Charges dropped against black Harvard scholar

Hm now I wonder why they decided to drop the charges? Hmmmmm could it be that the officer made a small mistake in what Gates said? Could the officers imagination be a bit stretched? Things that make you go, Hmmmm.

No mistake: The house is leased --> the police are responsible to look into it on the property owners behalf even if Gates is a racist.

-and I thought that racist Sotomayor would get her first case.

he's still gonna get paid big, so who knows.

but what I like to know, why were we here at JT informed that what actually happened was that an alarm was set off, which prompted the caller to call the police in the first place. I personally think an alarm is a good reason to call the police. That is what was reported in the NY Daily news, which as of this morning, has now been moved.

Badsey at 09:13 AM JST - 22nd July No mistake: The house is leased --> the police are responsible to look into it on the property owners behalf even if Gates is a racist. -and I thought that racist Sotomayor would get her first case.

Of course Badsey, it was reasonable to continue to question the man after he showed proper ID and proved that he lived at the house. The officer was just making double sure that Mr. Gates lived there and did not have faked the two ID's that he produced.

Come the police officer arrested him because he wanted to prove a point. Then the charges were dropped by them and not the DA. Why would they do that if unless the charges were bogus?

I believe that the only reason the officer continued to question him after he produced his id was because Mr. Gates was black.

Could there be any other reason? If so then tell it......

skipthesong at 09:18 AM JST - 22nd July but what I like to know, why were we here at JT informed that what actually happened was that an alarm was set off, which prompted the caller to call the police in the first place. I personally think an alarm is a good reason to call the police. That is what was reported in the NY Daily news, which as of this morning, has now been moved.

He did get home and had to open the back door of his house with his key. Because he could not open the front door because the door lock was damaged. After he disarmed the alarm he and his friend try to open the front door. That is when the neighbor called the police.

She did not call the police because of the alarm, she called the police because she saw two black men trying to open the door.

Professor Gates attempted to enter his front door, but the door was damaged. Professor Gates then entered his rear door with his key, turned off his alarm, and again attempted to open the front door. With the help of his driver they were able to force the front door open, and then the driver carried Professor Gates’ luggage into his home.

http://www.theroot.com/views/lawyers-statement-arrest-henry-louis-gates-jr

Gates followed the officer out the front door of the house. Why just not let it go? Why do you need to be a biggot?

The Officer is mandated to look into the situation and respond to the call -that is his job. -And now you have the media attacking this neighbor that made the call.

I guess Gates wanted a "black" Police officer responding to the (His) call. -If I was an Illegal I could demand an illegal Police officer.

Too bad the people of color are still dealing with despicable racial profiling. He's not the only one. There are some cases that non-white scholars became the victim of racial profiling by campus police.

How is it racial profiling just because police are answering a call?

Sort of funny when your own neighbor doesn't recognize you (but he is only leasing).

The only one guilty of racial profiling is Gates, but he also has made his living from that. Maybe Biggots should not be teachers.

She did not call the police because of the alarm, she called the police because she saw two black men trying to open the door." Well, we got a problem with two different news sources. So, unless we care enough to look at the actual call reports, time lines what ever, I guess we have to go with Gate's report.

So here's the lesson folks, next time you see anyone trying to enter anyone's house DO NOT CALL THE POLICE! Just let them go and do their business. now everyone should just relax and try to hook up with Gates and celebrate his making cash from the city. There are several organization already preparing to march there. He's going to get a lot!

One of them, the Rev Jesse Jackson, was unsatisfied with the resolution.

Hehe. I was wondering how long it would take for race pimp Jesse Jackson to show up.

skipthesong at 10:09 AM JST - 22nd July So here's the lesson folks, next time you see anyone trying to enter anyone's house DO NOT CALL THE POLICE! Just let them go and do their business. now everyone should just relax and try to hook up with Gates and celebrate his making cash from the city. There are several organization already preparing to march there. He's going to get a lot!

I was replying to your statement that she (the woman) called police because of the alarm. But that is not correct, she called police because she saw two black men at the professor's door trying to open the door.

skipthesong at 09:18 AM JST - 22nd July but what I like to know, why were we here at JT informed that what actually happened was that an alarm was set off, which prompted the caller to call the police in the first place. I personally think an alarm is a good reason to call the police.

