NY Police Commish: I Want To Apologize To James Blake, But Can’t Reach Him

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said in a news conference Thursday morning that he wanted to apologize to James Blake, the pro tennis star who was mistakenly tackled and detained by police, but hadn’t been able to reach him.

Bratton earlier said that an investigation had been launched into the Wednesday incident, but defended the five white officers involved, saying a suspect in an identity theft ring looked “like the twin brother” of Blake, who is black.

Blake was tackled to the ground and handcuffed outside his hotel, leaving a cut on his left elbow and bruises on his left leg. He was headed to the U.S. Open and to make corporate appearances for Time-Warner cable. He was previously ranked No. 4 in the world for tennis.

“If you look at the photograph of the suspect, it looks like the twin brother of Mr. Blake. So let’s put that nonsense to rest right now,” Bratton told CNN Thursday morning. “Sorry, race has nothing at all to do with this.”

Video from the incident led to one officer to be placed on desk duty, Bratton told the news channel.

Bratton said in the news conference Thursday morning that he and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio had attempted to contact Blake to apologize via phone, but had not yet reached him.

“I want to extend my apologies for the incident in which he found himself in,” Bratton said.

Bratton said he had “concerns about the take down” and that the video did not show anything that he would describe as “resisting arrest” on Blake’s part.

Blake had not yet filed a formal complaint about the incident to police, Bratton said.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for imkmu3 imkmu3 says:

    And will you also apologize to all of the “Stop and Frisk” innocent people as well?

  2. Avatar for imkmu3 imkmu3 says:

    “If you look at the photograph of the suspect, it looks like the twin
    brother of Mr. Blake. So let’s put that nonsense to rest right now,”
    Bratton told CNN Thursday morning. “Sorry, race has nothing at all to do
    with this.”

    It never does, right Commish? And besides, they all look pretty much the same anyway.

  3. Avatar for mantan mantan says:

    I wouldn’t take his call either…

  4. Avatar for imkmu3 imkmu3 says:

    I would, but he probably wouldn’t like what I had to say.

  5. Trying to head-off a lawsuit perhaps? How many people get a personal apology from the Chief of Police I wonder? Only those with deep pockets, who have not yet made up their minds whether to sue, I suspect. Maybe the Chief should just Tweet him…I hear that’s what people do nowadays.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

23 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for richardinjax Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for gelfling545 Avatar for jloomis3 Avatar for imkmu3 Avatar for fargo116 Avatar for cmb Avatar for jaligard Avatar for afisher Avatar for mantan Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for jimellis Avatar for bigbraxstone Avatar for tecmage Avatar for darcy Avatar for sweetdee Avatar for kfraz43 Avatar for gajake Avatar for astrashe Avatar for briannaamore

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: