"MY CRIME? JUST FITTING THE PROFILE" (Black Reporter Stopped by the NYPD)

General » General Discussion

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - "MY CRIME? JUST FITTING THE PROFILE" (Black Reporter Stopped by the NYPD) (Page 1 of 3)

Posted: 12/3/2007 7:51:52 AM EDT

By LEONARDO BLAIR

A NIGHTMARE: The Post's Leonardo Blair near his Bronx home at the spot where two cops stopped and frisked him before hauling him to a precinct house.

December 2, 2007 -- The following is Post reporter Leonardo Blair's account of being stopped and frisked by two cops.

NYPD spokesman Chief Michael Collins contends the officers, patrolling an area that had seen a rash of car break-ins, handcuffed Blair after he refused to answer questions, kept his hands in his armpits and became threatening.

The incident comes amid a disturbing upswing in complaints lodged against the NYPD. CCRB cases have increased 80 percent, and legal claims against the department by 79 percent, in the last five years; the number of stop-and-frisks by cops, meanwhile, has increased five-fold between 2002 and 2006.

I was just trying to get home.

It was 8:20 p.m. Wednesday, and I had just finished parking my 1993 Toyota Camry along Arnow Avenue in the Allerton section of The Bronx, where I have been living with my family since graduating from Columbia University last May.

Less than a block from my door, I heard a car's squeaking brakes. I would have ignored the sound if I hadn't seen an NYPD squad car out of the corner of my eye. I was relieved for a moment - until I saw the officers' faces.

"Can you tell us what you were doing coming from that car?" asked the driver, a Hispanic officer whose name I later learned was Castillo.

"What?" I asked.

The street was virtually empty. Officer Castillo jumped out of the car.

"Do you understand English!" he demanded. "Answer the question!"

"No, no hablo ingles," I quipped. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have said that to any cop, but I found his tone surprising and insulting.

Officer Castillo peppered me with questions in Spanish until I interrupted: "What do you mean by 'What was I doing coming from that car?' That's my car!"

"So you speak English!" Officer Castillo exploded.

"Put your hands in the air!" he shouted. My arms shot up. He frisked me. His partner, Officer Reynolds, rifled through my rucksack.

The search ended quickly and, thinking they were done, I let my hands fall.

Bad idea.

"Did I tell you to put your hands down?" Castillo barked.

He pinned my left arm, cuffed my wrist while ordering me to put my hands behind my back. His partner then took away my cellphone, which had started ringing in my pocket.

"C'mon, man," I said. "I live right there. Let me call my aunt and uncle inside the house."

I felt like I was being kidnapped. Castillo told me I was guilty of "disobeying an order."

Sitting in the back of the squad car, a million thoughts were exploding in my head: What if I told them I just graduated from Columbia with a master's degree in journalism? That I was a reporter with The Post? Should it matter?

"What did I do?" I asked when we arrived at the 49th Precinct station house. "Why am I being arrested?"

"Keep walking. This is not an arrest. You're getting a summons," Officer Castillo said.

Inside, Officer Reynolds shoved me into a cell. Digging through my bag, Officer Castillo picked out my driver's license and said, "Look at this. He is not even from the projects."

I angrily shouted, "Because I am black that means I'm supposed to be from the projects? That's profiling and you know it!"

"Tsk, tsk," Castillo replied.

When Officer Reynolds returned, I again asked why I had been incarcerated. "This is not incarceration. Do you know what incarceration means?" he said.

I unloaded: "I have a master's degree from Columbia University. I am a reporter for the New York Post. What do you mean this is not incarceration?"

The air froze. Officer Castillo kept writing, but I watched his face go flush.

"Now I understand what black people mean in this country when they talk about things like this," I said to Officer Reynolds.

"What do you mean? I am black, too," he said.

"That's what makes it so shameful," I said. "You stood there and watched him cuff me for no reason and you said nothing." He walked away.

At 9:04 p.m., 10 minutes after I was put in the cell, Officer Castillo let me out.

"Mr. Blair," he said. "You are free to go."

"What did I do?" I asked again.

"You will see on the summons," he said. The two pink slips I received showed complaints for making "unreasonable noise" and "disobeying a lawful order." I go to court in February.

As I left the station house, I was no longer at ease. The harrowing ordeal lasted less than an hour, but I felt like I had lost part of my freedom. I called my family from the bus stop, trying to explain what had happened.

"Hurry up and come home," said my aunt. "We're just glad you weren't killed."

Posted: 12/3/2007 7:55:39 AM EDT

[#1]

Meh.

