kirbyoureducation: Harvard professor Gates arrested

Okay. So I was catching up on my daily news and found this article. After reading it in its entirety I have a hard time believing what actually happened in this incident. Not only are the stories completely different, I'm finding it hard to believe the officer or the professor. According to the officers' report they responded to a call Thursday from a woman who said she saw "a man wedging his shoulder into the front door" at Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s house near the university. Gates refused to identify himself to a police officer, claiming the officer was a racist.

Sgt. James Crowley, one of the officers involved in the incident, stated in the report that he told Gates he was investigating a report of a break-in at the residence. According to the report, Gates "opened the front door and exclaimed, 'Why, because I'm a black man in America?' "

Crowley wrote in the report that he warned Gates two times he was becoming disorderly. After Gates continued to yell and accuse him of racial bias, Crowley wrote he arrested Gates for "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space."

Okay. So after this I felt like the officer was within his right to arrest this man. However, after reading Crowley's side of the story I was completely confused. . .

A statement by Gates' lawyer said that the incident occurred when Gates returned to his home after a trip to China.

Gates, accompanied by a driver, found the front door damaged. He entered the house with his key through the rear door. Then, he and and driver were able to force the front door open. An officer arrived and told Gates he was investigating a call about a breaking-and-entering at the residence.Gates identified himself at the officer's request.

"He [Gates] turned to walk into the kitchen where he had left his wallet. The officer followed him. Professor Gates handed both his Harvard University identification and his valid Massachusetts driver's license to the officer," Gates' lawyer wrote.

Ogletree's statement also said that Gates asked Crowley for his name and badge number several times without success.

Then, when Gates followed Crowley to the front door, Crowley said, "Thank you for accommodating my earlier request, and then placed him [Gates] under arrest," Ogletree said.

Now Gates has one of 20 prestigious "university professors" positions at Harvard University, and joined the faculty in 1991. He is considered one of the nation's pre-eminent scholars of African-American studies. In 1997, Time magazine placed him on its list of the 25 most influential Americans. So, pretty much, he's a big deal.

Now, I feel as if I'm a pretty fair-minded when it comes to issues like this. Having a father in law enforcement, I empathize with what police officers go through. And honestly, if I were to go off the statement alone, I would totally side with the police officers. However, given the intellectual prowess that this professor has, I find it hard to believe that he would do something like this. It would seem to be out of his nature (or at least I hope). And I'm not saying that just because someone is smart, they couldn't do such things. But I also think that as a police officer you wouldn't arrest someone for no reason (or at least I hope). So I find it hard to believe any of their stories. . .

If you want to read more about this story and read a copy of the police report click here.

What do you think???

UPDATE: All charges have been dropped against Mr. Gates