Cop Who Cuffed Gates Tried to Save NBA Pro

(CBS/AP)  A white police sergeant who arrested renowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. was the campus police officer who tried to save the life of former Boston Celtics player Reggie Lewis.

Sgt. James Crowley was a campus police officer at Brandeis University when Lewis, who was black, collapsed and died during an off-season workout in July 1993. Crowley administered CPR, trying to resuscitate the dying Lewis.

Crowley responded to Gates' home near Harvard University last week to investigate a report of a burglary and demanded Gates show him identification. Police say Gates at first refused and accused the officer of racism.

Denying racist claims, Crowley told the Boston Herald that trying to save Lewis' life wasn't about his race or fame.

"I wasn't working on Reggie Lewis the basketball star. I wasn't working on a black man. I was working on another human being," Crowley said.

He says that people still question whether he did enough to save the basketball star.

"Some people were saying 'There's the guy who killed Reggie Lewis' afterward. I was broken-hearted. I cried for many nights," Crowley told the Herald.

Crowley said Thursday he's disappointed President Barack Obama said officers acted "stupidly" without knowing all the facts.

Gates was charged with disorderly conduct. The charge was dropped Tuesday, and Gates has since demanded an apology from Crowley.

Crowley, 42, said he won't apologize. And his union has expressed "full and unqualified" support for him.

Fellow officers, black and white, say he is well-liked and respected on the force.

Former director of Public Safety at Brandies Joseph McDonald told the Boston Herald that Crowley was a "real pro" and that Gates' charge was "strange."

"You just do the job as a cop. You don't look at the color of skin. You're just trying to help people," McDonald said.

Gates' supporters maintain his arrest was a case of racial profiling. Officers were called to the home by a woman who said she saw "two black males with backpacks" trying to break in the front door. Gates has said he arrived home from an overseas trip and the door was jammed.

Police supporters charge that Gates was responsible for his own arrest by overreacting.

[JusticeInAmerica]

I attended the game where Reggie Lewis died. I saw EMS techs doing CPR but not any cop.

[johngarvey]

Computer usage helped President Obama get elected, it must be used to solve problems. E-mails to Officer Crowley and Professor Gates should be administered so that these three inteelligent men can see that much more unites them, than the few differences that separate them. In fact, we are not witnessing a racial situation, but a communication problem. Three proud individuals think they have the answer without sharing how they arrived at their decisions. All want control, forgetting the laws of America. As the singing group, Kansas, sand ao melodically, this problem is more dust in the beautiful wind.

[garlicball]

Well now, somebody is going to have to save this cops dumb ass. This cop was wrong at the point the resident of the house was verified. He is going to need all the help he can get ... lots of it.

[winstrv]

A racist, the professor, confronted by a figure of authority used his being black to blow the situation up. Should be no surprise to anyone? The President had no business putting his two cents in when he had no idea what had happened and shows that he has racist views. Again no surprise. Race is always the issue when it is a criminal and a white police officer. White people need to start using this defense when confronted by a black police officer.

[Howellstephen75]

I am a 57 year old white man. When I was 30 I got angry at a police officer. At this incident I yelled argued and debated with him for 20-30 minutes. This all happened at the police station. At no time did he arrest me for objecting to his decision nor should he.

This black man should never have been arrested and I am shocked that whites on television seem to think because someone became angry and spoke harshly to a cop should be arrested. Especially when you consider they already knew the man was in his house. Since when is arguing with cops grounds for arrest. Cops need a thick skin it is not our job to be in control in stressful situations. Cops should be in control. This cop obviously was not.

don't know whether this cop is rascist or not, but he is definately a jerk. The President was absolutely right in this case. I bet a thousand dollars this guy has arrested others for disagreeing with him. This guy should not be training anybody about racial profiling. A black man should be teaching racial profiling not this pathetic excuse for a cop.

[mcsssm]

Is there a possibility that this whole thing was orchestrated by Gates to promote that book or movie he just so happens to be working on about racial profiling? The whole thing is pretty classic from the neighbor setting the stage with the black men with back packs call to the button pushing Gates did with the police officers once they arrived. I think he is much smarter than his action demonstrated. Guess everyone will be waiting on that book or film now. He better hurry before interest dissipates.

[dixxson]

NOW What has this got to with anything!
If a black cop abuses his power, would something he has done previously be relevant, significant, (NO)
They would stick to the subject and try to determine whether or not this incident represents an abuse of power.
Racist or not!
They do this all the time with poor people!
They think "Now" you can't Question "Argue.
They'll just bust you without warrant!
And then say (WE'LL DROP THE CHARGES}.
They've done the Dammage they wanted to do to you!
Drop the case, sweep it under the rug and go out and violate the next citizen's civil rights!
But this time don't go too much higher than a (NFL) player, going to the Hospital, to be with his Dying Mother In law!
Remember the Black Man and his teenage son, stopped at the quick stop getting a cup of coffee in Ca.
Attacked by a police Mob mauled and beaten up!
The guy that caught it on tape was later terrorized by the cops!
The cop seen bouncing the kids head viciously of the car claimed he did so because the kid had him by the testicles!
That cop was fired, but later after they'd swept it under the Rug and publicity died down,They handed him a couple a MILLION!
If We just keep sweeping them under a "Rug and They will just "Keep" on Abusing US!
Only the clinically "INSANE" would try to separate these incidents!

[Questionews]

There's just too much controversy about this incident and requires the aid of the Superhero community. Somebody call BatJackson & his trusty sidekick Al-Robin.

[drthvader]

The joker and the thief?

[cujat]

I am outraged anytime a racist incident takes place as unfortunately happens all too often in this country still, but I am equally outraged when people cry racism without merit. Someone called police to report a potential break in and he screams racism and racial profiling!? Then to make it worse the President chimes in against the police without any facts because it happened to involve his friend. This man obviously has a large chip on his shoulder despite his success and instead of cooperating he chose to try and escalate the situation!

[Uncle_Eccoli]

It's pretty obvious that there are a lot of people out there who WANT this incident to be about race. I'm not saying who they are, but...