See Video of Obama Beer Summit with Professor Gates and Sgt. Crowley on Home Page
Professor Henry Louis Gates sent an arrangement of flowers to Lucia Whalen, the woman who made the 911 call to the Cambridge police.
Whalen’s attorney, Wendy Murphy, said that with the flowers came a note, although she declined to say what was written.
According to Murphy, “She said that she really appreciated it. She’s been getting a lot of apologies, and people have been saying nice things.”
Whalen had called police when she observed Gates, a black man, and his cab driver trying to open the jammed front door of his house.
Sergeant Crowley, a white cop, who had come to Gates house following the 911 call, subsequently arrested the professor for disorderly conduct.
The incident sparked a national debate on race and racial profiling when President Obama said that the Cambridge police department had acted “stupidly” in arresting Gates. Obama conceded subsequently that he should have chosen his words more carefully.
Obama invited Gates and Crowley to the White House on Thursday, for beers. It is not clear what was discussed and what if anything was achieved beyond the photo opportunity.
