From the Boston Globe:

Charges to be dropped against Harvard professor
July 21, 2009 11:58

By Tracy Jan and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

The Middlesex District Attorney's office plans to drop criminal charges against Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., who was accused of disorderly conduct on Thursday and arrested at his Cambridge home.

The City of Cambridge and the police department recommended today that prosecutors not pursue the criminal charge against Gates, one of the nation's foremost African-American scholars. His arrest sparked outrage and charges of racism.

"The City of Cambridge, the Cambridge Police Department, and Professor Gates acknowledge that the incident of July 16, 2009 was regrettable and unfortunate," the statement said. "This incident should not be viewed as one that demeans the character and reputation of Professor Gates or the character of the Cambridge Police Department. All parties agree that this is a just resolution to an unfortunate set of circumstances."

Prosecutors plan to enter a nolle prosequi, which will drop the charges, according to the statement.

The confrontation between Gates, 58, and a police sergeant occurred on Thursday when the professor returned home from a trip to China filming a PBS documentary. Gates set his luggage down and beckoned his driver for help because his front door refused to budge.

The scene -- two black men on the porch of a stately home on a tree-lined Cambridge street in the middle of the day -- prompted a passerby to call police to report a break-in.

A Cambridge police report described what followed as the police sergeant stood at Gates's door, demanded identification, and radioed for assistance from Harvard University police when Gates presented him with a Harvard ID. A visibly upset Gates responded to the officer's assertion that he was responding to a report of a break-in with, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?''

"Gates then turned to me and told me that I had no idea who I was 'messing' with and that I had not heard the last of it,'' the report said. "While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me.''

When the officer repeatedly told Gates he would speak with him outside, the normally mild-mannered professor shouted, "Ya, I'll speak with your mama outside,'' according to the report.
Gates was arrested after "exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior'' toward the officer who questioned him, the report said. He was led away in handcuffs.


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I actually don't blame the woman who called the police - particularly if she knew Gates had been out of the country. Two people - whatever their race - trying to open a front door with a crowbar at 9 O'Clock at night is genuinely suspicious. And despite the police reports, it may not be true that she call about "two black men." She may have called about "Two men" and then been asked for a physical description. Nevertheless, if I were her, I'd give Gates a couple days to get his sense of humor back, and then show up on his doorstep with a large cake - with a file inside it.

I do blame the officer. If it is true that he believed Gates to be lawful resident, he had no business sticking around at all, no matter how much he was being shouted at.

Dan