Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr., University professor and director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Studies at Harvard, has been arrested while trying to break into his own house. A concerned neighbor called police when she saw Gates, 58, “wedging his shoulder in the front door [of Gates’ house] as to pry the door open.” Police say that he refused to give them his name, accused them of racism, and continued a loud altercation from his porch until his arrest for “exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior.”
Police report that when an officer arrived at the scene, Gates became belligerent and allegedly shouted “[t]his is what happens to black men in America” when asked for identification. He also allegedly told the police repeatedly that “[y]ou don’t know who your [sic] messing with,” according to the report.
The Cambridge Police Department maintains that Gates created such a commotion on his porch that he drew a crowd.
Harvard Professor Charles J. Ogletree, Jr. appears to have agreed to represent him — though these types of disorderly conduct charges are routinely dropped when they do not involve alcohol or drugs or property damage. This is not a major offense — Gates was released on a $40 bond.
Gates was awarded a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” in 1981 and was named one of Time magazine’s “25 Most Influential Americans” in 1997.
The Cambridge Police entry merely states “On 7/16/09 at 12:44 PM, 58-year-old Henry Gates of 17 Ware St. Cambridge, MA was arrested for Disorderly conduct after exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior.”
Gates (who had just returned from China) has denied the police account, here. Ogletree says that Gates found his door damaged when he returned from China and entered through the back door. He and his driver then forced open the front door and brought his luggage in the house, according to Ogletree. Police state that when they arrived he was in his office and initially refused to come out and accused them of racism.
Rev. Al Sharpton has already descended on the scene to allege racism in the force and denounce the crime of living in a house while black.
UPDATE: As expected in the above blog, the charges have been dropped.
For the full story, click here.
Find me another Harvard professor with the same level of credentials that would have to endure what Professor Gates did.
If we put aside for the moment that any of us would have been annoyed, frustrated, and angry if we had to prove we were not breaking into our own house. Moreover if we were not believed, most of us would be outraged.
And if no alcohol, drugs, or domeestic abuse was involved, is it unreasonable to think the cops could have used the computer in their squad car or their cell phone to google Gates. This was a matter that could have been resolved very easily.
@Mike Spindell: I don’t think Prof. Gates’s behavior was unreasonable, but it was reasonably predictable that after responding to the police the way he did, he might be arrested. I am not in any way condoning the arrest, but don’t think the police were treating him any different because of his race. If you persist in a confrontation with the police–even when you are in the right–you will get arrested, no matter what your race is.
In my humble opinion, the police report could have been improved by adding a few more sensational details. For example, when Gates is found in his own home, packing away the luggage from his scholarly jaunt to China, he could be wearing a ninja outfit. Furthermore, when the police officer meekly requests identification, Gates could adopt a DeNiro pose a la Taxi Driver and inquire, “Are you talking to me? Are YOU talking to ME?” Then, when the officer politely asks Gates to step outside, Gates could spin-kick the officer in the face, sending him crashing through the window onto the porch in a cascade of glass. They could grapple, rolling around on the glass shard strewn porch. The other cops could haul Gates off, whereupon he could backflip out of their grasp, drawing his katana. In a few quick slashing movements, Gates could slice down the whole lot of them. Only at that point would he scream: “THIS…IS WHAT HAPPENS TO A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA!!!!”
He kicks mondo ass.
I guess this is mereley a case of “BHWB”-Being Home While Black.
Turley–Your interpretation of what happened is incorrect. Gates was in his house when the police arrived. People please read the full report. The police did not catch him breaking into his house. Shame on you Turley!
Such a waste of time. So he couldn’t get through the front door,and uses force, and some panicky woman calls about a burgler? He provided his ID, and the police should just drop the charges, and move on to some real crime.
I am quite familiar with Professor Gates work and he is a great scholar and a good man. I too am distressed that some think his behavior unreasonable. How would any of us feel if the police arrived at our house, in fact questioning our right to be there.
Might not one of us also respond with an anger and lack of deference that a policeman might find offensive? Has anyone else ever been locked out of their house, perhaps by forgetting their keys, as I have on at least three occasions. No one had to called the police, but I had to break into my own home and in the midst of that would have become exasperated when the police arrived.
