Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 07/23/09
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Tonight, we have breaking news on the Michael Jackson death investigation. 360's Randi Kaye has uncovered what authorities took from Jackson's doctor's office in Houston. We also have new insight on Jackson's last days.
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
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It may have been racial profiling but shouldn't Gates have ID-ed himself to the police and cooperated? He ws suppose to be out of town, right?
so is michael jacksons doctor gonna be charged in anyway
It is clear that Sgt. James Crowley arrested Henry Louis Gates Jr. because he got upset at something Mr. Gates said. So he arrested him. It may have not been racially motivated but it is a quick reaction for someone when cops talks down to you cops have that very short tone with you. I feel that some cops do it so they can have grounds to arrest you.
Bonnie,
How do you know that Mr. Gates was screaming and shouting?
Were you there listening to him? How do you know this? You seem like you're speaking from being on the scene.
For Gosh sake, Obama is the President. Why should he have to bite his tounge or sugarcoat what he feels? We have all of these "political analysis" and talk show host like Hannity who can say whatever they feel, but the President of the United States can't speak his mind. Get over it and put your feelings aside, thats what you tell Obama.
I feel that people are taking what the President said the wrong way, he was not calling the police officer stupid but the whole situation. He was also asked the question in the news conference so the media brought him into the situation.
@ Corey
Whatever happened to respecting Human Rights as well? All Americans have equal rights and should receive equal treatment protected by the law and individuals who wear "the badge" are not above the law or those rights.
my family have nothing but love for Dr. Conrad Murray who performed heart surgery on our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt. He is a great doctor.
This story is scary because it makes me think of the past times Ive stayed in hotels by myself. Technology is a scary thing and the laws have alot of catching up to do.
This concerns the arrest of Prof . Henry Louis Gates by the cambridge police officer.
I am just curious. Usually when there is a 911 call of a break-in or other misdemeanor, the police answering the call is usually one or two junior police officer/s in a police car. In this instant the police answering the call was a supervising officer, Sgt.james Crowley.
Why was a supervising officer answering that particular 911 call?
On Gates issue: It is true that only the parties involved know what actually happened, but could the situation been handled differently. Would it been too much for the officer to ask for identification, once received run a check to verify there were no warrants or restraining orders from the residence, and then let it be. People are quick to say, race is not an issue, when their race has never been an issue!
Erin Andrews is "modest"? Judging by some of her get-ups, I'd say she's an exhibitionist. This whole thing sounds very fishy. Who irons clothes or does their hair whilst naked?
@Diana , SC – I completely agree!
I agree Diana. They both owe one another an apology. Both are human beings who erred in some way. As grown men, they should apologize equally and move on.
@Anderson — I’m not surprised the two reports show very different perspectives. Considering the age of Prof. Gates and the years of racial descimination in this country that are part of his history, I’m not surprised he would see the situation differently than a white police officer — we all bring our past experiences (it’s what makes us who we are) to current situations. Hopefully, racially incited incidents will eventually become a thing of the past -
I believe that if your looking at evidence..... EVIDENCE!!!! disorderly conduct is what he was arrested for. Now, in police training before you do anything you call for back up. So... If at the time this officer came in to contact with Mr. Gates, he had enough fellow officers to get the situation handled with no arrest they could have had him sit down in his house to Identifiy who he was before anything got out of hand. Now, we have spent more money arresting him than handling this matter professionally!!!
I live in Florida and rascism and profiling is ALIVE and DWELLING. especially the Florida State Troopers.
@Isabel yes, an apology would not be hard to do. Isn't the mayor of Cambridge trying to work out some sort of reconciliation?
On the President's healthcare intiative, though there might not be a vote before the August recess, aren't the Senate Finance Com. and Health Com. working on a compromise at this point?
Thank you for reporting on the funeral service for Walter Cronkite.
I'm not sure what to make of what was found in the raid, or search? of Dr. Conrad Murray's office. From what you're reporting Dick Gregory said, sounds like Michael Jackson went through some rough times that profoundly affected his health. Artists, but also lots of people do run themselves to exhaustion.