Some cops have nothing better to do than to exert their power and fabricate stories.

Not all cops. Some.

Posted: 12/3/2007 7:55:47 AM EDT

[#2]

Thats not not right

Posted: 12/3/2007 7:57:20 AM EDT

[#3]

Poor guy

If he would of said "its my car" handed him his paper work and passport along with sheep skin this would of all went away with a small beating.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:00:53 AM EDT

[#4]

The cops might have been in the wrong, but the reporter is a racist.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:02:59 AM EDT

[#5]

I wonder how differently things would have turned out if he hadn't told them he was a journalist...

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:07:59 AM EDT

[#6]

Reporters never lie or embelish. I believe every word he said.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:08:32 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
The cops might have been in the wrong, but the reporter is a racist.

How?

Anyway, shouldn't there be dash cam audio and video of this? That usually show's what's real and what's fake.

\/\/Why? You're not under oath when talking to a cop. And I don't have to tell a cop what I'm doing. My response to the first question would have been "why?" I'm not giving a cop information until I know why he wants it and if I should have a lawyer around.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:09:03 AM EDT

[#8]

Won't here shit because the cops were black and hispanic.

His problem was he lied to the police officer. Someone claiming to not speak english when they do is suspicious behavoir.
I slam the cops as much as anybody, but don't lie to them when they are doing official duty.
Had he not lied, he wouldn't have been detained.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:09:24 AM EDT

[#9]

How about if he had been honest and answered the Officer's question in the first place?

"That is my car, I live in that house and I am returning from work. Would you like to see my license or registration?"

They would have said no need and sent him on his way. He showed his ass and got called on it. Consider it a cheap life lesson.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:09:58 AM EDT

[#10]

reporter is a moron. should've just answered the cops. moron.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:10:44 AM EDT

[#11]

Three assholes meet on the street. Nuff' said.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:11:56 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
The cops might have been in the wrong, but the reporter is a racist.

He is now!

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:12:42 AM EDT

[#13]

"2 sides to every story"

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:13:41 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Reporters never lie or embelish. I believe every word he said.

Luckily, neither do cops. Or lawyers. Or car salesmen. Or mechanics.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:14:10 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
The cops might have been in the wrong, but the reporter is a racist.

Seems to me that everyone in that story is racist.

Vulcan94

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:14:18 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
reporter is a moron. should've just answered the cops. moron.

Nobody deserves respect when they ask an idiotic question and then smart mouth him when he's confused.

Especially not police.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:15:04 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
reporter is a moron. should've just answered the cops. moron.

Nobody deserves respect when they ask an idiotic question and then smart mouth him when he's confused.

Especially not police.

When was he confused?

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:16:35 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
reporter is a moron. should've just answered the cops. moron.

Nobody deserves respect when they ask an idiotic question and then smart mouth him when he's confused.

Especially not police.

When was he confused?

When the idiot cop asked him what he was doing coming from his car.

Maybe he wasn't confused, but I know I would be if somebody asked me a stupid question like that.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:16:56 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
How about if he had been honest and answered the Officer's question in the first place?

"That is my car, I live in that house and I am returning from work. Would you like to see my license or registration?"

They would have said no need and sent him on his way. He showed his ass and got called on it. Consider it a cheap life lesson.

Is there a requirement to "show papers"? Do the cops have the right to ask? Seems to fall outside PC/RS/Terry stop. "It's a dangerous neighborhood" is not is not PC.

Lots of things the guy could have done - uncle tom them to death, show all his papers, and kiss a lot of cop ass. Some people just don't feel comfortable grabbing their ankles at the flash of a badge. However, some can't grab their ankles fast enough.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:18:34 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The cops might have been in the wrong, but the reporter is a racist.

How?

Anyway, shouldn't there be dash cam audio and video of this? That usually show's what's real and what's fake.

\/\/Why? You're not under oath when talking to a cop. And I don't have to tell a cop what I'm doing. My response to the first question would have been "why?" I'm not giving a cop information until I know why he wants it and if I should have a lawyer around.

"That's what makes it so shameful [being black]," I said. "You stood there and watched him cuff me for no reason and you said nothing." He walked away.

Come on, hook a brother up. Race shouldn't have such a big part of the story. Deal with facts here. He was misappropriately treated, possibly due to profiling, possibly because he mouthed off. Either way, you can't prove the motive, just the result. Prosecute the officers for their offenses to the full extent of the law, not their perceived motives.