Now to your comment;"DO NOT CALL THE POLICE!", I like the way you try and move away from your earlier comment by saying this.

Facts stand, the woman called police because she suspected a break in. That was proper, she was looking out for her neighbor. But, after the police arrived everything went wrong.

After being shown the mans IDs the officer continued with his line of questioning. Why would he continue to ask the man questions if the man proved he lived there?

The officer should have thanked the man and said,"have a nice day.". But he did not do that.

Badsey at 10:07 AM JST - 22nd July How is it racial profiling just because police are answering a call?

If the officer would have properly done his job he would not have continued the questioning. The man showed him proper IDs (not one but 2).

Badsey at 10:07 AM JST - 22nd July Sort of funny when your own neighbor doesn't recognize you (but he is only leasing).

Bad eyesight? LOL

Badsey at 10:07 AM JST - 22nd July The only one guilty of racial profiling is Gates, but he also has made his living from that. Maybe Biggots should not be teachers.

Facts are a hell of a thing to try and hide. Who was released and now who is under the eye of the news?

If Mr. Gates was guilty of the charges the officer made, then the charges would have stood.

But as we see the charges were dropped. Wonder who was in the wrong here?LOL

Where there is smoke there maybe a fire.

Facts stand, the woman called police because she suspected a break in. That was proper, she was looking out for her neighbor. But, after the police arrived everything went wrong." Ok, I thought you were implying that she only called the police because she saw a black guy. But yes, I stand by my comment, I'm not going to call the police if I see anyone trying to open a door, going through a window as I don't want to get caught up in something like this. Look at some other news reports, the women is also considered at fault. I am sure you know about a similar story like this happened in Miami in 93' and every one of our kind how to go on the defence; even if we were of the same shade.

Where there is smoke there maybe a fire." and it could also be steam coming from a hot water pipe.

Not for nothing, I believe more the police than that of Gates. He got hostile with them, of course depending on which report you want to believe. No, he used what a politician would use when being pulled over for a broken tail light. he is the one that abused power. "You don't know who you are (sic) messing with"... what is that? Hey, I am the grand puba?

The police officer was such a coward for refusing to identify himself to Gates when asked numerous times after leaving.But of course closet rednecks would see nothing wrong with that action.

Well, I hope that the name of the scholar Mr Gates will soon appear in one of President Obama's superb speeches, which are ten times better than what bush could ever have done.

Tis sad that racism like this STILL exists in America and it would be good if Obama reminded CERTAIN people of this,and used Mr Gates terrifying ordeal to shame the haters who oppose Obama's fantastic policies.There IS a link, but said haters can't see it.If they come here to attack me,well,I will just have to remind them that sometimes it is outsiders like myseelf who can actually see America MORE clearly than the people who live there.

Anyway,kudos to the fascists in blue for dropping the trumped up charges against Professor Gates.

Not for nothing, I believe more the police than that of Gates. He got hostile with them, of course depending on which report you want to believe. No, he used what a politician would use when being pulled over for a broken tail light. he is the one that abused power.

Well, I'm believing in both stories to some extent. Yes, Gates probably abused his power by stating "You don't know who you are messing with". The police then abused their power to disregard identifying themselves (We are the police, and we don't have to identify ourselves to you). Remember, it is the public's right to ask police for proper identification as well. Abuse of power goes both ways.

Remember, it is the public's right to ask police for proper identification as well. Abuse of power goes both ways." No, I didn't know you could ask for a policeman's id, which is kind of why they wear a badge with a number on it. I'll keep that in mind from now on though. Yeah, I agree after reading your post. But, the door is wide open now for Gates to file suit and get paid big time from such a rich area of that state. So, he wins both ways.

