Boston cop who sent 'jungle monkey' e-mail sues

Boston cop who sent 'jungle monkey' e-mail sues

www.cnn.com

BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- A Boston police officer is suing the city after he was suspended for referring to a black Harvard professor as a "banana-eating jungle monkey" in an e-mail.

"If I'm charged with a crime I want a chance to answer. I want the chance for a fair hearing," Officer Justin Barrett told CNN on Tuesday.

Barrett has apologized and denied he is a racist.

His lawsuit claims his civil rights have been violated; Barrett's lawyer said the words referring to Henry Louis Gates, Jr. were misinterpreted.

"The choice of words were poor; but they weren't meant to

(visit the link for the full news article)

"He said it was fair to hold Barrett to a higher standard than the general public because he is a police officer, but that he was still entitled to express his opinions.

"Being held to a higher standard shouldn't eradicate his right under the First Amendment for free speech. That is part and parcel of the lawsuit," the lawyer said.

Gates was arrested at his house last month when a neighbor called police after she thought she saw a man trying to break into Gates' home. The man turned out to be Gates himself, who was attempting to free a jammed door."

My question is how does this guy think his civil rights were violated? I mean, he was suspended WITH PAY.



www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)


[edit on 5-8-2009 by Aggie Man]

He does have freedom of speech, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to say it in the first place. Unfortunately he now has to deal with the repercussions, which it seems he doesn't want to.

What he said was very racial in nature, whether he meant it to be or not, and its hard to see how he didn't.

Like you said, he was suspended with pay. Besides I'd put my money on him getting off without anything major anyways.

ehhh I don't see the big deal, its just a stupid joke. I'm black and I make black and white jokes all the time with my friends, lol, it doesn't bother me. If people want to be racist, who cares. Also what is he complaining about? Hes still getting his pay.

And don't even get me started on this gates thing. I find that whole thing HILARIOUS how much it got completely out of control, and all the cops were doing were investigating a possible break in. I'm usually never on the cops side but with that I am, it wasn't "racial profiling". The race card is abused way to much.


[edit on 5-8-2009 by jeasahtheseer]

In this great country we have the first amendment, which guarantees us freedom of speech.

However, it also guarantees us the right to face the consequences of exercising that free speech.

When the city chose to suspend him because of his actions, they were justified. If they believe the police officers they employ should not be sending racist emails, that is their prerogative.

Now, if this man is charged with a crime, then his civil rights have been violated.

From a moral standpoint, sending the email was wrong. From a legal standpoint, sending the email was perfectly fine. If his employer wants to fire him for it, then that is his employer's right. However no crime was committed, and he was not (as of yet) charged with a crime, so no one's civil rights have been violated.

The Law Of The Jungle

For whatever it may be worth...

Boston cop calls Gates 'banana-eating jungle monkey' in mass e-mail

Full 'Jungle Monkey' Email by Officer Justin Barrett

Whatever the "real" story may be behind the "jungle monkey" controversy, I can say -- based on reading this guy's own words -- that I would feel safer if I could be assured he wasn't allowed to carry a gun and interact with U.S. citizens under color of authority. :shk:

Originally posted by Majic
The Law Of The Jungle

For whatever it may be worth...

Boston cop calls Gates 'banana-eating jungle monkey' in mass e-mail

Full 'Jungle Monkey' Email by Officer Justin Barrett

Whatever the "real" story may be behind the "jungle monkey" controversy, I can say -- based on reading this guy's own words -- that I would feel safer if I could be assured he wasn't allowed to carry a gun and interact with U.S. citizens under color of authority.

:shk:

Well after reading the full email I'm going to have to agree with you. Its still freedom of speech and he can say whatever he wants though. But he shouldn't have been a idiot and sent this to someone who would obviously publish it or whatever. Also from reading the email he seems like a bigheaded, egotistical a-hole!

reply to post by jeasahtheseer


Couldn't agree more. I'm a cracker and grew up in Queens , NY with friends of every background and we always ripped on eachother for what else? Our races. To be honest it was good because it opened us all up to the lives and struggles of other races through their eyes and broadened our shallow minds.

reply to post by jeasahtheseer


just my 2 cents. there is difference between joking with friends, and saying something to cause harm and upset people. cleary he was upset he even stated he was venting. so i dont think it was a joke at all. though i laughed at it.(being black myself) i still think its disgusting and that he should get fired. there are to many cops that racialy profile people weather ur black, white, are brown. so in my oppion cops who get caught spewing racial crap like this are profliling people should not be entrusted to protect and serve our communities with racial view points that they make public.

If u dont like blacks that fine keep it to urself and out of ur job. again just my 2 cents.

as far as friends joking on eachother and stuff that all good. if ur friends and doing it to play with eachother. myself being mixed and lighter skinned then most blacks. i get ripped on from my black friends and my white friends. but let some one i dont know say something to me racially offensive weather they playing or not. then there is a issue.

[edit on 6-8-2009 by jmacbeth]

[edit on 6-8-2009 by jmacbeth]