July 21, 2009 : Henry Louis Gates arrested, charges dropped

>> Emily: GOOD EVENING.

IT BEGAN WHEN A WHITE WOMAN

LOOKED AT HARVARD PROFESSOR

HENRY LOUIS GATES YES OR NO AND

HIS DRIVER AND SAW TWO BLACK

BURGLARS.

THEN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN

SCHOLAR LOOKED AT A WHITE POLICE

OFFICER AND SAW A RACIST.

THEN THE COP LOOKED AT A BLACK

MAN'S ANGER AND SAW DISORDERLY

CONDUCT.

NOW, THE CRIMINAL CHARGES

AGAINST GATES HAVE BEEN DROPPED,

BUT PAINFUL QUESTIONS ABOUT RACE

AND PERCEPTION IN AMERICA

REMAIN.

CAMBRIDGE POLICE SPOKESWOMAN

KELLY DOWNS SAYS LAST WEEK'S

ARREST OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY

PROFESSOR HENRY LOUIS GATES IS

SOMETHING BOTH THE DEPARTMENT

AND GATES WISH THEY COULD SIMPLY

FORGET.

>> HINDSIGHT BEING WHAT IT IS, I

THINK EVERYONE VIEWS THIS

INCIDENT AS ONE WE WISH HAD NOT

OCCURRED.

>> Emily: WHEN GATES ARRIVED

HOME FROM A CHINA TRIP LAST

THURSDAY, HE AND HIS DRIVER

TRIED TO PUSH OPEN A STUCK FRONT

DOOR.

THINKING IT WAS A BREAK-IN, A

WOMAN WHO WORKED NEARBY CALLED

POLICE.

GATES WAS INSIDE BY THE TIME

CAMBRIDGE POLICE SERGEANT JAMES

CROWLEY ARRIVED, BUT THAT'S

WHERE THE ACCOUNTS DIFFER.

CROWLEY SAYS GATES WAS ABUSIVE,

AT FIRST REFUSING TO SHOW I.D.

AND THEN ASKING, "WHY?

BECAUSE I'M A BLACK MAN IN

AMERICA"?

GATES SAID HE SHOWED I.D. AND

THAT IT WAS CROWLEY WHO REFUSED

TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF.

>> IT WAS NOT PROFESSOR GATES'S

BEST MOMENT AND IT CERTAINLY WAS

NOT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE

DEPARTMENT'S BEST MOMENT.

>> Emily: OFFICER CROWLEY

REPORTS GATES FOLLOWED HIM

OUTSIDE SHOUTING HE WAS A

RACIST.

GATES WAS HANDCUFFED AND SPENT

FOUR HOURS IN CUSTODY.

>> YOU HAD TWO HUMAN BEINGS THAT

WERE REACTING TO A SET OF

CIRCUMSTANCES AND UNFORTUNATELY

AT THE TIME COOLER HEADS DID NOT

PREVAIL.

>> Emily: TODAY A JOINT

STATEMENT FROM THE POLICE AND

GATES'S LAWYERS CALL THE

DISMISSAL OF CHARGES A JUST

RESOLUTION TO AN UNFORTUNATE SET

OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

>> AFTER LOOKING AT THE FACTS

AND CIRCUMSTANCES, ALL OF US

HAVE COME TO THE DECISION THAT

THE BEST THING TO DO IS SIMPLE

GET PAST THIS AT THIS POINT.

>> Emily: IF ONLY IT WERE THAT

SIMPLE.

ALL RIGHT.

WITH ME NOW ARE OFFICER BILL

WILLIS OF THE BOSTON POLICE

DEPARTMENT, HARVARD SOCIOLOGY

PROFESSOR ORLANDO PATTERSON WHO

IS ALSO A FRIEND OF HENRY GATES,

ATTORNEY HARVEY SILVERGLATE AND

TELEVISION COMMENTATOR CALLIE

CROSSLEY.

I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU,

HARVEY, BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF

THE THINGS YOUR FELLOW PANELISTS

ARE PROBABLY GOING TO AGREE UPON

IS THIS LIKELY COULD NOT HAVE

HAPPENED TO YOU.

AGREE?

>> WOULD LIKE NOT HAVE HAPPENED

TO ME?

>> Emily: COULD NOT HAVE

HAPPENED TO YOU.

>> I THINK IT DEPENDS WHETHER I

GAVE THE OFFICER LIP.

