Reply #137: I think you got it pretty much right No Elephants.

[Piewhacket]

A request for id was, under the circumstances, reasonable.
A reasonable person might have asked why, then complied.

But then having satisfied himself of the identity of the owner in
possession, and no indication of impropriety, the officer
should have courteously identified himself then left...
he might have got a commendation from Gates for that
professional level of service... but alas he didn't leave.

The conduct of the officer beyond that point could have been
unlawful police harassment, and the arrest preemptive and retaliatory.

The "joint statement" of the police (police spokesperson Keanes?)
criticizing Gates, and later defending the officer concerning
this incident was quite inflammatory, contradicted by even the police
version of events, and was very ill advised.

I was moderate on this issue before the police statement. Now
some heads on the city and police department, possibly the commissioner
himself (Haas?), should now roll.