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A Traumatized 911 Caller Speaks Out

By Bronwyn's Harbor on July 29, 2009 at 3:50 PM in Current Affairs

In “911 Caller in Gates Incident Says She Was Unfairly Called a ‘Racist’,” Fox News reports:

A clearly distressed Lucia Whalen addressed reporters at a press conference in an effort to clear her name after the city released the 911 tape. It revealed that Whalen did not identify either of the men she thought she saw trying to break into Gates’ home as black, even though an initial police report said she did.

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Lucia Whalen is represented by attorney Wendy Murphy, a familiar legal expert on TV news shows, who “seized the opportunity Wednesday to criticize President Obama’s invitation to host both Gates and Crowley for a beer summit at the White House.”

As attorney Murphy introduced her client, she criticized Gates, Crowley and Obama:

“The three highly trained guys who reacted badly are getting together for a beer,” she said. “But the one person whose actions have been exemplary will be at work tomorrow in Cambridge.”

“I don’t know — maybe it’s a guy thing. She doesn’t like beer anyway,” she said.

Murphy said the incident spiraled into a media sensation because of the “overreaction of three men” — which Murphy said included the response from the president.

“I’m proud to introduce you to the one person who didn’t overreact,” she said.

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  • OxyCon

    Guilty!
    Of being light skinned in the “age of Obama”!

    • mary

      OxyCon

      What kind of comment is this? This woman is Portueguese. You mean a “garlic-nosed European” as Jeremiah Wright accused at the Church of Obama!

      THANK YOU LUCIA! THE THREE GUYS WHO OVERREACTED WITH TESTOSTERONE TO SPARE WILL BE HAVING A BEER WHILE THE WOMAN-HERO-EXEMPLARY-CITIZEN will be WORKING IN CAMBRIDGE!!!

      TYPICAL!

      CNN called HILLARY a ‘SCOLDING MOTHER’–DIDN’T HIS MOTHER/GRANDMA TEACH BARRY TO SHUT HIS MOUTH AND THINK BEFORE HE OPENS IT???

  • mountainaires

    Wendy Murphy is really hyperbolic with the “the one who didn’t overreact” narrative. Sgt. Crowley didn’t overreact; he arrested a screaming, threatening, yelling man who was out of control, abusive, and hysterical in front of witnesses.

    In my view BOTH Sgt Crowley and Ms. Whalen were unfairly smeared by both Professor Gates and President Obama. Ms. Murphy doesn’t do her client any justice by “overreacting” herself in order to get some notoriety.

    Poor Ms. Whalen–first she’s smeared as “racist”–thanks to Dr. Gates–then she’s exploited by an attention-seeking attorney who self-aggrandizes instead of just representing her client.

    Sgt Crowley followed police procedure and department policy by arresting Dr. Gates. The only accusations of “racism” came from Dr. Gates; so why is Murphy further smearing Sgt. Crowley?

    But I agree: Sgt Crowley is being used by President Obama’s own self-aggrandizement: Witness the Messiah! “I can bridge the racial divide…”

    If I were Sgt Crowley, I would have no comment on advice of dept. legal to any questions, comments, or suggestions that come from President Obama and Dr. Gates regarding what occurred on Ware Street.

    • tzada

      Agreed. You hit it right on all counts.

      Obama’s racial-opportunism

      Enjoy Lauer affecting shock at the idea that a guy who tried to prove his “authenticity” by spending 20 years in Reverend Wright’s Church of the Perpetual Grievance, who once famously accused Team McCain of having a problem with the fact that he doesn’t look like the other presidents on U.S. currency, and who was known to reference “Malcolm X” while addressing black audiences on the campaign trail might possibly be guilty of racial opportunism. Although, in The One’s defense, what kind of progressive would he be if he wasn’t?

      Best part: The boss lighting into Michelle Obama for her history of cronyism, much to Matt’s horror. Be sure to watch to the very end or you’ll miss the look on his face as he wraps the segment. I’m guessing she wasn’t booked at his insistence.

      video

      http://hotair.com/archives/2009/07/29/video-michelle-talks-obamas-racial-opportunism-on-the-today-show/

      Matt reaction affirms why I stopped watching NBC

      • Obama: Dubya’ 2 Electric Boogaloo

        HAha, I was just watching that on RCP. He seemed completely shocked, SHOCKED, that anybody would talk like that about the Messiah and his wife.

