest, but failure to apoligize could lead to a very expensive race discrimination case.

The history of Police racism towards minorities, and failure to apoligize, only enforces a civil rights case of discrimination.

Crowly should apoligize immediately.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Oh. Here is why he should apologize. Hot off the presses everyone. This from Channel 5 Boston's website.

A Boston police officer was placed on administrative leave after he allegedly used a racial slur when referring to Henry Louis Gates Jr. .... The e-mail was in response to a Globe article about Gates' arrest. In the e-mail, Barrett writes, "(Gates') first priority should be to get off the phone and comply with police, for if I was the officer he verbally assaulted like a ... jungle monkey, I would have sprayed him in the face with OC deserving of his belligerent non-compliance.

Now this is from someone who has been on the force for two years and who has had his racial sensitivity training. This officer writes of his desire to pepper spray someone for a verbal assault. He also uses a simile instead of a metaphor, but that is beside the point.

Why is this on topic? Because how is Gates supposed to know that Crowley is not a Barrett? Crowley says that he followed department protocols. If that is true, then Gates has to sue. He must. Society cannot tolerate Crowleys and Barretts if the rules allow them to do what they did. I hope Gates show more non-compliance if the system tolerates this injustice. Gates was arrested AFTER it was established that he was not a criminal and AFTER he asked for badge numbers. It is wrong. It is wrong. Crowley should have apologized that day. This Barrett thing shows how much it stinks. I thought a beer summit was going to smooth this out. Don't think so now. Crowley should do the right thing.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The second paragraph above is a direct quote. I tried to QUOTE it, but it did not work. The epithet appears on that website and has an editorial disclaimer. If people are offended by the truth of racism in Boston, it would be ok if the moderator marked it out.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Society cannot tolerate Crowleys and Barretts if the rules allow them to do what they did.

Who says the rules allow them to do 'what they did' (what did 'they' do?) To quote from the article you referred to but did not give a link to, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis found out about the e-mail on Tuesday and immediately stripped Barrett of his gun and badge

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/20215609/detail.html

Now, officers who act like Barrett get immediately stripped of their badges, So why should Gates think Crowley was a Barratt? There doesn't appear to be anything in department protocols about it being OK to call people by racial epithets.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites