Jury picked to review Gates arrest

Twelve people from across the country have been chosen to serve on an independent panel to review the arrest of a black Harvard scholar at his home by a white police officer, Cambridge officials said Thursday. This was reported by the Associated Press.

This panel was created by city leaders, after the arrest of Henry Louis Gates, in July. I like the fact it is diverse panel from all over the country. Racial profiling has and is still a big issue in the United States. The numbers are staggering of minorities here in America who get targeted every day because of their ethnicity.

Sadly it is only when a prominent member of society gets (or in this case I guess I have to be fair and say allegedly targeted), that the issue even makes local news. The panel members were chosen based on their diverse professional backgrounds and their experience with community relations and conflict resolution.

Source: Associated Press

Now What Can They Say?

According to CNN, the woman who reported the suspected break-in at Gates complex, never mentioned color. When she called,, Lucia Whalen reports seeing "two larger men, one looked kind of Hispanic, but I'm not really sure, and the other one entered, and I didn't see what he looked like at all."

"Let me be clear: She never had a conversation with Sgt. Crowley at the scene," Murphy told CNN by phone. "And she never said to any police officer or to anybody 'two black men.' She never used the word 'black.' Period."

She added, "I'm not sure what the police explanation will be. Frankly, I don't care. Her only goal is to make it clear she never described them as black. She never saw their race. ... All she reported was behavior, not skin color."

So my question then is "how could they be looking for a black man?" Of course all calls to the police department by the CNN reporter were left unanswered.

Source: CNN

Black Officer Supports Gates Arrest

According to AP NEW, A multiracial group of police officers on Friday stood with the white officer who arrested a prominent black Harvard scholar and asked President Barack Obama and Gov. Deval Patrick to apologize for comments the union leaders called insulting.
— A black police officer who was at Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s home when the black Harvard scholar was arrested says he fully supports how his white fellow officer handled the situation.

Sgt. Leon Lashley says Gates was probably tired and surprised when Sgt. James Crowley demanded identification from him as officers investigated a report of a burglary. Lashley says Gates' reaction to Crowley was "a little bit stranger than it should have been."


Obama said Wednesday that Cambridge police "acted stupidly" during the disorderly conduct arrest of his friend, Henry Louis Gates Jr., in his own home near Harvard University. Gov. Deval Patrick said Gates' arrest was "every black man's nightmare."

I for one know I have been followed many, many times just because I have been black. Living in a 90% white community, I remember when I first moved there how almost daily my husband and myself would get followed to see if we really lived there. So I understand's Gates anger. I always say, unless it has happened to you, one would never really know.