One question I would liked answered at the brew summit on Thursday night is whether Sgt. Crowley may have inadvertently made a racially insensitive remark to Professor Gates when he first tried to explain his reason for being there. Apparently, per Crowley’s incident report, before he ever spoke to Mr. Gates, he was told by witness Lucia Whalen, “…that she observed what appeared to be two black males with backpacks on the porch at Ware Street.” At this particular moment in time, Crowley states in his report that he was standing with his back to Gates’ front door when Lucia Whalen called out to him from the sidewalk. Then, Crowley noted in his report that, “As I turned and faced the door, I could see an older black male standing in the foyer…through the glass-paned front door.”

I do find it strange that Sgt. Crowley took the opportunity in his report to specifically note that he noticed a black man behind the door after he turned around – not before. Perhaps another question to ask the policeman is whether he should have ever turned his back at all if there was a crime in progress and he was outnumbered.

It is, of course, possible that Sgt. Crowley may never have directly mentioned anything about a crime in progress by two black males. Professor Gates may have overheard the conversation through his door during the interchange between Crowley and Whalen in front of his house. The professor may have already drawn the conclusion that he was a suspect because he is a black man.

First of all, as a matter of procedure, the 911 operator had already spoken to Whalen and did ask her about the people she had seen (or the person speaking to her had seen) and this was supposedly "possibly hispanic but not sure" indicating a dark skinned person anyway. Again this isnt about race...its about a potential crime in progress and what the suspects appearances were.....

Secondly Crowley is a racial sensativity training teacher for area police officers. In fact one key thing to notice is how he handled Gates when Gates accused him of being racist--he called for backup right away so there would be plenty of witnesses to his behavoir..you cannot win in a he said/she said discussion because you cannot prove you werent being racist UNLESS you have lots of witnesses. Crowley called for backup knowing this.

Thirdly I believe Crowley had at the very least what the 911 operator told him...two males possibly hispanic...seen breaking down the door. Most people dont know this but there had been several (nine I believe) break ins recently in this neighborhood....there were many neighbors noticing behavoir which might suggest a break in.

So the question remains.....what possible reason would Gates have to be mad about a break in investigation? Based on his own post to the internet shortly after his arrest, he saw a white cop at the door and knew there would be trouble.....seems all the racial thinking was going on in Gates mind and not Crowleys.

Regardless as to what the 911 operator told the police responding once identification had been established the police should have stood down and gone on their way. Gates most likely is not use to being talked to like trash and many cops do use a hate filled tone.

The police in this country have been allowed to become judge and executioner, they are rude and often abuse the authority given them, hell, its been on the news reports of them taszing an old woman and an elderly man in a nursing home, tell me they are not out of control?. If one of them had shot my elderly mother with a stun gun he would not have to worry about the court as I would have done the same to him and not with a stun gun, I would have stuffed that little tin star where the sun don't shine.

Gates didn't arrive at the scene alone. He said that the person was being uncooperative and to "keep sending cars". Whalen also told the 911 operator that she wasn't sure that this was a break-in, because the men had suitcases with them. Break-ins rarely occur in the middle of the day in broad daylight at any rate.

Well Gates is an older man and a Harvard professor living in a Harvard owned home in a real nice neighborhood. He was hardly some young punk hanging around somewhere that might arouse concern.

Secondly the cop is a racial sensativity trainer--he wouldnt be talking down to anyone behaving in a civil manner, especially at a Harvard property.

Thirdly Crowley did two things which demonstrate he knew Gates was trying to pull off some kind of bullshit racial incident claim--first he held down the key of his radio so Gates tirade was being taped back at HQ....we have a nice recording of all the colorful swears and your momma insults Gates was throwing around trying to get the cop to get made and hit him or taze him, etc. Crowley was also smart enough to call for backup to assure there would be lots and lots of witnesses to confirm he wasnt mistreating Gates.

Now I agree a good many cops do have power issues and do have a tendency to act a little over agressive but this wouldnt be that kind of cop and his actions suggest he handles Gates in the best way possible under the circumstances.

I suspect Gates was hoping to get a little racial discrimination from a white cop to give him material for his next book or documentary (he said he planned to use it for just that thing at one point shortly after his arrest).

Crowley reported that she'd talked to him about "two black males with backpacks," but she has publicly stated that at no time did she say that there were two black men (with or without backpacks) at the house. And the 911 call record backs that up, at least in regard to the initial call.

FYI

that you hardly hear about! Why is that? At the time of Gates arrest, another officer was there. A black man who is barely mentioned. He has been in the forefront of the arrest picture, yet still remains invisible to the Media. Hum? Was it something the Black police officer said? You bet it was!

Got a quote for us, Alice?