        Don’t worry Matt, when you feel down about that 53% RCP approval rating average you can click over to DailyKooks, where they still have the black Jesus at 110% approval, LOL.

      • bayareavoter

        Arrggg! now I find myself agreeing with Michele Malkin? Upside down world….

      • barry bums a ciggie

        Matt looked like he had to eat lemons. What an ass that guy is. Michelle M. is incredible articulate and knows her shit. She wasn’t going to back down or get talked down to.

    • S – Angeltour

      way off topic, but Wendy Murphy looks like she has had a lot of plastic surgery…I noticed how different she looks about a month or so ago, almost did not even recognize her…

      • taka

        I thought it was just me. I had to look several times to figure out who she was. Wow! I have not heard a word from the media about such a drastic change.

    • Kathleen Wynne

      mountaires,

      No she’s not! This woman was attacked every bit as much as Sgt. Crowley, but she didn’t have the benefit of the support of a police force, as well as police forces throughout the country standing up and defending her, like Crowley did.

      I believe Murphy was pointing out that, as usual, the woman involved, was totally dissed and then dismissed by the MSM and the public, when she should be recognized for doing what most citizens don’t do any more. Get involved and try to do the right thing on behalf of a neighbor. Sgt. Crowley will come out of this with recognition and praise, while this woman is all but forgotten.

      Women in this country seem to be only recognized when they are viewed as having done something wrong. The MSM nor the public at large never seem to have a problem attacking a woman, but they go out of their way to ignore when a woman does something any guy would be praised for, without exception.

      • nancy lowe

  • Diana L. C.

    I’d like to hear Gates apologize for his “Of course you believe a white woman over a black man” comment.

    Of course, he, like the Messiah, is probably above the need to apologize.

  • OxyCon

    Sharpton niece wants repercussions for Cambridge snitch
    BRITTANY SHARPTON (44:24): What I was also wondering is what should be the repercussions for this lady that reportedly you know called and thought someone was breaking in. If he’s lived here for so many years, I’m sure she knew that, even if she didn’t… (Guest David A Wilson interrupts)

    DAVID A WILSON: Well maybe she didn’t know. It just one of those sort of things where it’s difficult. Yeah, cause you would think that she would have recognized him, or you know, I don’t know the circumstances behind that.

    BRITTANY SHARPTON: Cause I’m thinking, even when the police came and she realized, okay, I’m sure she was still quote-unquote looking out her window she saw that this was Professor Gates, her neighbor after all these years. She should at least you know stopped it just seems like you know anyone could basically report anything and this is what happens when you’re black.

    http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2009/jul/24/audio-sharpton-niece-wants-repercussions-cambridge/

    • mountainaires

      Brittany Sharpton–BS–has her facts wrong, and she’s obviously a racist if she’s calling the 9/11 caller a “snitch.” That implies BS thinks people should just keep their mouth shut when there’s a possible burglary in progress.

      Whalen’s not a “neighbor,” she works in the area; she called 9/11 because there had been break-ins and burglaries in the area recently; Whalen said she didn’t see the man who was already in the house–Gates; and Crowley instructed her to stay there when she identified herself as the caller when he arrived.

      • mountainaires

        “Yeah, you’d think that she would have recognized him”

        Is that a sly way of saying that they didn’t recognize him because they all look alike?

        Why on earth would Whalen have recognized Gates? She didn’t see him, first of all; second of all, she might not be indoctrinated into the cult obsession on the life of Henry Louis Gates, Jr!

        I don’t know who these people think they are. I guarantee you that there were more Americans who learned this past week just who Gates is, than EVER knew before!

        I declare; not everyone in this world eats, breathes and shits “Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr!” Some people live busy lives, work long hours, don’t watch Gates’ PBS specials, have children, and are otherwise preoccupied with real life. They don’t give a rats ass WHO the man is, or what he does as long as he doesn’t ruin their day. But they aren’t impressed by his arrogance, his ego, or his conduct NOW, I can say without a doubt.