Is anyone else out there shocked that our President said a police department "acted stupidly" when they were following procedures by the book? I hope the law enforcement unions remember this disdain when it comes to making endorsements in the 2012 election. He lost millions of fans last night....not only law enforcement officials, but their families and others who place security on their priority lists.
The map you just showed of the states checking blacks and Latinos in BIG cities like NYC, CHI, LA doesn't make it law or keep mandatory information on this problem.Its done more where there are More populated with Blacks and Latinos. It's very EASY for police to spot blacks. Nobody can understand it until that happens to them by the police. They TAKE your manhood, like a slave master did!!!!!!!! Not every person can handle POWER of another person. If a cop did that to a white-man in his own home. How would he at?
It's an unfortunate situation (Profiling) but it has occured or will occur to a Large percentage of Minority Men. As Black men many of us practice the engagement process with our kids when they are young and especially when they begin to drive. History has proven what's acceptable for one white teenager is not aceptable for one black or hispanic teenager. And you don't always get a second chance as it should be.
I think it's disgusting that someone would invade someone's privacy in this way. What's worse is that now a days, a lot of people don't really see it as wrong. I say really because of those that might say it's wrong, how many tried to view that poor lady on the internet. Privacy rules have to be changed so that people will actually be scared of being caught. It's not ok to do this and you shouldn't have to "shake down" the place you're staying just to make sure you're privacy won't be invaded. It makes me sick.
When the officer saw that Gates was the owner of the house, and everything was okay, he should have left. Instead he wanted to do a power play. I didn't see anything wrong with what the president said. I think the media make it worse than what it really is. Report the news and go to another topic.
I for one have found some police officers to be very intimidating but look at all the different situations they have to deal with on a daily basis. Most likely the officer was just being careful and doing his job.
the Big ? is why did it take over 30 minutes for Doctor Murry to call 911 I think he had to get rid of all the equipment that was in the room and buy the time he did that Micheal was dead if there was nothing to hide he would have call sooner he should go to jail for life
Anderson. as a fan of Michael Jackson. I really think he was murdered. This doctor could have stopped the prescriptions at any time. It was about him(the doctor) keeping the cash cow flowing
I'm very happy that the investigation surrounding Michael Jackson's death is going in the direction it's going. It's taken long enough; MJ has been dead just about a month. Conrad Murray will go down in history as the man who killed childhood.
Black in America 2 is excellent. As an African American I'm proud of it. I can't wait to see Latino in America in October. Soledad and the whole CNN crew are miles ahead of their competitors.
Anderson, as a black man, I can tell you there's nothing like being singled out because of your race, especially when you've lived your life as a proud American and served your country.
How horrific for Ms. Andrews! Will the hotel be held partly responsible for this lapse in security?
Bravo to EPSN for banning reporters from the NY Post after they printed the still photos. That was wrong and inappropriate.
mr martin is right that should be a right if you rightfully paid for it
I was not suprised by the data that was presented by the percentage of people who think they are stop by the police because of race. If we are honest with ourselves, we know this foolishness stills goes on.
I fill the police need to apologize because policemans do go beyond there duties some many blackmens die from the gun of a white police officer but you dont hear a black police officer shooting a white man justice where it at not in america for a black man.
1. Michael was killed period – that doctor didn't give a damn about him. A man cannot be very healthy one day and the next dead. It all doesn't add up – even a man on acid will not die with a doctor around later on a man on pain killers or sleeping pills. So that doctor had financial problems-i believe he could have been bought but indeed he was negligent.
2. On the professor..i think that police officer should have just walked away after realizing that the man was in his house. After all he was responding to breaking and entering. If a man cannot feel safe in his home-where else will he feel safe. I am a white woman who feels that black people have really put up with so much in this country and its time everyone was treated equally and in every capacity.