Look, there were just recently multiple break-ins/robberies in this neighborhood, in fact on the same street, and it's no wonder that the neighbor called the police upon seeing someone (any color) forcing their way into a house. Many here seem to be immediately villifying the police, but do you know that according to the arresting police officers' official statements they provided Gates with their names and badge numbers at least twice but Gates was too irate and belligerent to listen or care? I respect Gates for his accomplishments, academic and otherwise, but knowing who he is and what his views are, do you really think he immediately and readily cooperated with the police? He certainly isn't as racially unbiased as people come. I wasn't there, but I'm willing to bet that he perceived the entire episode as racist from the moment the officers arrived on the scene. Maybe it's just me, but to me a person who responds to a police request for identification with, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" is someone with a race-related chip on his shoulder.

Officers responded to the home Gates rents from Harvard after a woman reported seeing “two black males with backpacks on the porch,” one of whom was “wedging his shoulder into the door as if he was trying to force entry,” according to a police report.

Good for the neighbor who was looking out for the neighborhood, but a few things are missing I think that would probably clear this up.

What time of day was it? Reason being I need to know what the visibility was. If it was night time then I would say she did the right thing in calling the cops.

If it was a clear day, then how far did the neighbor live from the house? If she was half way down the street, then ok she might not have known that he was the owner. But if she was just a few doors down, then doesn't she know what her own neighbor looks like?

That leads to the real issue here. I am going to guess that the neighborhood is one that is well kept and obviously has great police protection, so that leaves me to believe that it was an area where there are few minority home owners. So that means that he did not get along with his neighbors and vice versa. Maybe they were not neighborly to each other. I don't know the names of my neighbors here in Japan, but I do stick out like a sore thumb and they know who I am by mere sight recognition. So I imagine this neighborhood is pretty typical of one here in Japan. People don't really know each other.

Just curious. For as much as he talks about whites and other non-blacks, why the heck would the guy live in the whitest of places?

Police reports say he initially refused to identify himself but his statement doesn't mention this at all.

Sounds like he got pretty amped up right from the start and the police understandably didn't take kindly to that. They go around to investigate a break in and the resident goes ballistic at them and refuses to help them.

This is just typical police behaviour in America towards people of color.

Everton2, yes, that's one side of the whirlpool.

The other is, well, you know what the other side looks like.

So that is why they have all decided to drop it. It could round and round on a hiding to nothing, forever.

Once two people get heated and overstep the mark, it's time to pull both of them back.

An agreement was reached. The police dropped their disorderly charge in return for Gates to not use his self-described magical powers of professorship on them.

In effect it was free-go for ego.

It happened right after noon -full daylight.

I like this man's PBS specials and he seems like a nice guy and a good teacher (really gets the students thinking). But his personal life can be quite different.

The home is leased from Harvard. Probably in the most exclusive of neighborhoods (Harvard). With exclusive houses with faulty doors (that are most likely well made).

Gates needs to find better "handlers" -as long as he reads from the tele-prompter he seems to do ok.

I saw the picture of him getting arrested today (with a black cop at the bottom) -Nutter! -and it looked like he was yelling.

Hopefully the police have a video of this arrest. -The video will always set you free.

Badsey at 07:32 PM JST - 22nd July Gates needs to find better "handlers" -as long as he reads from the tele-prompter he seems to do ok.

Ah Badsey, Mr. Gates' charges were dropped. The police did not wish to push the issue. Could it be that they did not want to come off looking like racist because they arrested a black wrongly?

Answer one question, why were the charges dropped if he was not guilty of them?

Or are the police never in the wrong?

You know I for one blame movies for this idea of prefect cops. Most Americans today grew up watching Dirty Harry, Stallone or Arnie movies.

Believe that every cop is ok and everyone who is not white is the bad guy. Look at some of those movies and see who were the bad guys....

Many American's have lost the ability to ask,"why did that happen" They just accept the reason what ever it is......

Hope that one day people will wake up and start asking,"why".......

Not every cop is correct and not every criminal is a victim of police abuse.

But we need to keep a closer eye on both sides and stop siding with only one.

Some cops are humans too and some of them have issues. Just because you wear a gun and a badge does not make you perfect.

Start to question when something does not smell like roses. If you do that will keep everyone honest......

Badsey at 10:14 PM JST - 22nd July I saw the picture of him getting arrested today (with a black cop at the bottom) -Nutter! -and it looked like he was yelling. Hopefully the police have a video of this arrest. -The video will always set you free.