        • Ellen D

          From now on I think Gates could get mugged in broad daylight and no one would report it.

          Come to think of it, I think a lot of black people should be wondering now if their neighbors would report anything suspicious going on at their house.

          I’ve heard people say that this “teachable moment” taught them that if it is happening to a black person then don’t get involved.

          Sad.

    • NoBamaNoWay

      “repercussions” against someone who was trying to prevent a possible burglary? jeezus christ. it’s no wonder that crime is high in black communities. i suppose Ms. Sharpton attributes that crime rate to racism of one sort or another.

    • tzada

      oh what a farce she is……. trying to fit in uncles shoes? She filled them today. An ACORN doesn’t fall far from the stink weed. Making a living out of victimization.

  • foxx

    Gates should pay her legal bills.

  • cackicoo

    bud light……..that’s just super news

    give me a cross word puzzle PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • maniaco

    Very touching & all, and I feel for the lady here, but if the 911 operator asks you, “…white, black, hispanic?” then what’s wrong with giving an answer? “Well, they appeared to be 2 older Chinese ladies with flowery hats,” or whatever…

    Realize that now that she & her attorney figured out that there’s no taped evidence, she can pretty much say whatever she wants. I feel sorry for her, being so emotional and all, but so what if you said “black,” lady? BLACK, BLACK, BLACK . . . jeezuzz!

    The poor lady is terrified to say the word “black” apparently because she & her family have been so vilified by the race-baiters and/or because of her own P.C.-meter.

    She appears to be so emotionally overwrought that I think that even if she actually had innocently & routinely told the cop the “b” word, she would deny it to save her ass and that of her family — which in this case is understandable.
    ****************************************************

    As for this prissy little pompous prick with the PhD after his name and a second white wife, I would gladly go to the slammer just to get the chance to slap a chocolate cream pie directly in his face, even tho’ I’m also a Prof. who’s 15 years older than him. Hey, I’d dial the 911 call myself. Buy me the pie and I’ll do it, swear ta god . . . LOL

    Anyway, I sure hope the race-baiters are happy. Their game plan would seem to be working so far, but unbeknownst to them, the tide has already turned. And they — black AND white — will be the last ones to get the news.

  • Scranton4Hillary

    I would advise Sgt. Crowley to avoid the
    “Lager Head Summit” like the plague. o-bla-bla is doing this to put himself once again in front of the TV cameras. Can you imagine the 2 on 1 that will play out behind closed doors?

    • NoBamaNoWay

      yep. Crowley should not not dignify those two bozos with his presence at their little “bash whitey” fest.

      • PGraber

        I wish he would have said “no” also.

        • Obama: Dubya’ 2 Electric Boogaloo

          If I was Crowley I’d pull my own bamboozling, after their stupid little beer I would tell the press that it was nice to get an in person apology from Obamacus and Skip “I hate whitey” Gates…and then watch these two idiots fall over themselves to say they didn’t apologize and have nothing to apologize for. HAha…

          So much for that teachable moment.

        • BlueTopaz

          I want Crowley to bring his “mama” so Gates can apologize.

          • barry bums a ciggie

            LOL!

  • bayareavoter

    This is a great column today by Reuben Navarette in the SF Chronicle about Gates “teaching moment”

    http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/navarrette/

    Obama really wanted to address this at his health care presser. He discussed it with friends in Chicago, where he was for a fundraiser the night before he called the police stupid, and he discussed it with the lovely MEchelle and with advisors and chose the question to address with a prepared answer. He really blew it.

    I’d like to know how many independents and crossover voters want their vote back now….

  • http://noquarter foxyladi14

    bet she doesn’t call 911 ever again.

    • http://deleted BuzzisbackLatte

      I wonder how many of Gates’ neighbors and peers will ever call 911 in his behalf from this point on…

  • Tricia Spiegel

    What a brave woman. I am so glad that the full tapes came out so people could see what a jerk those guys have been (Prez and Gates, anyway).

    Beer–Geesh.

    She’s too good to be there with them.

    • Ellen D

      I love his stereotyped assumption that cops only drink beer. Probably has donuts too.

  • Diana L. C.

