Charges Against Harvard Scholar Dropped

Prosecutors dropped a disorderly conduct charge Tuesday against prominent black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., who was arrested at his home near Harvard University after a report of a break-in.

The city of Cambridge issued a statement saying the arrest "was regrettable and unfortunate" and police and Gates agreed that dropping the charge was a just resolution.

"This incident should not be viewed as one that demeans the character and reputation of Professor Gates or the character of the Cambridge Police Department," the statement said.

Supporters say Gates - the director of Harvard's W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research - was the victim of racial profiling.

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

"The charges have been dropped, but the stain remains. ... Humiliation remains," Jackson said. "These incidents are so much of a national pattern on race."

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

Gates' lawyer, fellow Harvard scholar Charles Ogletree, said the professor had returned from a trip overseas with a driver, found his front-door jammed and had to force it open. He was already inside, calling the company that manages the property, when police arrived.

Police said the 58-year-old Gates was arrested after he yelled at an officer, accused him of racial bias and refused to calm down after the officer demanded Gates show him identification to prove he lived in the home.

Ogletree said Gates showed his driver's license and Harvard ID - both with his photos - and repeatedly asked for the name and badge number of the officer, who refused. He followed the officer as he left his house onto his front porch, where he was arrested.

According to a police report, Gates had refused to come outside to speak with an officer, who told him he was investigating a report of a break-in, reports CBS station WBZ in Boston.

"Why, because I'm a black man in America?" Gates said, according to the report written by Sgt. James Crowley.

Gates declined immediate comment Tuesday, and Ogletree did not immediately return a request to comment on the charge being dropped.

Gates joined the Harvard faculty in 1991 and holds one of 20 prestigious "university professors" positions at the school. He also was host of "African American Lives," a PBS show about the family histories of prominent U.S. blacks, and was named by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential Americans in 1997.

[speakinup22]

Jesse Jackson has NO room to talk about "National Patterns"

As a college drop out (he was avoiding being thrown out for poor grades) he claimed he was being descriminated against by the football team, as he was not allowed to play as the team quaterback - even though the team quarterback was black. (kinda shows a pattern alright - of lying.)

Not withstanding that little problem, he has been known to call Jews "Hymies", and NYC "Hymietown". Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Jackson

"In 2001, Jackson was shown to have had an affair with a staffer, Karin Stanford, that resulted in the birth of a daughter, Ashley, in May 1999. According to CNN, in August 1999, The Rainbow Push Coalition had paid Stanford $15,000 in moving expenses and $21,000 in payment for contracting work. A promised advance of an additional $40,000 against future contracting work was rescinded once the affair became public."

A real upstanding citizen, or is just part of a "National Pattern" ?


"In March 2007, Jackson declared his support for then-Senator Barack Obama in the 2008 democratic primaries.[47] Jackson later criticized Barack Obama in 2007 for "acting like he's white," in response to the Jena 6 beating case." - same source

If I remember correctly, he called him the "N" word too.


Do us all a favor Jessie. Pull your lower lip over your head and swallow. You do more to harm to race relationships than any racist does, because at least people see racists for what they are.

[suzzze]

This is a terrible thing to happen, but I don't think the actions of one biased cop should be drawn out to being "nationwide". Blame the cop, not the whole country, not all cops. Most Americans, whatever their color, are not racist or sexist, etc...

I guess cops are just used to seeing the worst in people and that supports any bias they may have had to start with. But Jesse Jackson is just stirring things up which helps nothing. The professor is perfectly capable of speaking for himself. Jesse's insertion of himself speaks of self promotion more than outrage. He's right up there with Gloria Alldred as a person who winds up diminishing the cause that he supposedly is behind.

[edward1975-2009]

Police are responding to a call of a break in, they don't know if the criminals are armed or not. They too wish to go home to their families at the end of their shift, had this gentleman complied instead of flying off the handle, this would have been resolved without incident. And of course Jesse Jackson jumps on this for the opportunity to self-promote himself, just as he did at Duke. He's an idiot.

[gsz71]

Now the white officer should cry racism. If it would have been turned around, you thik JJ would have opened his racist mouth. He remembers the black man that was resisting arrest,and was hit by some cops. He made a big stink about that until he found out one of the cops was black,he sure shut is mouth,never heard another word about the incedent. Go find a hole JJ, a stick your head in it. The black people don't need your help!!!

[cepe10-2009]

Sgt. James Crowley should be fired immediately for not showing his badge.

[mwoman]

I must've missed that in the article. Don't remember reading that at all! But you're right, if that is what happened.

In fact, actual details were few.

I wrote a really long piece commenting on that.

[mwoman]

I am SO sorry. I haven't finished the article yet. I got stuck on the ambiguities of the reporting on the first page!

[cepe10-2009]

Be nice if the officer was charged with false arrest. I am white a don't think I would be subjected tot he same harassment. In fact I would be seriously pissed off about a law enforcement officer entering my property based on a faulty tip by a neighbor who does not even know me, not properly identifying himself and then not accepting my furnishing of ID and moving on. The fact he proceeded with the malicious arrest is shocking. The prosecutor obviously did not buy the police officers self serving false testimony about the events.

[rondivoo]

This arrest should have never happened. The policeman who arrested Mr. Gates should be reprimanded and suspended. Perhaps even stiffer punishment against the policeman is in order. To go on some woman's idea of what was going on is ridiculous. Because the men were black is definitely the reason the woman called and the police responded the way they did.