Your right Badsey, only guilty people get upset when they are arrested for asking an officer to identify himself! Law bidding citizens love getting handcuffs placed on them! Then being thrown into jail! It is every ones civic duty to go peacefully when they get arrested for no reason....

It is not to reason why it is but to do and get gassed and die! Well said!

Badsey at 07:32 PM JST - 22nd July It happened right after noon -full daylight.

? Huh??

Badsey at 07:32 PM JST - 22nd July I like this man's PBS specials and he seems like a nice guy and a good teacher (really gets the students thinking). But his personal life can be quite different.

How is he different, please do tell?

Badsey at 07:32 PM JST - 22nd July The home is leased from Harvard. Probably in the most exclusive of neighborhoods (Harvard). With exclusive houses with faulty doors (that are most likely well made).

What does that have to do with his arrest?

So a black man gets arrested in his home. Why did he get arrested if he lived there? Is it wrong to ask an officer for an id? Or do you believe that you must go peacefully from your own home when someone says they are a cop?

Joe Biga

Until positively identified as the resident, Gates was a suspect, and that had absolutely nothing to do with his race. The first thing the police did upon arriving at the address was to ask him for his identification. The first words out of Gates' mouth in response to this very reasonable request was, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" How do you excuse that? Don't you think things would have been different had he calmly provided his ID without copping an attitude from the get go? I do.

My experience in life has been that for 99.99% of the time, when dealing with LEOs, a calm non-agitated attitude, clear co-operative responses to requests and questions will result in a "thank you very much sir" with them leaving. Sometimes even a "sorry to have troubled you". Raising one's voice, suggesting racism, being personally offended and otherwise generally acting like an ass will, make a mountain out of a molehill.

One of them, the Rev Jesse Jackson, was unsatisfied with the resolution.

And what does Al Sharpton have to say about this?

The moral to this story is never, EVER place yourself above an officer of the law.

Anything similar to, "you don't know who you are dealing with" is going to get you hassled by the police.

If I've learned anything about handling the police in my 40+ years, it's to always stroke their egos. Always. Always. Always.

Taka

Happened during the day as the photo suggests (and he does look like a nutter!)

Gates thought he would outsmart a 42yr old cop (1998 was his start) and he ended up being outsmarted and arrested for disorderly conduct. Charges were dropped due to political pressure for sure (the Police are Gov employees).

The house is leased from Harvard to Gates.

I am sort of astounded that Gates is not charged with a hate crime and for sure he is against the Patriot Act.

Yes, the police can arrest you at any time and hold you for questioning (you have a right to a lawyer) If you are a terrorist they can hold you indefinately.

haha. Gates pulls the "the police are racist" card and gets arrested so they can prove a point. He's lucky he didn't get violent or they would have grounds to continue with their charges. Some racists aren't at all satisfied with the job the police do because they are blinded by their racist. I mean every cop in America is a racist according to them. Wake up Black America and break that stereotype you have of the police.

If I've learned anything about handling the police in my 40+ years, it's to always stroke their egos. Always. Always. Always.

Good advice, Taka. It's something that should be done when encountering police anywhere in the world.

USNinJapan2 at 11:34 PM JST - 22nd July Joe Biga Until positively identified as the resident, Gates was a suspect, and that had absolutely nothing to do with his race. The first thing the police did upon arriving at the address was to ask him for his identification.

Correct when an officer asks for ID you provide it. Prof Gates did just that.

But when Prof Gates asked the officer for his ID the, officer did not provide it. The officer should of provided it but suspected the person was going to complain against him.

So instead of doing what the officer was suppose to do, he decided to arrest the man. So he made the person step outside. At that moment the officer arrested him.

Then he writes out his report tells his "side of the story" and things were suppose to blow over. But, things are just starting to roll. Now the officer has to find an easy way out of this but wont.

The city will get sued and it will have to pay. All this could have never come about if only the officer would not have tried to show his power.

Imagine if this was a minority who did not have money. What do you think would have happened?

This would have gone down as just added to the black crime rate.