I have passed black people on the side of the road being stopped, yet i will not be stopped even when i make a mistake unless its very evident. The black people don't have a luxury of feeling peaceful and taking freedom for granted like we all do. So its a shame and i think its good that president Obama said something about it.
I'm wondering why Mr Gates felt the need to say he has been married to a white woman for 25 years. Does he think this would somehow curb the hatred SOME white people have for blacks. Being black in America still means you are tethered to some old ways. All the racists haven't died out yet. The Klan and Skinheads still live and work among us. Racism is still alive and that is a very sad stae of affairs for our Country. R. I. P. Emmit Till
What if Gates was being held against his will, by some mad man, and he was acting out just to get rid of the Police ,like the mad man told him to. Then suppose the Police had left, and Gates would have been hurt, or worse yet killed. Whose fault would it be? Gates because he didn't wan the officers help? The Officers because they left without further investigation? WHOSE?
Whoever is responsible for the videotaping should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The combination of stardom and technology is scary.
The President shouldn't have commented on the issue at that time without more facts, although he may have more info than we know of. However, after proof of residence, the officer should have moved on. Unfortunately, it seems that pride on both the officer and the professor, flamed the issue.
Racial profiling trainer? We all have tokens when it comes to political issues.
Would Officer Crowley have arrested a white Harvard professor if he would have been upset in the same type situation? I think not. Better yet, would a black officer have reacted the same to a white Harvard professor in the same type situation? Again, I think not.
I guess I would have hoped that Officer Crowley would have given Professor Gates the same respect he would have given a white Harvard professor, but that is just not reality in America.
Michael Jackson was a phenomenom when I was growing up, then turned into a sad story. Please leave us alone with this issue. The sadness in the later parts of his life makes your continuing coverage of it just reveal how controlled the media (CNN) is by ratings and sensationalism.
In the "home arrest" situation, I'm wondering why the police officer didn't "defuse the situation" at the point he identified the individual as living at that address. A current drivers license could've easily been checked if it need to be. Other statements made by either of the men in the house still should have resulted in a defused situation (Sir, we had to check this out, we're sorry, have a nice day) and a handshake. Frankly, level heads did not prevail; and that after the fact should have been forgiven. MEN do those things; ignorant people or those with other motives cannot!
when will the media give MICHAEL JACKSON PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! all these people coming out of the wood work with stories about all of these . weird story of his life.. People stop the man is gone let him be .
I think the person that taped Erin should be procecuted to the fullest extent of the law!
It is a good thing to report what someone might think is a crime. However, it is a shame that the people in the neighborhood don't know who their neighbors are. Everyone is so busy taking care of himself we don't take time to get to know the people around us. If the neighbor had known Mr Gates maybe he or she would have tried to help him instead of calling the police.
I also wonder if the reporter would have asked the question if the President had been white. I once heard the President tell a reporter that he wants to know all of the facts before he answers a question. I think he should have given the reporter the same answer.
I think the doctor killed MJ, even if it was unintentional, he should be charged. i don't know who is worse, the drug dealers on the corners who takes 5s and 10s from the poor or the ones in the legal establishments who charge 150k to give a fix to a sick person. because addiction is a sickness.
You talk about having reports on Jackson's last days, and you bring up his visit with Dick Gregory (who by the way is more than just a comedian). That was several years ago he took him to the hospital. C'mon, stop being a tabloid news station and report real facts. I expect more from you Anderson.
Where is MJ's bodyguards and security staff throughout this investigation?? We have heard nothing from them or about them and they were so close to him!!
@ Anderson
Yes, I agree with you.
It is knowing who is telling the truth and who is the reason. I believe in the professor
Anderson, Did you know that you have caught on in the black neighborhood since the election of Obama? Word by mouth how you call it as you see it,,weather. positive or negative. Keith Olberman lost me for good. We have discussion the next day on what was what on your show...Thank you for bringing young people would on the ordinary be watching music videos.
She is like me. We are pretty but proper.
This person needs to sit in a cell for a while.
That sucks.
Don't undress in open spaces.