Henry Louis Gates 911 Call Tape (HQ) - With Transcript

[stephenabm]

Mr. Gates was wrong and the police were correct in questioning him and then arresting him.

[PillarV1]

@stephenabm - Actually you are wrong! The jurisdiction in Mass does not have a "disorderly conduct" rule of law, therefore the officer "illegally" arrested Professor Gates! The caller is now being represented by legal counsel - she is disputing Sgt Crowley's statement about she telling him that the men are "black men with back packs" - so technically Sgt Crowley falsified his report! Would be nice of people would carefully research and read thing a bit more closely before they pass judgement.

[vopat]

Whats up with all the questions. Send the cops.

[BoSoxnation1972]

I wish they would play this call on national TV to show people what a fraud Gates is.

[PillarV1]

@BoSoxnation1972 - and I wish you would research Mass law and see for yourself that a citizen can not be arrested for "disorderly conduct" because there is no law in that jurisdiction. Also, the 911 caller is disputing Sgt Crowley's statement - she said she did not mention that the men she saw were "two black men with back packs" - She is being represented by legal counsel! Research is better than ignorance and seem like a lot of folks are in the latter group about this situation.

[BoSoxnation1972]

@PillarV1 Disorderly conduct is part of chapter 272 of Massachusetts penal law, - if you cause a disturbance which creates a public hazard, & serves no legitimate purpose, you can be charged with a disorderly person offense, also known as disorderly conduct. "disorderly person" is defined as one who, "with purpose to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm." This applied to Gates.

Nice try though! Stick to picking the winners on Judge Judy instead of pretending you went to law school!

[matchesison]

all it comes down to is a person breaking into a house with bags by the door. it looked suspicious no matter what way you spin it. all gates had to do when the cops showed up was be a little more willing and understanding of the situation. instead, he blew up. this is how cops fight crime, when people call it in. the women did the right thing, the cops did the right thing. none of it was based on race.

[matchesison]

im pretty sure white people breaking into a house would turn heads. white people dont just look the other way when other whites do crime. these "nosy" women were doing what they should have done. they reported what they thought was a crime. this is not a race issue at all. everyone assumed it was race related including obama. obama said the cops were acting stupidly for doing their job. he assumed it was race related just like you. and he was wrong.

[vs1142]

@matchesison I respect your point of view on this matter but my sense is that you are coming from a privilege position in assuming that a similar behavior on the part of a middle age white man would be viewed in the same light as that of Prof. Gates. There have been and there are numerous studies showing that whites view similar behavior in blacks and whites quite differently and, for the most part, view similar behavior on the part of blacks in a negative light.

[matchesison]

@vs1142 i agree. but what you just mentioned can start a 5 day debate covering everything from psychology to the pseudo science. trust me, i am in no position of privilege. i think more of the problem is, most middle age white men polled are probably middle class and nowhere near the inner city. likewise, many black middle class people probably view inner city people as inferior regardless of race. im all over the place with this, i apologize. i cant express myself in 500 or less.

[matchesison]

wow. yes, if a white person saw another white person breaking into a house, she would still call the cops. white people dont get a free pass when it comes to crime and im pretty sure there has been cops called for white people breaking into their own house too. they might have acted a little more civil than this fucking idiot though.

[TheBAGGEN]

Strange not to recognize your neighbour....

[MrDarren1972]

when the doors hard to open means your not supposedy to be there an easy to open one as well

[blackboy9321]

The lady is not racist it is the dispatcher who is racist.

[blackboy9321]

Black white or Hispanic as if there are not other races in the world. Why did the guy have to suggest a race, these bastards probably are racist.

[timghouston]

I agree. Calling a cop and getting in his face must get old for police. They deal with that crap all the time, plus liars, drunk drivers, other obscene scenes. How many times do most of Crowley's critics keep their mouths' shut when taunted? Obama sure couldn't do it! An' he's Prez! Think about all of us "non-enlightened " folks.

[SpoonInAJar]

The police officer whose responding to this call seems kind of imbicilic. He keeps interupting her, he asks the same questions over and over again. And what does he mean "what do the suitcases have to do with it?".

Isn't it obvious, that, I don't know, if there were two men trying to break in, they probably wouldn't have brought their luggage? If they had some sort of tools or whatever to break in, I'd think they'd use something a bit easier to carry.

And I don't see her as a racist at all.

[sillyryan]

The lady did the right thing. Why is she called racist? Did she do anything wrong?

[niteme]

As far as I know, no one is calling her a racist. At least in the new reports I saw. Its the fucking cops that should of not been so retarded. The lady said they might of been breaking in, or maybe had a hard time with a key. So the dispatcher should of let them know that. Not a for sure crime, but a maybe its possible something is being done illegally.

