President Obama regrets 'acted stupidly' statement regarding police who arrested Gates

President Barack Obama speaks about Cambridge Massachusetts Police Sgt. James Crowley and Henry Louis Gates Jr., Friday, July 24, 2009, at the White House. (AP) 

On Friday, President Obama expressed regrets about saying the police had “acted stupidly” when they arrested renowned Harvard professor, Henry Louis Gates Jr.

On July 16, Cambridge police had responded to a call about two African American males breaking into a home near Harvard University.

Gates owned the home, but had forced his way through the front door because it was jammed. Gates was already inside when police arrived, who told him they were investigating a break in, and requested he come outside.

Gates responded, “Why, because I’m a black man in American?” According to police, Gates continued to yell, claiming the officers were racially biased. Eventually Gates walked outside and was arrested for disorderly conduct.

Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley listens to questions from members of the media at his home in Natick, Mass. , Wednesday, July 22, 2009. Crowley responded to a call Thursday, and went to the home of renowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. near Harvard University to investigate a report of a burglary. (AP)

All charges were dropped and Gates was released from police custody.

Of his statements following the incident, the President said, “I obviously helped to contribute ratcheting it up…I unfortunately, I think, gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sgt. Crowley. And I could have calibrated those words differently,” he said.

The President telephoned the arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley and expressed regrets about his statement.

“I obviously helped to contribute ratcheting it up…I unfortunately, I think, gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sgt. Crowley. And I could have calibrated those words differently,” he said.

The President also spoke with Gates and suggested that he and Crowley join him at the White House for a beer sometime.
 

Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. participates in a panel on CNN's live show 'Moment of Truth: Countdown to Black in America 2,' Wednesday, July 22, 2009 in New York. (AP)

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