And I agree with you on not giving police info too, but there are some shady looking people everywhere. White, black, or whatever. I have some good friends that are hispanic, black, half & half, & asian. I just feel he placed too much emphasis on color than on the actual actions of the cops.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:18:59 AM EDT

[#21]

Reporter was a smart ass to the cops. The cops were a little heavy handed in response. Try as I might, I can't get very excited about this story.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:19:01 AM EDT

[#22]

Life is harder when you're stupid. Dont lie to the popo.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:19:04 AM EDT

[#23]

They always want to turn it into a "black thing"

The "author" is just looking for an excuse to be repressed.

What they don't realize is that it is a common experience that crosses all racial lines. He was a smart ass to the cop, and the cop retaliated as best he could.

When I was growing up in NJ, such a comment probably would have resulted with a punch to the face or gut.

I'm not saying it's right, only that it's universal.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:20:06 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Quoted:
How about if he had been honest and answered the Officer's question in the first place?

"That is my car, I live in that house and I am returning from work. Would you like to see my license or registration?"

They would have said no need and sent him on his way. He showed his ass and got called on it. Consider it a cheap life lesson.

Is there a requirement to "show papers"? Do the cops have the right to ask? Seems to fall outside PC/RS/Terry stop. "It's a dangerous neighborhood" is not is not PC.

Lots of things the guy could have done - uncle tom them to death, show all his papers, and kiss a lot of cop ass. Some people just don't feel comfortable grabbing their ankles at the flash of a badge. However, some can't grab their ankles fast enough.

I didn't think this would make it an entire page before someone made a "Nazi/Show the papers" reference. Thanks Arfcom for not letting me down.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:21:39 AM EDT

[#25]

I find the fact that NOBODY posting here so far sees anything wrong with this disturbing.

"Just show your papers and you are free to go, maybe."

This is becoming a VERY SCARY country. And it is only getting worse.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:22:56 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The cops might have been in the wrong, but the reporter is a racist.

Seems to me that everyone in that story is racist.

Vulcan94

IIRC one of the cops was hispanic and one was black. How can the black cop be racist against another black guy?

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:24:32 AM EDT

[#27]

I'm no JBT basher, but I believe this guy's story, and I believe if he weren't a reporter there would have been all kinds of other fabricated charges against him. And since I have NEVER met a black person who has not been harassed by the cops at some point or another, I tend to believe that there are some racist cops out there.

This is some bullshit. I know he was a smartass, but there's no law against being a smartass. And these cops were wasting time because some guy aggravated them, rather than actually spending their time catching an actual criminal, who was still on the streets breaking into cars!

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:26:54 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Quoted:
reporter is a moron. should've just answered the cops. moron.

Nobody deserves respect when they ask an idiotic question and then smart mouth him when he's confused.

Especially not police.

When was he confused?

When the idiot cop asked him what he was doing coming from his car.

Maybe he wasn't confused, but I know I would be if somebody asked me a stupid question like that.

wtf? confused?
the guy admitted he was being a smart ass.
could've just answered instead of wasting taxpayer time and money.
he should be billed for the cops time he wasted.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:28:05 AM EDT

[#29]

So blacks and hispanics are profiling the blacks?

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:28:57 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

Quoted:
How about if he had been honest and answered the Officer's question in the first place?

"That is my car, I live in that house and I am returning from work. Would you like to see my license or registration?"

They would have said no need and sent him on his way. He showed his ass and got called on it. Consider it a cheap life lesson.

Is there a requirement to "show papers"? Do the cops have the right to ask? Seems to fall outside PC/RS/Terry stop. "It's a dangerous neighborhood" is not is not PC.

Lots of things the guy could have done - uncle tom them to death, show all his papers, and kiss a lot of cop ass. Some people just don't feel comfortable grabbing their ankles at the flash of a badge. However, some can't grab their ankles fast enough.

Yup, seems like they all got a case of the ass.

Thanks for another fine example of ... 'You can beat the rap, but not the ride.'

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:28:58 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
So blacks and hispanics are profiling the blacks?

Isn't everyone?

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:29:36 AM EDT

[#32]

oh lord here we go again with the race card. wheres the media whores sharpton and jackson? im sure they will jump in like batman and robin to save the day

"Hurry up and come home," said my aunt. "We're just glad you weren't killed."

atleast they didnt shoot his dog either. the guy writes for a newspaper, i dont beleive half that shit.

he lied to a cop when he said he spoke spanish so what else could be lieing about? just somebody trying to get something from nothing.

oh yeah, dont he kind of look like kanye west? maybe there is some truth after all!