I HAD A CASE ONCE WHERE I WALKED

ON A SEARCH AND IT WAS CAMBRIDGE

POLICE DETECTIVE POINTED THE

REVOLVER AT MY RIGHT TEMPLE,

I'LL NEVER FORGET IT, I SAID

"WHAT ARE HAVE I DONE?"

HE SAID "YOU'RE ASSAULTING ME

WITH THAT PEN.

STOP TAKING NOTES.

>> Emily: NO ONE WOULD HAVE

CALLED THE POLICE TO BEGIN WITH.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

IF I WAS TRYING TO FORCE THE

DOOR OPEN, I DOUBT SOMEBODY

WOULD HAVE CALLED.

>> Emily: YOU'RE A POLICE

OFFICER IN BOSTON, NOT FAMILIAR

WITH THIS CASE BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU

HAVE HAD INCIDENTS LIKE THIS

THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH.

ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT,

THE FIRST THING THAT HENRY LOUIS

GATES JR. SAID TO THE OFFICER

WHEN HE SAID, "CAN I SEE YOUR

I.D.?"

HE SAID, "WHY?

BECAUSE I'M A BLACK MAN?"

IT'S PROVOCATIVE AND IT'S A

PUSH-BACK, BUT IS THAT CAUSE FOR

-- IS THAT AN AGITATED RESPONSE?

>> WELL, I THINK IT WAS AN

OVERREACTION BUT I THINK IN THAT

SITUATION MAYBE YOU HAVE TO LOOK

AT MAYBE THERE WERE BREAK-INS IN

THE AREA BEFORE, WE DON'T KNOW

ALL THE INFORMATION THE OFFICER

HAD BEFORE HE RESPONDED THERE SO

I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE

TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES --

>> Emily: IT WAS A COLD CALL.

HE DRIVES UP.

THE WOMAN IS STILL STANDING

THERE.

HE IDENTIFIES HIMSELF.

DIDN'T WANT TO TURN HIS BACK TO

THE HOUSE, HE SAID "I'M GOING TO

CALL REINFORCEMENTS," HE TURNS

AND WALKS UP TO THE HOUSE BUT

ONCE HE GETS THE LAY OF THE LAND

HERE -- THE GUY IS INSIDE, HE'S

NOT RANSACKING -- IN FACT, HE'S

ON THE PHONE CALLING THE HARVARD

REAL ESTATE OFFICE TO SAY, "MY

FRONT DOOR DOESN'T WORK."

THERE WERE CIRCUMSTANCES THERE

THAT PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN

SORTED OUT ON THE SPOT.

IS IT AN OFFICER'S OBLIGATION TO

PURSUE EVEN A SUSPICION OF A

BREAKIN IF IT BECOMES APPARENT

INSTANTANEOUSLY THAT THAT'S NOT

THE CASE?

>> NO, PROBABLY NOT BUT I THINK

IT'S DIFFICULT TO SCRUTINIZE

SOMEBODY IF YOU WEREN'T THERE.

IF I HAD A TV CAMERA FOLLOWING

ME AROUND FOR EVERY SITUATION

THAT I GOT INTO AS A POLICE

OFFICER, IT WOULD BE VERY

DIFFICULT FOR ME TO DO MY JOB

AND I THINK IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT

IT FROM THE OTHER SIDE IT'S EASY

TO PLAY THE MONDAY-MORNING

QUARTERBACK AND SAY THEY SHOULD

HAVE REACTED THIS WAY OR THAT

WAY, AND I THINK IT MAKES IT

DIFFICULT FOR US TO BE EFFECTIVE

POLICE OFFICERS IF THAT WERE TO

HAPPEN.

SO I THINK WE HAVE TO NOT VILIFY

THIS PERSON FOR THIS ONE

PARTICULAR INCIDENT --

>> Emily: THE POLICE OFFICER.

>> YES.

IF THERE IS A PATTERN OF

BEHAVIOR THAT EXHIBITS RACIST

BEHAVIOR, THAT'S DIFFERENT.

>> Emily: APPARENTLY THERE IS

NONE IN THIS OFFICER'S CASE THAT

HAS BEEN CHECKED OUT.

ORLANDO, YOU'RE A FRIEND OF

HENRY LOUIS GATES AND I THINK

IT'S FAIR -- HE'S KNOWN AS

HAVING SOMETHING OF A PRICKLY

PERSONALITY -- HE CAN BE

DIFFICULT AT TIMES.

WOULD THIS KIND OF SITUATION

HAVE BEEN -- WOULD THIS HAVE PUT

HIM OVER THE TOP?