As for Al Sharpton, I doubt that Professor Gates needed to call him in. Reverend Al, shows up wherever there is publicity to be gained. He exposed his vapidity during his Michael Jackson eulogy when he said Jackson was the first black musician to gain world wide acceptance or recognition, thereby forgetting the greatest musical genius of the twentieth century, who just happened to also be black, Luis Armstrong. Sharpton is merely a comic phony, but considering people like Sessions, Barber and Trent Lott, every race has its share of those.
It should be your right to tell the police to f*ck off while standing on your own front porch. That however is rarely the case, regardless of your race.
Wow, I’m impressed. Only at Havrad can one find a cop using the word “tumultuous” in a misdemeanor report. Sweet. I don’t know what the law looks like in Mass., but in Illinois one has to put the public in a fearful state to be charged with disorderly conduct. The fact that a crowd gathered seesm to suggest curiosity rather than fear. There’s also specific case law (Illinois anyway)stating that the police are expected to have a thicker skin that the general public when dealing with verbal abuse. Disorderly Conduct is often used as a bull_ _ _t charge to deal with those who aren’t physically resisting but are merely pissing off the police. I’ve seen hundreds of cases of family members arrested for disorderly conduct for using a less than civil tone of voice when asking why a family member was arrested. Gates sounds like he was acting like an a_ _ hole, but I’m not giving the cops a pass on nthis one either.
Lucky for everyone Rev. Sharpton is coming to sort things out. Praise Jebus.
I find it more than a little discouraging that most most of the commenets here (and on other locations) seem more than willing to take the word of the cop.
If ys deal with them regularly you should know better than that. Hell, even if you don’t you should know better than that.
This is from yesterday:
Lawyer’s Statement on the Arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Charles Ogletree gives Gates’ side of the story in controversial arrest of The Root’s editor-in-chief.
http://www.theroot.com/views/lawyers-statement-arrest-henry-louis-gates-jr
eniobob 1, July 21, 2009 at 11:23 am
just heard as of this posting,”ALL” charges were dropped.
See it helps if you are a descendant of a King from Ireland.
just heard as of this posting,”ALL” charges were dropped.
Personal life
Gates has been the host and co-producer of African American Lives (2006) and African American Lives 2 (2008) in which the lineage of notable African Americans is traced using genealogical resources and DNA testing. In the first series, Gates learns of his European ancestry (50%), and in the second installment we learn he is descended from the Irish King, Niall of the Nine Hostages. He also learns that he is descended in part from the Yoruba people of Nigeria.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Louis_Gates
Can’t edit or add to it without being registered. Something about vandalism.
What I find interesting this story is already a part of his Wiki page.
Also mespo, you are correct it is the Harvard Real Estate Services and is apparently a university owned house.
ABOUT HRES
The mission of Harvard Real Estate Services (HRES), a Department within Harvard’s Central Administration, is to provide outstanding delivery of real estate services and solutions to the Harvard community.
http://www.hres.harvard.edu/about.htm
I wonder if trouble is brewing up for this man within the university?
From the article:
“According to Ogletree [Gates’ lawyer], Gates noticed a police officer on his porch while he was on the phone requesting a door repair from Harvard Real Estate Services, which owns the home. The professor reportedly stayed inside when the officer asked him to come outside, but provided the officer with both his Harvard identification card and his driver’s license as proof that he lived at the home and taught at the University. Ogletree said Gates then asked the police officer for his badge number and name several times but received no response.
But the police sergeant who first arrived on the scene said he had told Gates his name multiple times when requested, and that Gates simply shouted over him. The sergeant said he was forced to step out of the home because of Gates’ uncomfortably loud yelling, according to the report obtained from the Boston Globe. He said he told Gates that they could discuss the matter further outside, to which Gates allegedly replied, “ya, I’ll speak with your mama outside.”
“Your mama”? From a Harvard man to a police officer doing his job? I am prouder by the day of my non-Ivy roots!
Mike Appleton 1, July 21, 2009 at 9:03 am
It appears that Prof. Gates may have some domestic issues. When a man is attempting to break into his own house, you can almost bet there’s a woman involved.
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Or it could be that “Hell hath no fury like a Pissed Queen” that would cover it for both sexes.
It appears that Prof. Gates may have some domestic issues. When a man is attempting to break into his own house, you can almost bet there’s a woman involved.
Something is amiss here and I cannot tell what. Was alcohol a factor, why were the police at the home when he tried to enter? What is Harvard Real Estate Company? I have a lot more questions after reading the article.
I find arrogance to have neither race nor gender. “Genius Grant,” indeed.