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:31:06 AM EDT

[#33]

I'm sure that these were just reasonable actions by the police to ensure their own safety. Whatever mistreatment this guy got I'm certain he had it coming

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:31:21 AM EDT

[#34]

Eh, what's the fucking point.

You fellas try not to break a rib thumping your chests so hard.

I honestly wish there was a "Do Not Respond" list for LEO bashers. You hate cops so much then handle shit yourself. Don't call for help, don't ask for a report to be filed and don't bitch when you're a victim of crime. Just handle it yourself. If you call 911 you get kicked over to the ACLU switchboard.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:32:08 AM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:
Reporters never lie or embelish. I believe every word he said.

+1

Career jumpstart.

I am by NO means a police apologist, but its kind of sickening to see people rid ethe cops for attempting to catch criminals. In case you didn't know, they have a job that's a wee bit dangerous. And if you don't understand the danger of approaching an unknown situation when you can't see the other person's hands, then do some reading, or better yet, some training.

Were the cops heavy-handed? Maybe. But better a little heavy on a smart ass than dead for not being heavy enough.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:33:03 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
reporter is a moron. should've just answered the cops. moron.

The reporter is not a moron, the cop was being an asshole. We don't live under martial law you know. Maybe because he was black he should have assumed the submissive position and let the cops do whatever he wanted.

Lord knows if some cop did that to me I would have been just as snarky. But then again, i'm not a black guy with no money.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:33:18 AM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
His problem was he lied to the police officer. Someone claiming to not speak english when they do is suspicious behavoir.
I slam the cops as much as anybody, but don't lie to them when they are doing official duty.
Had he not lied, he wouldn't have been detained.

+1 You don't have to tell cops your life story but a simple statement at the very beginning would have prevented all this. "I just parked my car, and I live right there." I don't get why young people think it's funny to joke around or sarcastically say they don't speak English. Ya don't joke with LEOs. Common sense. This has nothing to do with racism.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:34:22 AM EDT

[#38]

Classic example of failing the attitude test.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:35:14 AM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
Eh, what's the fucking point.

You fellas try not to break a rib thumping your chests so hard.

I honestly wish there was a "Do Not Respond" list for LEO bashers. You hate cops so much then handle shit yourself. Don't call for help, don't ask for a report to be filed and don't bitch when you're a victim of crime. Just handle it yourself. If you call 911 you get kicked over to the ACLU switchboard.

Nobody has a problem with a Cop that does his job the way it should be done. In this case, whoever said that it was a case of assholes colliding (paraphrase) was right. It could have been handled a lot differently. We expect people to be assholes, that's why we have Cops. We expect the Cops reaction to be rational and measured.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:42:36 AM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Eh, what's the fucking point.

You fellas try not to break a rib thumping your chests so hard.

I honestly wish there was a "Do Not Respond" list for LEO bashers. You hate cops so much then handle shit yourself. Don't call for help, don't ask for a report to be filed and don't bitch when you're a victim of crime. Just handle it yourself. If you call 911 you get kicked over to the ACLU switchboard.

Nobody has a problem with a Cop that does his job the way it should be done. In this case, whoever said that it was a case of assholes colliding (paraphrase) was right. It could have been handled a lot differently. We expect people to be assholes, that's why we have Cops. We expect the Cops reaction to be rational and measured.

Rational and measured? Fair enough.

He refused to answer questions, lied outright and became threatening. As a result he was detained a total of 10 minutes, issued a summons and released. Had he been rational and measured none of that would have happened.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:44:54 AM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:

Quoted:
reporter is a moron. should've just answered the cops. moron.

www.oneposter.com/UserData/Poster/Poster_26263.jpg

The reporter is not a moron, the cop was being an asshole. We don't live under martial law you know. Maybe because he was black he should have assumed the submissive position and let the cops do whatever he wanted.

Lord knows if some cop did that to me I would have been just as snarky. But then again, i'm not a black guy with no money.

because he was black, you assume the cop was being an asshole. maybe if he wasnt trying to be a smartass he wouldnt be in this situation.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:45:36 AM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:
www.oneposter.com/UserData/Poster/Poster_26263.jpg

That would make a great avatar

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:47:02 AM EDT

[#43]

Does NYPD capture audio/video of stops?

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:47:03 AM EDT

[#44]

Quoted:

Quoted:
reporter is a moron. should've just answered the cops. moron.

www.oneposter.com/UserData/Poster/Poster_26263.jpg

The reporter is not a moron, the cop was being an asshole. We don't live under martial law you know. Maybe because he was black he should have assumed the submissive position and let the cops do whatever he wanted.