>> NO, I DON'T KNOW HIM AS A

VERY PRICKLY PERSON, BUT THE

SITUATION I CAN WELL IMAGINE

MYSELF IN AND I WOULD BE

ANNOYED.

THE QUESTION IS WHETHER YOU HAVE

A RIGHT TO YELL AT AN OFFICER

FROM WITHIN YOUR HOUSE.

HE WASN'T YELLING CURSE WORDS

AND SO ON.

>> Emily: YES.

>> AND I AM OUTRAGED.

I THINK THAT THE POLICE OFFICER

CAN ARREST YOU ON WHAT SEEMS

LIKE -- IT LOOKS LIKE A

TRUMPED-UP CHARGE.

THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER

WITH RESPECT TO WHAT THE OFFICER

JUST SAID IS THAT THE CHARGE --

THE MAIN REASON FOR THE TURNING

UP, HE QUICKLY ASSURRENDER WAS

NOT THE CASE.

HE SHOWED HIM HIS I.D., HE

FIGURED THAT THE OFFICER

REALIZED THAT HE WAS -- THIS WAS

THE MAN IN HIS HOME, IN WHICH

CASE DO YOU HAVE REALLY A

REASONABLE CLAIM TO ARREST

SOMEONE BECAUSE HE GOT ANNOYED

WHEN YOU, THE OFFICER, REFUSE TO

GIVE YOUR BADGE NUMBER AND YOUR

NAME?

I READ THE POLICE REPORT.

AND THIS WAS RATHER GARBLED AND

UNBELIEVABLE.

HE SAID THAT HE KEPT ASKING

THREE TIMES WHAT HIS NAME AND

BADGE NUMBER WAS AND HE CLAIMS

THAT HE TOLD HIM AND WAS YELLING

IT.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE.

>> Emily: HE SAID HE WAS SO

AGITATED HE DIDN'T HEAR WHAT HE

WAS SAYING.

>> FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I THINK

WHAT THIS IS IS A REAL

INTERSECTION OF CLASS AND RACE

HERE.

MY SENSE IS THAT IF THIS HAD

HAPPENED IN A WORKING-CLASS

NEIGHBORHOOD OR ANOTHER AREA AND

THE POLICE CAME, OK, THIS IS THE

GUY'S HOME, HE WOULDN'T GET TOO

PEAS IN A POD WHAT THE GUY WAS

SAYING.

MY SENSE IS THAT THERE IS SOME

RESENTMENT OF MIDDLE-CLASS

BLACKS ESPECIALLY BY

WORKING-CLASS WHITE PEOPLE AND

THERE IS A LITTLE SENSE OF,

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THIS

HOUSE?"

>> Emily: THIS GUY WAS SO

ADAMANT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHO HENRY

LOUIS GATES WAS.

>> IT DIDN'T MATTER WHO GATES

WAS.

THIS IS AN UPPER-MIDDLE-CLASS

PART OF CAMBRIDGE, AND IF THIS

IS A WHITE PERSON THE OFFICER,

IF HE HAD A BRAIN IN HIS HEAD

WOULD THINK, "WELL, THE GUY

SHOWED ME HIS I.D., HE LIVES

HERE, HE'S OBVIOUSLY -- BELONGS

TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND HE

WOULD -- WELL, YOU KNOW, "I WAS

JUST DOING MY JOB, SORRY," AND

LEAVE IT AT THAT.

THE FACT THAT HE PERSISTED AND

HAD THIS CRAVEEN, MEDIEVAL

CHARGE OF BEHAVING IN A

TUMULTUOUS MANNER.

>> Emily: THAT'S A PHRASE THAT

DOESN'T APPLY.

>> IT'S ABSURD AND I THINK THERE

IS SOME SENSE OF "WHAT ARE YOU

DOING LIVING HERE?"

>> Emily: CALLIE, TODAY HENRY

LOUIS GATES SAID HE DID NOT USE

THE WORD RACIST, HE CLAIMS HE

DID NOT YELL AT THE POLICE

OFFICER, HE HAS A NASAL

INFECTION, HE DID NOT YELL AND

DIDN'T USE THE TERM "YOU'RE A

RACIST."

LET'S SAY HE HAD.

WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN A FAIR

CHARGE?