I know when I break into someones house I bring suitcases with me. :P

[Lungyao1]

SUITCASES HELLO! This is stupid. Use common sence next time and do not walk inside a persons home uninvited.

[megaswenson]

spring1978ukma, I'm sorry your son is having such problems. I guess that's the downside of having tattoos.  I really do think the police see that as a sign that he may have been incarcerated. I hope he didn't get tats on his neck. That would be ever so inconvenient. Sometimes, even a mock-turtleneck isn't enough to cover a neck tattoo. It's a pity that the way we package ourselves makes such a difference. As an Oxxford-clad bodybuilder, I know from experience that packaging is everything.

[megaswenson]

spring1978, police are under intense pressure to arrest as many whites as blacks. They are desperate to find white criminals, for that reason. Your son probably looks like a likely candidate. Lots of white males get tattoos in prison, because it supposedly makes them less attractive targets for gang-rape. Sounds like he needs to cover up the tats, make sure his hair style does not say 'druggie', and be sure his car says 'respectable'. How often does he get pulled over? Does he drive fast?

[accordwhippa]

they are desperate to find white criminals?

where did u hear his this faux news?

desperate to find white criminals LOL

so now her son has to change his look not to get harassed?

the average druggie is hooked on prescription drugs and looks normal not to mention tattoos are extremely common nowadays

how does ur car say respectable?

where in the heck are u from?

[megaswenson]

accordwhippa, if someone needs to explain to you the visual language of automobiles, then you are beyond hope. But since you asked, 'respectable' cars are 'factory spec.', and generally not 'sporty'.

And yes. If the lady's son wishes to avoid undue police scrutiny, then changing his look might be helpful. But that's HIS choice.

And the 'cop shows' generally depict evil white cops victimizing innocent blacks. It appears you, not I, are the one getting his sense of what is real from the TV.

[accordwhippa]

thats the dumbest thing i've ever heard

police dont give u breathalyzers for tattoos

i think ur son just has a drinking problem

[JSeiza]

That guy was an asshole

[selvaescalada]

The lady was just a concerned neighbour. I hope mine will act the same way if a similar situation arises. Many people chose to keep their mouths shut when they witness something suspicious. In many cases a life could have been saved if those same people spoke up at the right time.

Kudos for the lady.

[bumpyywumpyy]

The operator seemed like an asshole...

[Krissy0708]

dispatch is stupid

[Carlos1584]

sigh, this is all stemmed from some old lady with nothing better to do than call the police on her neighbor. sounds like a friendly neighborhood.

[NERFfilm]

wow really? anyone who thinks the neighbor was out to get an innocent person fro no reason is a retard. you are a retard.

[Carlos1584]

i never said the neighbor was out to get anyone. perhaps your reading to deep into things...or perhaps your a retard...

[dangzh24]

poor woman...not the brightest, but not a racist either....

[falseistrue]

watch?v=3VEjYyPJq2Q&feature=re­lated

ALL WHITE PEOPLE MUST WATCH

[gomergilligan]

the only people threatening this lady are nigger chimp babosos that have THAT smell - yeah, you know what smell I'm talkin' about. The chitlin's smell comes thru their sweat. Matar de voce!!! Macacos!!!

[tianyun000]

"were they white, black, or Hispanic?"

... how about the asians?

[gomergilligan]

Asians are angels and don't do tthose kinds of things- they're not of this world - they'll be here only a little while, so enjoy them while you can.

[megaswenson]

The problem seems to have been with the 911 operator. He repeatedly interrupted Mrs. Whalen, and wouldn't let her say what she seems to be trying to say:  "It may be nothing, but it would be nice if the police could check it out."

[medartist01]

Clearly Crowley was pissed off, so he arrested Gates, and took him in, TO SHOW HIM WHO'S BOSS. Gates got the message. The cops won. But, oh no. This got reported. OMG, it's in the news! The President was asked by a reporter to comment. Oh, shit, we cops have to stick together. It wasn't legal to arrest a guy after confirming that the burglary call was a mistake, but we got to say something. Damn. Um, charge him with DC. Shit, if it was 1950, they could have legally shot him dead, or hung him.

[jensen1901]

none of us will ever know what really happened, but i suspect Gates acted all irritated & pompous and that pissed off the officer. So it was payback time. Still, it never should have led to an actual arrest at his own house. A true pro officer would have just left the scene and let Gates say whatever crazy stuff he wanted, then left.

