New York Mayor, Police Commissioner Apologize to Wrongfully Arrested Tennis Pro
The mayor and police commissioner of New York City have apologized to a former professional tennis player who was slammed to the ground and arrested in a case of mistaken identity.
James Blake, who previously ranked among the top 10 best active players, received a public apology from Mayor Bill de Blasio on television, and private one via cell phone from Commissioner William J. Bratton, The New York Times reported.
The incident occurred yesterday at about noon as Blake was waiting to be picked up for a promotional event at the U.S. Open, currently taking place in Queens, New York City. As Blake stood outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel New York on 42nd street, he was bum rushed by a plainclothes officer, thrown to the ground and cuffed for 15 minutes.
The police claim that Blake resembled a suspect they were seeking in a credit card fraud. In a breach of protocol, the team of detectives involved in the arrest did not log it officially. As a result, the officer who arrested Blake, identified as James Frascatore by ABC News, has been stripped of his gun and badge and placed on desk duty pending the outcome an internal affairs investigation.
A witness to the arrest told the Times that the police were rough with Blake, pushing and shoving him around and even into a building. The incident left Blake with cuts and bruises. He was released by police when they realized their mistake about 15 minutes later.
Blake said his experience is all too often experienced by other minority men throughout the country. The detention of Blake comes as the treatment of minorities, in particular young black men, by the police continues to dominate the national discourse.