>> I GUESS I WANT TO GO TO A

GLOBAL LOOK AT THIS, WHEN YOU

HAVE A SITUATION AS MY FRIENDS

PUT IT TODAY THAT YOU ARE BEING

SUSPECTED BASED ON SOME

STEREOTYPE, YOU'RE IN YOUR OWN

HOME AND IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN

CHALLENGED ON YOUR CREDENTIALS

IN THE STORE, IN THE GROCERY

STORE, ON THE STREET, ON YOUR

JOB, FOR YOUR LIFE, YOU HAVEN'T

BEEN BLACK IN AMERICA SO YOU'RE

IN YOUR HOUSE AND YOU KNOW WHO

YOU ARE AND YOU HAVE I.D. AND

YOU ARE BEING QUESTIONED ABOUT

THAT?

THAT CAN SEND YOU TO A RAGE YOU

CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE FOR SOMEONE

WHO HAS NOT HAD TO EXPERIENCE

THAT -- I HAVE BEEN READING THE

COMMENTS ON THE STORIES AND I

THINK IT'S INTERESTING.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, "LISTEN, I

WAS AT A HOUSE AND THE POLICE

CAME AND I WASN'T -- THEY DIDN'T

KNOW IF IT WAS MY HOUSE AND I

SHOWED THEM MY I.D., THAT WAS

THE END OF THE STORY."

THAT WAS ONE TIME IN YOUR LIFE.

YOU HAVE NOT BEEN QUESTIONED ON

TUESDAY ABOUT WHETHER YOU HAVE

THE RIGHT TO BE IN THIS PLACE,

YOU HAVE NOT BEEN QUESTIONED ON

SATURDAY ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND

WHAT YOUR CREDENTIALS MEAN, AND

THAT IS THE RICH, UNFORTUNATE

HISTORY FROM WHICH HIS RESPONSE

SPRANG, AND SO IT PUT THEM BOTH

IN A HISTORICAL MOMENT BECAUSE

THIS IS THE PATTERN WE HAVE

SEEN.

I AM THE AUNT OF A 17-YEAR-OLD

BLACK YOUNG MAN AND PART OF THE

RITUAL IS TO TRAIN THEM AS MY

SISTER HAS HAD TO DO HOW TO

INTERACT WITH COPS.

THAT'S JUST UNDERSTOOD.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN GET

AWAY WITH, BECAUSE OFTEN --

>> Emily: GIVING LIP?

>> NO, THE SITUATION IS THAT IT

CAN EASILY ESCALATE SO THAT'S

WHY I'M SAYING THIS IS SUCH --

THIS IS SO REAL IN OUR LIVES, I

CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I RESENT

THIS RACE-CARD BUSINESS BEING

THROWN OUT.

THIS IS NOT A GAME.

THIS IS PEOPLE'S LIVES.

WE CAN SAY THAT MAYBE BOTH OF

THEM, AS SHE SAID, I THINK THE

OFFICER -- THE SPOKESPERSON SAID

IT WASN'T THE BEST MOMENT FOR

EITHER ONE OF THEM AND WE CAN

UNDERSTAND THAT BUT IT COMES

FROM SOMEPLACE.

>> Emily: THIS IS AN EXCELLENT

QUESTION.

I REALLY WANT TO GET AT THIS

WITH BILL WILLIS, TOO, BECAUSE

WHAT ABOUT GIVING LIP?

I KNOW QUITE FRANKLY, THIS

HAPPENED TO ME ONCE, I GAVE LIP

TO A GUY WHO STOPPED ME FOR

TURNING LEFT SOMEWHERE I WASN'T

SUPPOSED TO, I GAVE HIM LIP AND

HE GAVE ME A $100 TICKET, BANG,

BUT HE DIDN'T ARREST ME, HE

DIDN'T DRAG ME OUT OF THE CAR

AND PUT ME IN HANDCUFFS.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH GIVING LIP?

IT'S NOT NICE AND IT'S RUDE, BUT

IS IT ILLEGAL?

>> FREE COUNTRY.

>> Emily: YEAH.

IS IT ILLEGAL?

>> IT'S NOT ILLEGAL BUT I THINK

WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THINGS ON

THE STREET IN A MANNER IN WHICH

WE HAVE TO BE CONSCIOUS OF WHO

WE'RE DEALING WITH BUT ALSO THAT

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE

HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS POLICE

OFFICERS, SO IF WE'RE DEALING

WITH THE MESSY, NASTY STUFF, IT

DOESN'T ALLOW US TO DEAL WITH

THE REAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE OUT

THERE ON THE STREET AND IF WE

HAVE TO TEACH OUR YOUNG KIDS,

OUR YOUNG BLACK MEN HAVE TO DEAL

-- HOW TO DEAL WITH THE POLICE,

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH

THAT.