[medartist01]

I agree again, jensen1901. The common sense move would to let the situation decompress. There was no burlary, and let the guy rant, as you leave. What's amazing, is that this particular officer Crowley got training on just this type of situation. Then again, to earn credentials, in order to separate yourself from the rank and file in order to get a pay raise, could have been his motivation. I don't know what's in his heart, but we have many racists among us that appear normal. Sad situation.

[megaswenson]

According to what I've read, Crowley did exactly what you suggested, medartist01: he was trying to withdraw from the situation, but Gates was screaming at him, demanding his name and badge number. But then, Gates would not be quiet long enough to listen to Crowley's response. This apparently happened twice. Gates was apparently screaming insults at Crowley during most of the incident. I'm white, and if I acted that way with white police, they'd beat me to death within minutes.

[accordwhippa]

yeah,im sure the police would beat a white man to death within minutes for a disorderly

are u serious?

[megaswenson]

I am absolutely serious. If I acted like Dr. Gates, screaming obscenities, demanding the officer's name and badge number, then not being quiet long enough to hear his response...twice.... I would be beaten or tasered to death, either at my house, or at the police station. Or, they'd throw me in a holding cell with people they knew would do the job for them.

But I cannot imagine verbally assaulting the police.

[accordwhippa]

i would think obscenities being thrown around would be common in ur trailer park

a white man tasered or beaten to death for talking back? sounds like you've been watching too many cop shows LOL

i can show u many cases of minorities being tasered or beaten to death for talking back

cops dont kill whites unless their life is in danger

u probably cannot imagine being verbally assaulted by the police either because it doesn't happen often to people like u

it is common for minorities to be harassed

[Lungyao1]

Screaming obsenities? Not even officer Crowley said that.

[megaswenson]

I'm counting "Yo mama" as an obscenity. And I think there were others. It would be nice, though, if someone would transcribe the tape of the incident, so we could all have some accurate information.

[megaswenson]

Actually, Crowley had his micophone on during the incident.  It would be nice if a transcript of that recording could be released, so that we could know the FACTS, rather than having to rely on hearsay and conjecture.

[Lungyao1]

So maybe we will have a chance to see how badly Gates showed out.

[jensen1901]

Looks like Crowley lied or at least stretched the truth to fit the arrest on his report. He can't hide anymore from the facts that are coming out that don't back up his side of the story.

[medartist01]

You're absolutely right, jensen1901. It's clear also that these women did the right thing to call the police. What's incredible is the actual police report, WRITTEN AFTER THE INCIDENT by Crowley. We've all been there before. A situation gone awry, and it's time to COVER YOUR ASS. Crowley's arrest report reads like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. The cops did everything by the book, while this terrible, almost-60 year old man, was, as on Hannity's show, was instigating a riot? That's what the cops say!

[Lurker15]

people in Massachusetts hate obama now because  it wasn't his business...obama wasted time ...the white house job is to focus on health care and the recession .

"Obama said Change but,there is no change."

everything goes back it is now

[tman10003]

This operator is an asshole..an arrogant douchebag?

[MamoDad]

Why call 911 for that? wtf

What the hell is the emergency?

The caller obviously didn't see a serious crime or someone getting hurt. What a waste of resources.

Another thing, if the roles were reversed and it was a white man alone in his house and a black cop the Reichwing would be screaming about police brutality, excessive force and violation of rights for arresting the guy on his own property. Guaran-fuckin-teed.

[Zile77]

Gates is obviously a racist who also wants "whitey" to pay for everything while he abuses the system. Gates is a friend of Obama, so did they both go to Rev. Wrights anti-white racist church in crime-ridden Chicago? I still can't believe B.O. is the (puppet) president, a know nothing talker who lies worse than Clinton!

[Fyerdrum77]

white, black, or hispanic....no asian? haha

[plocietono]

Gates is upset because he was questioned by the police. OK, how would he have reacted if there was an actual robbery taking place, the police showed up when the guy said he lived there, left immediately without checking out their story and IDs? After surveying his damaged and robbed house, would he thank the police for not harassing a fellow black man. Commend them for not being racists?

[plocietono]

To continue... Would Obama say in a press conference that his friend's house was robbed and the thieves escaped, but thank God race relations in this country between the black community and the police are improving. The police officers in Cambridge took an unknown black man at his word. Although the possibility of a break-in existed, the black man's word was believed, no questions asked.

[tman10003]

He would have said the cops are anti-black..he's a black bigot.

[plocietono]

The difference could come from a conversation at the scene. She told the 911 operator she would wait on the police. What she told them when they arrived is not recorded on the 911 tape of course, and the police report would obivously only contain statements at the scene, not on a 911 transcript. I'm not taking sides, just answering your question as to why the difference exists.

