Gates Sends Flowers To Woman Who Called The Police

BOSTON — Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. has sent flowers and a note to the woman who unwittingly sparked a national debate on race by calling police to report what she thought might be a break-in at Gates' home.

Wendy Murphy, the lawyer for Lucia Whalen, called the flowers a "gesture of gratitude." She declined to say what was in the accompanying note.

Whalen's 911 call drew police to Gates' Cambridge home on July 16. The subsequent confrontation between Gates, who is black, and Sgt. James Crowley, who is white, ended in Gates' arrest for disorderly conduct, a charge that was later dropped.

Whalen found herself vilified by critics who accused her of racial profiling. The subsequent release of the 911 tapes showed she never described Gates or his driver as black.

Comments

[dhinds]

Officer Crowley's report states he was the first to arrive, driving an unmarked car.

Does anyone here know whether he was or wasn't in uniform?

[dhinds]

If not, that would explain Professor Gates insistence that Crowley identify himself and refusal to step outside, initially.

[qdog112]

After the charges were dropped, flowers for the caller, falsified police report; Crowley looks smaller by the minute and Dr. Gates has risen above the absurdity. Who's credibility is shot?

[dhinds]

Don't forget - Cambridge's Mayor apologized to Gates and expressed her desire to insure that these sort of things (abuse) never happen again.

[trying2help]

I understand Obama's trying to set this matter at rest.
There is a glaring wrong here that does need to be addressed. Why did the Sgt. state things in his report that never happened??
This is a common police action I fear and very very very wrong. It happened before the pres. got himself involved. Di I say it was wrong?
Why does no one wish to confront a wrong and speak for what is right?

[qdog112]

They were only little white lies.

[jweider]

I'll bet that the next time the police get a call to Gates address that they take their sweet old time getting there.

[qdog112]

That shows just how professional and petty they are.

[jweider]

Can't have it both ways. Either Gates want's the police to protect his property or he doesn't. He's already told them that he doesn't.

[Garybot]

Yeah - EXCEPT THAT IT HASN'T HAPPENED

[mistlesuede]

Obviously Mr. Gates is a class act. It takes a sensitive, caring person to realize how someone else was upset by the undeserved negative attention and try to say "I understand and I'm sorry this happened to you."

[Garybot]

Yes - and just over 2 weeks later. Really heart-felt, I'm sure. Wonder who told him to do it.

[mmonarch]

Exactly. PR flowers.

[dhinds]

Will you stoop to any level to discredit an outstanding professor and exemplary citizen who insists on respect for his constitutional rights, was arrested for that reason (and that reason only) and had the humanity to relate constructively to an emotionally distraught caller?

[mistlesuede]

The woman caller did not come forward with her story of harassment until this past Thursday or Friday. Unless he is psychic, he could not have known to react sooner.

[britethere]

....and the card was addressed To Whitey

[qdog112]

NEWSFLASH: Nobody but white people LYING about black people have used that term since 1970.

[britethere]

News flash. Gates used it in several speaches and books. Check it out on Google. And then there is the good rdev. Write....more?

[plzchuteme]

I was once accosted by the police while breaking into my own car. I had locked the keys inside. Though frustrated and displeased with my own stupidity, I managed a reasonably friendly greeting. The cop was all business, asked me about ten questions, and inspected the entire car as I tried to explain the situation. "Look, you can see the keys laying right there on the seat!" He wasn't nasty, but he wasn't buying it. He asked for my I.D. and "invited" me to have a seat in the back seat of the patrol car while he ran my plates. I wasn't under arrest but I guess I was "detained." It took a little while and we exchanged no chit chat. I was not cuffed or searched, but I sure did feel like a criminal and was a little put out that he didn't believe me. After all, it was ME. I'm honest and don't think I looked like a bad guy. Once the information came back on the registration and it matched my I.D., his attitude changed slightly. He wasn't friendly, or even sympathetic, but was helpful in producing a "slim Jim" to assist in gaining entrance to my car. I was not pleased with the whole experience, what I perceived his attitude to be, and the fact it had delayed me considerably. I suppose my frustration could have boiled over into some "mouthing off." I might have ended up like Dr. Gates.

[dhinds]

"I might have ended up like Dr. Gates."

Only if the cop was as vindictive, dishonest and inconsiderate (read unthinking, egocentric), as Crowley.

BTW - I carry a spare house and car key in my wallet.

[MaxBet]

The cop made sure you weren't a criminal braking into someone else car, he did the ID/Plate thing, confirmed that the car was yours, and the HELPED you break into it, and your not happy?

What was he supposed to do? Take your WORD for it? Because you LOOKED honest and not like a BAD guy? Do you, and others on here, realize how much of the police's time is spent being lied to by criminals? Criminals that look like you and me? Not everybody that is a bad guy is wearing...­well....wh­at ever you think a bad guy wears. The police have to deal with verifiable facts. Your ID matches to your car.

He didn't lock the keys in there, you did.

As for his temperament, I'm not always an entertaining song and dance man on the job either.

[qdog112]

UPDATE:

Am I the only one who noticed how Sgt. Crowley addresses Dr. Gates in the police report?

Throughout the report the subject is not referred to as Dr. Gates, Mr. Gates or even professor Gates. I don't make it a practice of reading police reports, but I will bet that it is EXTREMELY RARE to have a person simply called by his last name, as in "Gates continued to yell at me."

Crowley has chosen to disrespect Dr. Gates, even in his writing, showing a deep seated hatred for a citizen who pays his salary. Come on supporters, prove to me how common it is for cops to omit a title from reports. Bring some proof or stay at home.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates2.html

[CharlesJessup]

Too FKing bad!