    I had a problem step-daughter. She is white. I got to know many police officers because they were always coming to my door in regard to something she did. (I am no longer married to her father; but he was much of the problem, too. He excused her for everything.) Never once were the officers unprofessional with me or judgmental about my living in the same house as she did.

    One time she had her fat toosh brought home in the paddy wagon coming to our prison town from the town where she attended college at the time. She had refused to do her community service because of an old underage drinking and fighting in a park after dark violation. She had been picked up for drinking there and then they had noticed the warrant from our county. (As I mentioned, a problem child.)

    She talked me into taking her to her court appearance since she didn’t have a car at our house. I went gladly to watch the spectacle.

    When she stood before the judge and began, using her nasty loud uppity voice, to berate him for expecting her, a high-falutin college girl, to have to do community service, I just sat and giggled as the judge, without batting an eye, turned to his court clerk and asked for the next opening for a contempt of court hearing.

    This has, perhaps, little to do with the Gates incident–except I think to say that there should be no excuses for showing contempt for our courts and the officers who enforce the laws of the land. Gates is teaching the wrong thing if he is trying to claim that his behavior toward the police officers was justified.

    It just seems to me that all those people who excuse Gates’ behavior (witnessed by many) are advocating that certain people–of a certain color or class (whichever)–are above showing respect for the law.

    And as for the people saying Ms. Whalen should have known Gates, that’s pure baloney. In our cities and suburbs today with people away all day and living hectic lives, most of us don’t recognize our neighbors at all. I know I don’t anymore, and I’ve lived in the same house for seven years.

    • http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

      And Ms. Whalen doesn’t LIVE there – she works for the Alumni Magazine at Harvard, and was walking down the street. Not for nothing, but why SHOULD she be expected to recognize Gates?

      The thing I don’t get is, how ELSE are the police supposed to know if someone is lawfully inside a house if they don’t ask for ID?? I mean, really – if someone throws a hissy fit, getting the police to leave, and then robs the REAL homeowner blind, just guess who will be blamed THEN. I’m pretty sure the police can ask for ID anyway, but especially on a B&E call, I’d think so. Hell, I WANT them to ask for it!

      You know, IF it was someone who had broken into his house, especially since Gates had been away, he would have been mighty thankful this woman called 911. Just sayin’.

  • pm317

    Do I see egg on all the 0bots’ faces? We were all branded racists too at one time or another for not supporting 0bama. Do you think they have learned their lesson now?

    • jwrjr

      Have they learned their lesson now? No.

  • pm317

    I think 0bama (and Gates) as usual are using Crowley. Tomorrow with his photo-op, he thinks everything he did to contribute to this mess will be erased.

  • Obama: Dubya’ 2 Electric Boogaloo

    Hey, I think my comment got caught in the spam filter….

    It must be set on “Extra Whitey”.

    • PainkillerJayne

      LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best post of the day!

  • Jay

    God you people here are ignorant……….

    • socalannie

      As your comment indicates…you’re here. It must be nice to have time to waste on websites you don’t even like.

    • Portia Elizabeth

      “You people”???
      Is that a racist remark?
      I know I’m offended.
      Where’s my lawyer’s phone number…

    • Obama: Dubya 2 Electric Boogaloo

      Hold on, I speak Skip-Gatesesse

      Yo Mama so Stupid when you were born, she looked at your umbilical cord and said, “Wow, it comes with cable too!”

  • Diana L. C.

    What’s most encouraging to me is, according to Andrea Mitchell’s report (second video), polls show more people support the police version than Gates’ take on the situation. So maybe our obot Jay above will have to defend thinking that more people are “ignorant” than those that aren’t, at least as far as he’s concerned.

    • Portia Elizabeth

      I have a story to tell regarding a local police department here in New Hampshire. My African grey parrot, Lola, got out through a sliding door I thoughtlessly left open. Since her wings aren’t clipped, she sailed right up into the trees and then took off. Needless to say, I was heartsick. In addition to posters and news ads, I posted on Craig’s List.

