A Boston police officer is suing the city after he was suspended for referring to a black Harvard professor as a "banana-eating jungle monkey" in an e-mail.
Boston police Officer Justin Barrett apologized for his e-mail about Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
"If I'm charged with a crime I want a chance to answer. I want the chance for a fair hearing," Officer Justin Barrett told CNN on Tuesday.
Barrett has apologized and denied he is a racist.
His lawsuit claims his civil rights have been violated; Barrett's lawyer said the words referring to Henry Louis Gates, Jr. were misinterpreted.
"The choice of words were poor; but they weren't meant to characterize professor Gates as a banana-eating jungle monkey," attorney Peter Marano said. "They were meant in a response to behavior and characterizing the behavior. Not the person as a whole."
Marano said the city had effectively fired Barrett, though he is officially suspended with pay.
He said it was fair to hold Barrett to a higher standard than the general public because he is a police officer, but that he was still entitled to express his opinions.
"Being held to a higher standard shouldn't eradicate his right under the First Amendment for free speech. That is part and parcel of the lawsuit," the lawyer said.
Gates was arrested at his house last month when a neighbor called police after she thought she saw a man trying to break into Gates' home. The man turned out to be Gates himself, who was attempting to free a jammed door.
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19 comments:
With all do respect, he didn't break any laws; and last I checked he has freedom of speech just like the rest of us. He should sue, and he should win too.
Does not matter if he is a racist or not. Freedom of speech is just what it says. When people cannot speak their mind in this country be it right or wrong, then we all live under controlled conditions by our government. That's not my idea of freedom. If we truly want to feel 100% safe from insulting speech, terrorism and any other threats domestic or abroad, we simply need a dictator to run the country. Let the government think for the people. It worked for Hitler. Americans are delusional if they think there is such a thing as controlled freedom. You either have it or you don't.
Sorry guys, freedom of speech doesn't mean jack when he is on the job. He is representing the city as an officer, and if he carries this bias on the job, he is a danger to the city.
When he used the term "jungle monkey" four times, he showed that he has a hatred for blacks, conscious racism or not. Yes, people should be allowed to express whatever opinion they have, it is their right. Still, public servants, who are expected to educate, protect and enforce laws equally, should expect that those views will be examined. Furthermore, that they may be considered unfit for those jobs if they are unable to do so fairly. People whose jobs require that they exert power over others lose their right to be opinioned in these regards.
Yes, that's right. He can speak whatever way he wants if he is not an officer. But you can't just say stupid shit and expect that your department is going to stand behind you. That's crazy.
NEVER used language like that befor. right. Just happened to slip out THREE times. Freedom of speech is one thing. And had he just said something stupid, reprimand him. However, he has proved himself a liar, and to me what is totaly inexscusable, is he's also suing for POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER! Maybe he should go for rape too. As someone who suffers from this totaly debilitating disability, I would like to beat him with a dictionary. Being called a bigot does not cause flashbacks, nightmares, uncontrolable thoughts. For that alone HE should be sued. That is one "man" that can not be trusted with people, or a gun.
His last statement in the letter was this title, "CONDUCT UNBECOMING A JUNGLE MONKEY-BACK TO ONE'S ROOTS". Here, JUNGLE MONKEY refers to Gates, not to his behavior. (How does JR think a JUNGLE MONKEY is supposed to CONDUCT himself?) Case Closed.
Unlike the officer who arrested Professor Gate and had black co-workers by his side I do not see any of Barretts many black friends at this side. This speaks volumes to me. I would not trust this man to apply the law equally to everyone regardless of their ethnic background. Even though he sent his slurs from his personal email account he did outline what actions he would have taken as a police offices using OC (tear gas). If that does not make it clear that he is a danger to the community and peoples rights I don't know what will. He should definitly lose his job and his suit has no merit.
Clinton got a BJ in the Oval Office and he was not fired. How high of a standard should he have been held to?
Clinton got a BJ in the Oval Office and was not fired. Should the president be held to a higher standard then a cop?
Everyone who works for a living represents some company. If your employer can control your speech to avoid embarrassment to their company, they own you. On and off the clock. Where is your freedom of speech now? The new America is filled with generations of idiots.
But the problem is that if you work for a company, you couldn't go out bashing the products and expect to keep your job. A company then has a right to fire you because you are not doing your job and representing their interests the way you are supposed to.
Satomayor has made comments eqally as bad and she's a judge! Don't try and justify your blatant double standards, quite frankly people can only listen to so much of the whining! Perhaps he shouldn't be a public servant, but we should start at the top! Get over it, and Gates is the one who started this ball rolling... blame him cause this cop will be walking away with your tax dollars. Legally... he is WELL within his rights!
"But the problem is that if you work for a company, you couldn't go out bashing the products and expect to keep your job. A company then has a right to fire you because you are not doing your job and representing their interests the way you are supposed to."
Legal guy, he didn't BASH anything! If you work for a company and you work with PRODUCTS, I'm sure you're allowed to say whatever you want to inanimate objects. Ya might seem crazy, but it ain't a reason to be fired! I can't even read through your comments... I had to stop at this one, but I needed to comment hoping you'd see how your words come across to others.
Good for you Justin Barrett. Your suit absolutely has merit. Good luck, and God bless.
I live in the majority-black neighborhood where this officer lives. Needless to say we don't want to see him coming to our house!
Correction: I live in the neighborhood where this officer works... and yes, we do not want to see him coming to our homes or spraying us with pepper spray when we ask for his badge number and name.
It is frightening that anyone would condone this man carrying a badge and a gun. He didn't make these statements in the privacy of his own home. He sent them to a major newspaper and identified himself as an officer.
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I have to wonder if his supporters do so because his vile comments reference African Americans and they feel safe. I also wonder how many people who support his right to free speech also supported Dr. Gates' right to speak freely in his own home.
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He has a right to free speech. He doesn't have a right to be a cop. This e-mail is exhibit A at any civil or criminal trial involving his arrests. It is reasonable doubt on its face. It could cost the city of Boston and his fellow officers millions.
Whether he is a racist or not is NOT the issue. The question is : Did he act racially or commit discrimination in the line of duty? The fact is that in his job duties as long as he did not commit an act against job policy he should not be held accountable. One can be a racist or culturalist in temperament as long as it does not reflect in his job performance. He can think or say whatever as long as he acts accordingly and fairly with the standards set by law and in his job descrition
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