[stf111]

wow, above everything else this whole situation shows the tenseness we still have today over racial divisions. only with open, honest, and friendly dialogue will we really be free of racism

also, does anyone else think that 911 OPERATOR IS ACTING LIKE A TOTAL DICK?

[Fyerdrum77]

I do :)

[kickAbooJoyjuice]

@stf111 90% of them are dicks..

[debalazo]

lover, it was a FRAME UP for the cop. A distraction from Obongo's failed 'health fiasco', and a means to pike blacks and whites, ad nauseam. Wake up, Obongo's handlers are all jews, jews are behind NAACP, SPLC, ACLU, etc. Always on both sides of the fence, unscathed while the dumb sheeple kill each other for being egotistic and not paying attention to the Underhand. The WH illegal alien FRAUD failed one more time.

[debalazo]

Sheeple, wake up. What odds a racist pig like Gates, hummy-mommy with the Obumanation, gets taken by a burglar by HIS NEIGHBOR, ensuing a 'racist' incident, just in time to DISTRACT fom Yomama's (the illegal alien) 'Health Care' Fiasco? Trillion to one! But FAILED! And did just be-coz the Zionic marionette didn't have a ready Teleprompter message to read. FAILED both ways, racist PIGS! And NO, am not whitey. But I despise LIARS and SUBVERSIVES. Crowley, demand an apology. Beer? Shove it!

[KILLA23456789]

i can tell you he a rich black man who gets praised by his fans and when he acts like a monkey and a white officer is involved and arrest this black man he crys racism happens every day people

[GiacomoKnox]

I'm a black man as one, one who has suffered several incidents of racial profiling. A man of Gates stature and education and AGE should be ashamed of himself for still having a chip on his shoulder. Crying wolf about racial profiling diminishes actual events. Obama spoke before he knew the whole truth, which makes him a bigger fool than Gates. Need I remind some of you that Gates followed the officer outside and that's when he was arrested?

[ishtapinks]

Hmmm. Crowley lied on the police report. It makes him look bad. Arresting a guy who walks with a cane for disturbing the peace in his own house is a stretch. Even though I believe Gates yelled I feel he had a right to be pissed off and it's not against the law to yell at an officer. Gates claims he never asked Crowley and it's actually illegal for the police to enter without being invited. I hope everyone will start being completely honest it will help the country to resolve this peacefully.

[3star2nr]

This is all a big misunderstanding, the three dudes need to get to gether and drink a beer like Obama said and get over this. The media is making this into a huge issue.

[3star2nr]

Why was the officer asking their race? Is it to help the officer on scene identify the suspects?

That said the caller sounds sexy, and shes beig a good citizen.

[ishtapinks]

I think the officer asks the race over the phone so the cop who arrives can identify the suspects easier. so he should have been looking for an hispanic man (gates' driver was actually moroccan). most likely he would have been made aware that it could have been the owner because she was clear about that in her call too.

i don't know if the caller sounds sexy or not cause i'm not a lesbian but she definitely was being a good citizen and didn't jump to conclusions. gates said so too.

[3star2nr]

Im a black man, And really I dont think race was a factor at all in this situation. I think its a clear cut case of a mis understanding, and gates saying something to piss the cop off and the cop decides to show him who's boss.

They do that all the time to blacks and whites

[blachubear]

Strike 1:When Gates showed his ID & prove he lived there, Crowley should had just left it alone

Strike 2: Called for back up because he was scared of a old man with a cane & made a false arrest

Strike 3:Lied on the report & the tape proves it.

You're out & the game is over Crowley. Even if Obama smooths things out between Gates & Crowley, the woman that made the call is pissed. So she now has a lawyer & may want to bring Crowley to court.

[chumlee333]

nope blachubear- I saw the woman's lawyer in an interview say that she stands behind the cops action. Gates was the only one yelling- he provoked the offcier as the officer was LEAVING. Now why would he do that? Who had the power here? And the woman had to get a lawyer b/c ppl were FALSELY calling her a racist. Ridiculous!

[demslibssuck]

GATES made it about race. Gates is an ass hole. Just because you have a doctorate doesn't mean you're not a jackass.

[debalazo]

dems, ahem, a lot of them ARE. The title is just to cover the FACT. Ask students in Univ and colleges. One-track mind in a ego-trip. This racist pig is one good example.

[demslibssuck]

Indeed.

[capriconss]

i actually don't think it is too much of a race issue. if you shout at a cop, you will get arrested, black or white. but it doesn't mean it is right for the cop to arrest someone who shout at him at his own home.

[jahguy7]

this is kind of a comical conversation. Reminds me maybe something off of seinfeld.