      Tonight I got an email (through Craig’s List),from the Epping, NH, police department that they had found Lola. (Epping is about 12 miles away from my home!)The officer who’d found my girl had gotten bitten more than once trying to catch her. She even drew blood with one bite. Yet he’d persisted, had put her in a temporary cage with water and veggies, and had even talked to her while he tried to find her owner. That, to me, was heroic effort above and beyond what anyone could expect.

      The Epping police department and Officer Bill Hansen are my heroes!!

      • Karma

        Thanks for sharing.

        The whole story is very sweet. I am impressed he even attemped to catch her in the first place. Trying to catch a bird in the great outdoors that doesn’t know you, is no small task.

        The rest just confirms what a great guy/cop he is.

        Hopefully, Lola didn’t leave a scar to remember her by.

  • ConfusedAmerican

    I was shocked when I was directed to this quote by Professor Gates in an interview on “The Root” Interesting that Gates is the editor in chief of this online publication. Page 2 of the “Skip Gates Speaks” article.

    “Now it’s clear that he had a narrative in his head: A black man was inside someone’s house, probably a white person’s house, and this black man had broken and entered, and this black man was me.”

    http://www.theroot.com/views/skip-gates-speaks?page=0,1

  • apishapa

    As far as I know Ms. Whalen didn’t speak diretly to Officer Crowley. She spoke to a dispatcher, who relayed information to Crowley. The dispatcher may have told Crowley two black men were breaking in to the house. I don’t know, but it should be pretty easy to find out what the dispatcher relayed to the cops. I do believe Ms. Whalen was doing her best to be a good neighbor and gets no love for that. She doesn’t deserve a media circus. The entire episode is a demonstration of how far our media will go to avoid talking about real issues.

    I think Crowley called for more cars because he was Gates was screaming racist and he needed someone else to attest to his actions. Why else would a cop call for back up to arrest a professor? It is kind of embarassing to need backup to arrest a little old man for breaking in to his own house. Unless he felt he was being threatened.

    I don’t think the cop had any business entering Gates’ house. He should have stayed on the porch and talked to Gates from there. Gates should have been able to show his Identification and that should have been the end of it. Nothing more needed to be said by either party. Why not just say, “sorry for the inconvenience. We have to check this out because it was called in as a break in. Just doing my job.” THe cop should have walked away as soon as he knew there was no crime. He didn’t.

    THe entire encounter has been blown out of proportion. Not because Gates is black, but because he is upper class. Gates is an arrogant ass with an overblown sense of entitlement. He’s not like those other black people. He is friends with Obama. The officer should have recognised him because he’s a famous professor. He was on PBS. And why does he keep on pimping his PBS show again and again? The unbiased media showed him being interviewed by his daughter, who is not a journalist but a fashion expert. Talk about your hardhitting, questions. Officer Crowley gets a little harsher treatment.

    The media assume Gates is telling the truth. And Crowley might believe he is telling the truth. Even though all of the witnesses after his arrival (including neighbors) say Crowley’s version
    is thruthful.

    This is not an issue of race. It is an issue of CLASS. Officer Crowley is beneath Skip Gates, and he was not properly deferential. This is just stupid. Two weeks of headline over disturbing the peace? Can’t they find a missing white woman to obsess over?

    And the President of the United States has nothing more important to do than pick fights with the law enforcement community? No wonder he can’t find time to write specifics on his so-called Health Care Reform. And drinking a beer doesn’t make either Barry or Skip one of the guys.

    Obama needs focus on the mess he is making of this country. Negotiating a settlement on a disturbing the peace ticket is a little below his pay level.

  • mary

    WENDY MURPHY has it right…

    Three Overreacting guys getting together for a beer while the One Woman Exemplary Citizen is treated like all women–SHIT!

  • mary

    THANK YOU CITIZEN LUCIA!

    THANK YOU WENDY MURPHY for pointing out the FACTS!

    NOW, LET’S HOPE THIS WAS OBAMMA’S TEACHABLE MOMENT…

  • Jane

    Can you imagine if it were two women who disagreed. It would be labeled as a cat fight and the media would be trashing them both to see who they could make out to be the worst.

    I really find the whole let’s have a beer with the president irritating. And yes why isn’t Obama saying anything about Lucia and how she is being treated or even crediting her with being a good citizen?