[dhinds]

He made a point. Do you have a problem with that?

[plzchuteme]

I wouldn't read too much into it. When one has to produce narrative reports, it is simply faster and easier to identify people once by their title and then use the shortened version from then on. Read the newspaper and you'll see the same thing.

[mmonarch]

People are reading way too much into everything about this whole thing.

[SethBLiNK]

I don't think I've ever seen a police report where a person is described by their formal name. The report reads like a unadorned description of events. You could question the veracity of the report, but frankly, it appears like the most logical explanation of how we ended up with a college professor handcuffed and arrested at his own home. If it is accurate, I don't have any problem with Crowley's behavior, but plenty with Gates'.

[qdog112]

"I don't think I've ever seen a police report where a person is described by their formal name."

I did not say "formal name". Show me a report that does not say Mr., Ms. or some other title.

I'll wait.

[RButler]

Boy, you're just looking for trouble, just like Gates.

[dhinds]

Who are you talking to and what do you intend to do about it?

[Garybot]

Don't worry - I'm sure you can think up something equally as lame.

[samuelberg]

Crowley: "Sir, we had a call about a potential break in, can I see your identification?"

Gates: "Sure." (handing over ID to Crowley)

Crowley: "Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Gates. Have a nice day."

Too bad Gates didn't make it this easy.

[FebM]

Oh, are you saying its a crime to be arrogant? welcome to the Islamic Rep of Iran, why did I think Cambridge was in the US of A

[mmonarch]

Respect is mutual. You get as you give.

[PS9]

That is exactly the point.

Its also alarming at the number of people who think Crowley should have taken Gates' word that it was his house and not requested to see identification. Under that reasoning any intruder could simply declare their innocence and send the investigating police on their way.

[MelRoy]

I don't know anyone who thinks that. The fact is, Gates showed ID. Then the police should have left.

I guess it was more important for half the Cambridge PD and the Harvard PD to be at Gates' house than fighting actual crimes!

[qdog112]

"Crowley: "Sir, we had a call about a potential break in, can I see your identification?""

He never said "sir or Mr." in his report, what makes you think he said it on site?

[lilguy]

That was gracious of Professor Gates. After all he could understand being treated wrongly. Even thro crowly was proven to have lied by the 911 tapes,there are those who still trying to making him right. People keep talking about the poor officer's reputation but it was alright for Gates, the president and this lady to have their reputations slammed . Racism entered the picture with the dispatcher. He stressed race! When the conservatives started yelling reverse racism, things began to go down hill for minorities,and the poor. It seemed,that everybody got scared and just let them run with the conversation. Now to hear them tell it,theres no such thing as racism against minorities. Theres only racism and discrimination against whites.

[PS9]

Gates hasn't exactly covered himself in glory in this whole mess.

[lilguy]

I just wonder whats going to happen when a black cop arrests a white bigwig for standing in the middle of a roadway?(My son was arrested for that one, after he asked the cops why they were arresting his cousin. His charge was later dismissed too!) Or for raising hell because the cops had the audacity to stop him. It is so insulting to have someone have to verify that you have been discriminated against. Any time racism occurs we have to wait for whites to give us the ok. When the kids at the swimming pool were discriminated against, we had to wait to see if anyone else was going to speak up,because of course we do not know when we are being discriminated against

[Endora]

Interesting article about both men:
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2009/07/gates_crowley_and_tools_for_tolerance.html?hpid=talkbox1

[dwedge]

This was a classy act especially considering the fact that no one invited her to the WH for a beer. This lady really was an innocent bystander who received a lot of undeserved flack.

[LazloTu]

Two observations:

1. Why would the officer not give Dr. Gates his name and/or badge number????

2. How about the body language in the photos at Dr. Gate's home - the black officer turned his back to the 'exchange" with arms crossed and a stern look on his face. A reasonable person may assume this to be an "unspoken agreement" to avoid observing the TRUTH.........

[CharlesJessup]

LOL

Because it's on his name tag and badge.


black officer with arms crossed??
LMAO

Total lie

Oh, and watch what the black cop says abt gates and the arrest:

http://www.wikio.com/video/1451557

You are not a reasonable man nor are you intelligent!!

[RButler]

Crowley, in his report, stated that he gave Gates his name and badge number several times but Gates was shouting over his spoken and couldn't hear the answer to the question he was asking. What a dummy.

[dhinds]

Only a dummy would swallow that lie.

[Garybot]

Or maybe his was keep back the people who had assembled on the front lawn to see what was going on - as was stated in the report.

[mmonarch]

Or p.o.'d that Gates doesn't know enough to shut up now and file a complaint later?

[NOV42008]

Can we all agree, Ms. Whal.en's name should have never been printed for all to see on the internet, and that blame goes to those who are suppose to serve and protect. That in itself was STUPID.

[NOV42008]

The violation of printing a name, but blocking out an address number, showed someone prep it before putting it on the internet.

[britethere]

Agree

[Endora]

Agree. I don't disagree with putting the police report out there to counteract Gates' rampage, but her name should have been blocked.

[monica62]

As a vetern of the Balt. Police Dept. it was in the best interest for Sgt. Crowley and the Police Dept. for this to go away. If there was an invest. the Police Dept.would have to charge Sgt. Crowley with a false report which would be punishable by termination. Then what other person ever charge with disorderly conduct by Sgt. Crowley would now be in question. Because when a officer is found lying in a report all his arrest relating to that specific crime could be challenge in court.

[qdog112]

Good post.