Lord knows if some cop did that to me I would have been just as snarky. But then again, i'm not a black guy with no money.

I'm not a LEO apologist by ANY means.

But this was not a case I'd use to support or augment any argument of that sort.

Guy mouthed off to cops WAY too early on this incident to claim he can't believe what happened as a result.

Protecting your rights during an LEO encounter is one thing. Goading them? come on.....

ETA: and you forget this was a reporter, a black reporter , a black reporter in NY. He baited them cause he thinks he's a member of the intellectual elite.... The guy probably equal opportunitied his way into and through college and needed a career boost and then this came along.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:47:21 AM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
Eh, what's the fucking point.

You fellas try not to break a rib thumping your chests so hard.

I honestly wish there was a "Do Not Respond" list for LEO bashers. You hate cops so much then handle shit yourself. Don't call for help, don't ask for a report to be filed and don't bitch when you're a victim of crime. Just handle it yourself. If you call 911 you get kicked over to the ACLU switchboard.

I may look into this "Do Not Respond" system. If I'm on the list and a cop sees me getting out of my car at my house would I still be required by law to answer his questions and prove to him that its my car?

What if my small town, loaded for bear, SWAT team messes up a couple of numbers and decided to crash into my house at 1609 Mystreet instead of 1906 Mystreet where the criminals live? Will they see that I'm on the list and not bother me?

Will I not be getting calls from your anti-gun union to donate money if I'm on your list?

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:47:38 AM EDT

[#46]

Seems like a pretty typical story.

Standard police, standard reporter.

Playing the race card is unnecessary but probably speaks more towards media sensationalism as a whole rather than the author himself. As it is he got a first hand look at why a lot of people have become so "Us vs. Them".

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:47:48 AM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:

Quoted:
reporter is a moron. should've just answered the cops. moron.

www.oneposter.com/UserData/Poster/Poster_26263.jpg

The reporter is not a moron, the cop was being an asshole. We don't live under martial law you know. Maybe because he was black he should have assumed the submissive position and let the cops do whatever he wanted.

Lord knows if some cop did that to me I would have been just as snarky. But then again, i'm not a black guy with no money.

One of the problems with modern urban black culture is that it encourages you to send exactly the wrong signals to people. I knew a few cops in Austin who hated stopping cars of young black people -- except military -- because the little fuckers would just not stop moving. They would typically be dealing with windows so dark that they couldn't tell if there was a driver, let alone the race of the driver, so it wasn't racism. But the young black kids would not a)shut the fuck up, b)answer the few basic questions, c)stop doing things with their hands, and d)cooperate in the most basic way, 'cause they were keeping it real! It wasn't that they were black, it was that they were doing everything possible to freak out the cops.

I have a feeling that this guy did everything wrong and the cops reacted defensively because in places like NYC, if you use your best judgement and happen to be wrong, the cop goes to jail because they are assumed to be guilty. So they do everything assuming the worst. He's a reporter -- he can't possibly be unaware of this.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:51:56 AM EDT

[#48]

Quoted:
I may look into this "Do Not Respond" system. If I'm on the list and a cop sees me getting out of my car at my house would I still be required by law to answer his questions and prove to him that its my car?

What if my small town, loaded for bear, SWAT team messes up a couple of numbers and decided to crash into my house at 1609 Mystreet instead of 1906 Mystreet where the criminals live? Will they see that I'm on the list and not bother me?

Will I not be getting calls from your anti-gun union to donate money if I'm on your list?

I'm in for this as well. I also want to be able to drive through random checkpoints.

We would all need some kind of special hat or something so the cops would know to leave us alone.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:55:59 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:

wtf? confused?
the guy admitted he was being a smart ass.
could've just answered instead of wasting taxpayer time and money.
he should be billed for the cops time he wasted.

Plenty of assholery to go around with everyone involved in that story. But, once the cops figured out he was just a smartass, what was their need to haul the guy down to the precinct?

Could that summons have not been written curbside?

Seems to me the cops pretty much wasted their own time.

Posted: 12/3/2007 8:56:44 AM EDT

[#50]

Quoted:
Reporters never lie or embelish. I believe every word he said.

I wonder if he's any relation to Jayson Blair.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - "MY CRIME? JUST FITTING THE PROFILE" (Black Reporter Stopped by the NYPD) (Page 1 of 3)

General » General Discussion

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us