Black officer at scholar's home supports arrest

You think cops need a warrant to enter a house of a potential break in? What about in a foot pursuit when a suspect runs into a house do you need a warrant?

reply to post by racerzeke



The man had already proven that he was the home owner so they no longer needed to enter the house. If they are in pursuit, that is another story. If they come in my house, they better have a warrant unless they are invited.

reply to post by MBF


I've only seen one picture of the incident and that picture does not show them bringing him out of the house from the inside. He and the officer behind him are both clearly outside of the house.

IMO he looks visibly upset in that picture and as if he's in the middle of yelling something. The picture also shows that officer Crowley was telling the truth about having the cuffs put on professor Gates in front of him rather than behind him, which is rare.

Article with picture....

www.foxnews.com...

Gates himself says that he was arrested after he followed the officer to the porch.....

Gates, 58, maintains he turned over identification when asked to do so by the police. He said Crowley arrested him after the professor followed him to the porch, repeatedly demanding the sergeant's name and badge number because he was unhappy over his treatment.

www.google.com...

Even while inside you're own house (which at that time he wasn't) you can not disturb the public peace. It's not about what he said, it's about how he said it. Apparantly he was extremely loud and had started to draw a crowd. He also admitted to following the officer out onto the porch beligerently demanding his name and badge number. He fell under the definition of disturbing the peace/disorderly conduct.

I don't believe they violated any laws by not having a warrant. They were answering an attempted break in call and had not yet established whether or not proffessor gates was the person that lived in that house. When officer crowley asked him to step outside and talk with him he refused and walked back into the house. Because of this and Gate's strange behavior, coupled with the fact that they had no idea wether or not there was anyone else inside the house (possibly a criminal) Crowley follwed him into the house.

www.foxnews.com...

www.thesmokinggun.com...