Look Horus you keep trying to pretend it matters what the caller said. It doesnt matter for shit. Whether Gates was black, white, purple with green polka dots he was clearly being a disorderly person. Who cares what the witness said about their race or not? Did Crowley mention the color in any kind of race related manner? Nope.

In fact the tape would indicate the caller thought Gates was hispanic. So what? Who cares what color Gates is. Why cant you just admit he was an asshole and his color didnt matter.

The Real RML:

Thirdly Crowley did two things which demonstrate he knew Gates was trying to pull off some kind of bullshit racial incident claim--first he held down the key of his radio so Gates tirade was being taped back at HQ....we have a nice recording of all the colorful swears and your momma insults Gates was throwing around trying to get the cop to get made and hit him or taze him, etc. Crowley was also smart enough to call for backup to assure there would be lots and lots of witnesses to confirm he wasnt mistreating Gates.

That "nice recording of all the colorful swears and your momma insults" was indeed promised -- but after inspecting the tapes, none of it was found to be there. Check your facts. Rumors don't count.

I suspect Gates was hoping to get a little racial discrimination from a white cop to give him material for his next book or documentary (he said he planned to use it for just that thing at one point shortly after his arrest).

It is fairly clear 'what you suspect'. Gates was returning from China because he was working on his next publication. He doesn't need some rinky-dink false disorderly conduct arrest in order to justify his work. He is a well-known author and professor -- he isn't Sarah Palin.

Regardless of whether Gates "needed" his own personal racial incident or not he saw the opportunity and tried to take it.

Furthermore shortly after his arrest he posted an article where he suggested that on seeing a white cop at the door he knew there would be trouble and he had assembled his legal team and was talking lawsuit and suggesting it would be included in a book and or documentary about racial profiling.....again this is what Gates said, not me making this up.

Im sure Gates is a fine upstanding academic. But it doesnt change the fact that when a cop came to his door investigating a break in call he was hurling insults at him.

As for the tape the police said that they did not want to release embarassing stuff like that to the public and also said that much of it was on "channel 2" which my understand is a channel not taped but is accessible to cops on the scene or en route. Just as the police dropped the charges to spare Gates and Harvard the embarassment of a trial, it is quite likely they dont want that tape released as it would draw a lot of questions about why Gates is so celebrated and why Harvard is charging students a lot of money to take a class from him. Again...think lawsuit. They did.

The police didn't drop the charges. The DA dropped them like a hot rock because it was a bad arrest and they would have had their butts whipped in a courtroom.

As for the 'secret tapes', I'd put that in the same category as Obama's 'secret birth certificate'.

Carry on...

Horus:

Got a quote for us, Alice?

Not to add fuel to this fire, but here is what Crowley's partner said.

(AP) – 15 hours ago

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A black sergeant who was at the home of Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. when he was arrested says he's been maligned as an "Uncle Tom" for supporting the actions of the white arresting officer.

Cambridge Sgt. Leon Lashley gave a letter to Sgt. James Crowley to give to President Barack Obama during their so-called beer summit with Gates on Thursday night at the White House.

In the letter, which was also sent to CNN, Lashley says Gates "may have caused grave and potentially irreparable harm to the struggle for racial harmony."

Lashley says he has become known as a traitor to his heritage by some because he "spoke the truth" about the arrest.

JeremyTheModerator:

Horus:

Got a quote for us, Alice?

Not to add fuel to this fire, but here is what Crowley's partner said.

(AP) – 15 hours ago

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A black sergeant who was at the home of Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. when he was arrested says he's been maligned as an "Uncle Tom" for supporting the actions of the white arresting officer.

Cambridge Sgt. Leon Lashley gave a letter to Sgt. James Crowley to give to President Barack Obama during their so-called beer summit with Gates on Thursday night at the White House.

In the letter, which was also sent to CNN, Lashley says Gates "may have caused grave and potentially irreparable harm to the struggle for racial harmony."

Lashley says he has become known as a traitor to his heritage by some because he "spoke the truth" about the arrest.

Jeremey the Moderator, with all due respect, that is what Lashley said about the fallout from the incident, but not what he said about the incident itself, i.e., the facts that he observed. Lashley's characterization of the incident from a macro-perspective is not worth nearly as much as his description of what actually happened, and what you have posted is not a quote about what happened.

Thanks for the link Jeremy.

As Ive said before I do believe we have some racist people in this nation and I belive we have some bad cops too. I just dont think this was an example of a racist cop...if anything Gates was judging Crowley because he was white. All the circumstances involved dont justify the Gates accusations of racism.

This isnt me backing ALL cops or being racist. This is me saying that from the facts before us it sure doesnt look like a case of a white racist cop taking abuse out on a black man.