IF THEY CAN ESCALATE A

SITUATION, WHY CAN'T WE TEACH

OUR KIDS TO DEESCALATE THE

SITUATION?

I DON'T THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM

WITH THAT.

>> Emily: WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

THE LEGALITIES OF THIS.

>> THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE STREET.

>> Emily: IT'S A MAN'S HOME.

IS IT ILLEGAL -- EVEN IF HE HAD

USED EXPLETIVES, IS IT ILLEGAL

TO DO THAT TO A POLICE OFFICER?

>> NO, IT'S NOT AND THAT'S WHY I

SAY HE MAY HAVE USED POOR

JUDGMENT, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT

I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALLY

UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE HUMANS,

WE'RE NOT ROBOTS, WE'RE NOT

ROBOCOPS, WE DON'T KNOW IF THIS

GUY COULD HAVE BEEN HAVING

MARITAL PROBLEMS, IF MAYBE HE

HAS A SICK CHILD OR SOMETHING

LIKE THAT.

>> Emily: THE COP?

COME ON.

>> ALL THAT STUFF BUT IT GOES

INTO YOUR EMOTIONS AND HOW

YOU'RE GOING TO HANDLE A CERTAIN

SITUATION.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HANDLE EVERY

SITUATION BY THE BOOK, HOW IT

WAS DRAWN UP -- THERE IS NO

MANUAL THAT SAYS YOU SHOULD

HANDLE EVERY SITUATION THIS

PARTICULAR WAY.

WE ALL GO THROUGH THOSE

SITUATIONS IN OUR JOB, BUT

BECAUSE WE'RE POLICE OFFICERS

WE'RE SCRUTINIZED MORE THAN THE

PUBLIC

>>, AND WE SHOULD BE HELD TO A

HIGHER STANDARD, I AGREE WITH

THAT, BUT THEN ALSO, LET US DO

OUR JOB BECAUSE WE'RE OUT THERE

DOING A GOOD JOB.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIKE US.

EVEN IN OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> Emily: OF COURSE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP

TODAY, AND TALK ABOUT

STEREOTYPES, IT WAS CAMBRIDGE.

PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED THAT THIS

HAPPENED IN CAMBRIDGE BECAUSE IT

IS THE LIBERAL BASTION OF THE

UNITED STATES, FOR HEAVEN SAKES

AND ALSO IN A NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT

NEAR HARVARD UNIVERSITY THAT'S

KNOWN TO BE -- IT'S NOT TOTALLY

DIVERSE, BUT IT'S DIVERSE

ENOUGH, AND THAT YOU SEE EVERY

KIND OF HUMAN BEING ON THE

HARVARD CAMPUS THESE DAYS, THAT

THE COPS THERE WOULDN'T HAVE

ANTICIPATED OR EXPECTED TO SEE

AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN A HOUSE.

IS THAT CRAZY?

TO THINK THAT?

>> I HAVE TO SAY THE CAMBRIDGE

POLICE ARE MORE POLICE THAN THEY

ARE CAMBRIDGE, AND THERE IS A

CERTAIN POLICE CULTURE AND IT'S

FOUND ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY,

NOT ONLY IN THIS COUNTRY, BY THE

WAY -- I WOULDN'T GIVE A FRENCH

POLICE OFFICER LIP EITHER.

IN THIS CASE, I'VE REPRESENTED A

LOT OF PEOPLE, BLACKS AND WHITES

HAVE HAVE BEEN IN CONFRONTATIONS

WITH BLACK POLICE AND WHITE

POLICE AND I'VE CONCLUDED OVER

THE FOUR DECADES HAVE BEEN DOING

THIS THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE MUCH

MORE LIKELY TO BE STOPPED -- I

THINK THAT THE ORIGINAL -- THE

REPORTING OF PROFESSOR GATES

TRYING TO GET INTO HIS HOUSE AND

THE ORIGINAL CONFRONTATION WITH

THE POLICEMAN WAS REALLY

DETERMINED A LOT BY HIS RACE.

BUT ONCE THERE WAS A DISCOURSE

BETWEEN THE OFFICER AND

PROFESSOR GATES, HE COULD HAVE

BEEN WHITE, HE COULD HAVE BEEN

YELLOW, HE COULD HAVE BEEN

IRISH, HE COULD HAVE BEEN

ANYTHING.

IF HE GAVE THE OFFICER LIP, HE

HAD A GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING

ARRESTED FOR INTERFERING WITH A

POLICE OFFICER OR DISORDERLY

CONDUCT.

