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Reading the actual police report, above, Gates comes off a pompous race baiting jerk. The cop's reason for being there was to ensure Gates property wasn't being stolen, or worse, that the real Gates didn't have a gun held to his head in the next room, by the other guy spotted in the break in, or something. Cops always have to approach situation like this`with a level of suspicion, the SOP is the same, black or white. Is Gates so stupid, he doesn't know that? Gates should have thanked him for it. Instead Gates instantly started with the racist accusation crap. Once Gates identity was established the cop tried to leave twice and Gates followed him out spewing more venom. A crowd was forming, and its not easy to think of anything worse for stirring up a crowd further than such racial accusations. But Gates continued despite being continuously warned, and so he was arrested.

I can't think of much anything worse than being a stone cold racist. Its one of the worst things you can accuse anyone of being - and therefore there is a very large responsibility in having your facts straight if make the accusation. Gate's unfounded racial slurs - to a cop whose only motive was Gate's well being - were reprehensible.

Reading the actual police report

that report doesnt mean dick

because

the cop is a lying piece of shit

"Reading the actual police report, above, Gates comes off a pompous race baiting jerk."

Well, the actual police report was written after the fact by an officer that had arrested him and no doubt realized he had stepped into deep kimchi. I could paper my walls with police reports that turned out to be totally, well, incorrect. "The suspect smelled heavily of an alcoholic beverage. The suspect had blood shot, watery eyes. Suspect had trouble getting out of his car. Suspect slurred his speech. The suspect failed the HGN. The suspect failed the Field Sobriety Tests........Blood Alcohol Content 0.0 via breathalyzer---- the defendant is charged with DUI pending blood test results. Blood tests come back negative for drugs. Never mind, case dismissed (after spending a night in jail, having your license administratively revoked, pay $300 to get your car out of impound if the city has not already started forfeiture....... feel free to clean up the mess we made.

There's an old joke amongst police, that really isn't a joke: There is no such thing as an illegal arrest, only an improperly worded police report.

fozzy:

. I could paper my walls with police reports that turned out to be totally, well, incorrect. ...There's an old joke amongst police, that really isn't a joke: There is no such thing as an illegal arrest, only an improperly worded police report.

I know cop's report's can shade interpretive things to their advantage - like DUI signals - but just making things up is not done. Plus the link has another report by Officer Carlos Figueroa, that backs up Crowley. And there were plenty of other witnesses too.

Crowley has a sterling reputation, is a racial profiling expert, with never a hint of racism charges - he's the one who tried to save (black) Celtic Reggie Lewis's life. How likely do you really think it is that he just suddenly decided to harass a black guy - and make sure he's a Harvard professor type, to ensure his actions will come under extra scrutiny - fabricate a report and convince another officer to fabricate a report. The only racist in that house was Gates.

You do not sound like an unbiased poster.

Chip on your shoulder?

Crowley has a sterling reputation, is a racial profiling expert,

with never a hint of racism charges -

That doesn’t mean a goddamn thing any more.

His past conduct has been ruined by his willingness to arrest an innocent man

and his superiors dealt with this fact by dropping the charges.

All it takes is one wrong act to change one mans reputation

The arrest of Gates was that wrong act

His superiors dealt with it by dropping the charges and fully supporting his actions in arresting Dr. Gates.

wowy you finally got 2 things right

way to go pal.....lol

First you assume the police report is verbatim fact, an unlikely and biased claim. Then you attack the victim, Dr. Gates, for daring to protest police presence at his house and being arrested. Gates should have THANKED the cop for assuming him guilty and ignoring his requests for the cop's badge number, according to you, and said 'Thanka, massuh, thanka for protectin' this here house, sah!' Then you pretend that Gates tried to incite a riot by daring to be angry at the po-lice.

I can't think of anything dumber than your post, easily the worst I've yet seen on the subject. You're either a cop or a fascist, clearly. Certainly you're a truth-twister of major proportions.

Let's read the comedy review:

..just making things up is not done.

Crowley...is a racial profiling expert

make sure he's a Harvard professor type

The only racist in that house was Gates.

Those are funny lies (the third one was especially good - if he knew that Gates was a "Harvard professor type," wouldn't that have proven he was who he claimed to be and that it was his house?) but they're all quite amusing.

Yes, Gates was clearly racist. He had a race-based stereotypical narrative about the cop's attitude and initiated the racial antagonism by saying "I'll step outside for yo' mama!" This is recorded on tape and will doom Gates in this dispute. He then escalated the antagnism by saying "You don't know who you're messing with!" He clearly picked this fight and he clearly will lose it. The court will parse his recorded statements, apply the law to the facts, and declare him an arrogant opportunistic racist elitist. What will be especially sweet is, the court is sure to assign the case to a black judge.

Was the problem really racism on the part of either party? I don't think so.The problem may have been that Gates, like I do, has a low opinion of cops.

How many times does one have to be rousted to undersatnd that too many cops got into the business to settle old scores?: with Bullies who picked on them in school, sports they weren't good at, teachers who derided them, abusive parents or siblings, rejection by the opposite sex. Law enforcement is highly enticing to those who have been frustrated by lack of control over their own lives, The more time you spend in rural communities or on the road, the more likely you share my view.

There are, of course, plenty of officers who chose the profession for honorable reasons. I'm stating that on faith more than experience. But again I ask how many times does one have to be rousted by assholes to forget about the good ones? One prick with a badge can sully his whole department. There are several pricks with badges and agendas in every police agency I've ever dealt with. No exceptions. None.

Want to meet some of the most cold and inhumane characters in America? The creeps with satanic tattoos, criminal records, bruised or neglected wives and children, huge, beer-fed bellies and lack of compassion, talent or social skills of any kind? Visit your local jail. They're the ones with the keys. The Sheriff's deputies. If any of them didn't learn jail from the inside, it's not apparent.

There are too many police almost everywhere in the country. We're two shakes away from a totalitarian police state. They simply don't focus on stealing and violence (it's too hard and doesn't raise revenue) , so victims of the worst crimes always have the impression there aren't enough of them. The majority of them spend their time rousting honest, employed citizens for revenue....to meet their quotas.... so that they can continue to be over-staffed and underworked. It's all justified by the supposed "war on drugs" which is actually a war on constitutional rights....an excuse to dig through everyone's stuff without warrants or probable cause.

I've been rousted a hundred times in my lifetime. I have no criminal record and have always been gainfully employed. I am always cooperative because I know that the alternative...honest, righteous, gut-felt reaction...will get me treated like Mr. Gates was.

End the phony "war on drugs", seat belt laws (except for children), automatic fines for alerting citizens they have a tail light burnt out, and all the other bullshit laws and ordinances intended and enforced for no higher purpose than to raise money. We can then have a tiny fraction of the force that exists now and be safer from true crime and officially encouraged citizen abuse.