ONCE YOU GET INTO THOSE KIND OF

CONFRONTATIONS YOU TAKE GREAT

RISKS REGARDLESS OF YOUR RACE,

BUT THE ORIGINAL CONFRONTATION,

I THINK, WAS PROBABLY

RACE-RELATED BUT NOT THE REST OF

IT.

>> PART OF WHAT BOTHERS ME IS

THAT THIS OFFICER WASN'T ACTING

ALONE.

THERE WERE APPARENTLY SEVERAL

OTHERS WHO WERE OUT THERE --

>> Emily: ACCORDING TO THE

PHOTOGRAPHS THERE WERE AT LEAST

FOUR -- SOME OF THEM HARVARD

POLICE.

>> VERY CONFUSING.

>> WHAT BOTHERS ME, COULDN'T

SOME OTHER OFFICER PROVIDE SOME

--

>> Emily: SORT IT OUT?

>> SAY "THIS MAY NOT BE A GOOD

IDEA"?

>> Emily: CROWLEY HAD ALREADY

MADE THE DETERMINATION BEFORE,

THAT'S HOW I READ THE REPORT.

>> YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE

HARVARD POLICE OFFICER --

>> TO ELABORATE ON WHAT I SAID

ABOUT CAMBRIDGE POLICE, HARVARD

POLICE IS MORE POLICE THAN

HARVARD AS WELL, THE CULTURE OF

THE HARVARD POLICE --

>> Emily: CROWLEY WAS A FORMER

HARVARD POLICE OFFICER.

ALL THE MORE REASON HE SHOULD

HAVE KNOWN WHO GATES WAS.

>> I'VE REPRESENTED MANY

STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HARASSED

BY HARVARD UNIVERSITY POLICE.

THEY HAVE BEEN WHITE AND THEY

HAVE BEEN BLACK AND THEY HAVE

BEEN HARASSED.

>> I THINK THERE IS SOME

RESENTMENT INVOLVED --

>> Emily: GATES HAS ASKED FOR AN

APOLOGY.

DO YOU THINK THAT SHOULD HAPPEN?

>> IT DEPEND ON HOW THE POLICE

DEPARTMENT WANTS TO HANDLE IT.

>> Emily: THEY'VE DONE IT TODAY.

IT'S OVER.

THEY MADE A STATEMENT AND IT

SOUNDS AS THOUGH BOTH PARTIES --

THERE WERE SIGNATURES ON EACH

SIDE, SOUNDED LIKE EVERYBODY

AGREED BUT HE THROUGH THE

NEWSPAPER IS ASKING FOR AN

APOLOGY.

>> FROM THE OFFICER.

>> Emily: RIGHT.

>> I THINK THAT'S UP TO THE

OFFICER.

I HAVE GONE THROUGH A CONFERENCE

ON THIS AND A GOOD APOLOGY IS

ONE IN WHICH YOU REALLY BELIEVE

IT AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SOME

KIND OF RESTITUTION.

>> Emily: I'M ASKING, IS THERE

ONE NECESSARY?

>> I CERTAINLY THINK THE

CAMBRIDGE POLICE SHOULD MAKE

SOME STATEMENT THAT THEY WILL DO

SOMETHING ABOUT NOT HAVING THIS

HAPPEN AGAIN, AND IT MEANS -- I

JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW -- YOU

KNOW, A POLICE OFFICER COULD

MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE THIS.

IT LOOKS LIKE BAD TRAINING OR

IT'S JUST SORT OF DEEP

RESENTMENT ON THE PART OF THIS

OFFICER.

>> Emily: ARE YOU BUYING THAT?

>> ESPECIALLY, I HADN'T

REALIZED, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME

HEARING THAT HE'S A FORMER

HARVARD POLICE OFFICER BUT HE

HAVE DEFINITELY HAVE KNOWN

BETTER.

WHICH SUGGESTS TO ME THAT THERE

IS SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON.

>> I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT CLASS

THAN RACE.

IF THIS HAPPENED SOMEWHERE ELSE

IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE AREA

THAT'S A NONSTORY.

I'M GLAD IT CREATED SOME

DIALOGUE BUT I ALSO WANT SOME

PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE

POLICE OFFICER SHOULDN'T BE

VILIFIED.

IF HE WERE A BLACK OFFICER THIS

WOULD BE A NONSTORY.

>> Emily: HARVEY SILVERGLATE,

BILL WILLIAM'LLIS, ORLANDO

PATTERSON, CALLIE CROSSLEY,

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

PREPARE TO PAY DEEPER TO PAY T

FARES.