NYPD Releases James Blake Arrest Surveillance Video
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There was applause for James Blake at the US Open on Friday night, just hours after the NYPD released surveillance video of the takedown of the former tennis star who was mistakenly arrested by an officer outside a Midtown hotel Wednesday.
As CBS2's Jessica Schneider reported, Blake can be seen standing in a blue shirt just outside of the Grand Hyatt Hotel when suddenly an undercover cop in plain clothes runs up to him, pulls him to the ground, and secures his hands behind his back to handcuff him.
Blake was held on the ground for several seconds while Officer James Frascatore secured the handcuffs.
Retired NYPD sergeant Joe Giacalone said it never should have been handled this way.
"This officer is not doing what he's trained to do. You're supposed to wear a ray jacket when you're undercover work, and he doesn't have his shield on and apparently he doesn't ID himself either which is something we have to do," Giacalone said.
Blake was released by police after a retired officer recognized the former Olympian who once ranked fourth in the world.
In addition to the video, the NYPD released a statement:
The NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau interviewed James Blake last night. The NYPD is releasing video footage from the September 9th incident outside of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan. A copy of the video was provided to Mr. Blake's attorney. The investigation is still ongoing.
Blake also released a statement:
Just before noon on Wednesday, September 9, 2015, while I was standing on a sidewalk outside my hotel in midtown Manhattan waiting for a car to take me to the U.S. Open, a plainclothes New York City Police officer tackled me to the ground, handcuffed me, paraded me down a crowded sidewalk, and detained me for ten minutes before he and his four colleagues realized they had the wrong man. The officer, who was apparently investigating a case of credit card fraud, did not identify himself as a member of law enforcement, ask my name, read me my rights, or in any way afford me the dignity and respect due every person who walks the streets of this country. And while I continue to believe the vast majority of our police officers are dedicated public servants who conduct themselves appropriately, I know that what happened to me is not uncommon.
When this incident was reported in the news media, Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Bratton both called me to extend their personal apologies, and I greatly appreciate those gestures. But extending courtesy to a public figure mistreated by the police is not enough. As I told the Commissioner, I am determined to use my voice to turn this unfortunate incident into a catalyst for change in the relationship between the police and the public they serve. For that reason, I am calling upon the City of New York to make a significant financial commitment to improving that relationship, particularly in those neighborhoods where incidents of the type I experienced occur all too frequently. The Commissioner has agreed to meet with my representatives and me to discuss our ideas in that regard, and we very much look forward to that meeting.
Mayor Bill de Blasio publicly apologized to the former tennis star Thursday.
"I want to make very clear I've reached out to Mr. Blake, and I want to talk to him because I want to apologize to him on behalf of the city of New York," de Blasio said in an exclusive interview with NY1.
"This shouldn't have happened, and he shouldn't have been treated this way," de Blasio said. "And I think it is a reminder of why we have to continue to make reforms. We are very adamant -- and (police) Commissioner (Bill) Bratton and I have spoken about this many times -- that we are going to constantly improve the training of the men and women of the NYPD to focus on using only the force that's needed in each situation."
Bratton said Blake was "inappropriately arrested and detained" by officers in front of the Grand Hyatt New York hotel Wednesday and that he had "no involvement in the criminal investigation" and was "totally innocent."
Blake said he was cuffed and detained for 15 minutes, before being freed after a retired officer recognized him and told the officers to let him go.
"I didn't know what was going on, but I was going to 100 percent cooperate with you," Blake said. "He just put the cuffs on me and said stand up, and you know, I asked him what was going on and he said, 'We'll tell you soon."
Bratton spoke with Blake by phone Thursday and apologized to him.
"Mr. Blake said he would like to meet with the Mayor and me at a future date, which we would be agreeable to," Bratton said.
Police said members of a financial crimes task force were at the hotel investigating $18,000 in fraudulent credit card purchases from an online shopping delivery service.
Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said a courier making a delivery mistakenly identified Blake as a suspect who he had delivered to in the past. He said a photo given to the officers of the alleged suspect also had a "remarkable likeness" to Blake.
"They look like twins," Boyce said.
Bratton said race was not a factor in the incident.
"Let's put that nonsense to rest right now," he said. "Race has nothing to do with this."
Blake said he doesn't believe it's a case of racial profiling, but thinks it was a show of excessive force, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported.
The Harvard-educated tennis star, who once ranked fourth in the world, was waiting outside of the hotel for a car to take him to the US Open when he said he was tackled, pinned to the ground and handcuffed.
He said at one point, he was held down by five plainclothes officers. It was only after a retired NYPD detective nearby happened to recognize Blake and identified him that the officers let him go.
Blake said at no time did the plainclothes officer pinning him to the ground identify himself as a police officer.
"It was really just shocking," Blake told "Good Morning America" on Thursday. "I was standing there, just waiting, minding my own business, and I saw someone coming from the street running directly at me, and naïve as I may be, I thought it maybe was just someone I didn't recognize – a high school friend or something coming to mess with me and give me a bear hug. It turned out quickly that it wasn't. When he picked me up, he did pretty much hug me, but he picked me up and body-slammed me, put me on the ground, told me to turn over and shut my mouth and put the cuffs on me. "
Bratton said the officer who initiated the takedown has been placed on modified assignment as Internal Affairs continues to investigate.
"Modified assignment, as you're aware, in New York City means that his gun and badge have been removed, and he has been placed on administrative duties," Bratton said.
After reviewing surveillance video of the incident, Bratton said there were concerns about the "inappropriateness of the amount of force used" during the arrest.
"I have concerns about the takedown," Bratton said.
"We agree with the Police Commissioner that the first story is never the whole story and believe that placing this officer on modified duty is premature and unwarranted," Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch said in a statement. "No police officer should ever face punitive action before a complete review of the facts."
Lynch on Friday also released a statement defending the officer involved.
"The police officer was apprehending what he had every reason to believe was an individual who had just committed a crime. The apprehension was made under fluid circumstances where the subject might have fled and the officer did a professional job of bringing the individual to the ground to prevent that occurrence," Lynch said in the statement. "It is truly unfortunate that the arrest was a result of mistaken identity by the complainant in the case and we regret any embarrassment or injury suffered by Mr. Blake as a result."
Frascatore, the officer who was disciplined, was the one Blake said pushed him to the ground and cuffed him without ever identifying himself, CBS2's Jessica Schneider reported.
But it turns out that Frascatore, a four-year veteran of the force, has been hit with several lawsuits claiming similar mistreatment.
Warren Diggs of Jamaica, Queens said he was similarly roughed up by Frascatore back in 2013 for riding his bicycle on the sidewalk near his own home.
"Frascatore punches me in the side of the head. The officer behind me grabs me by my waist and picks me up and slams me on the floor," Diggs said.
Diggs filed a complaint alleging excessive force against the city and several NYPD officers including Frascatore in April, and the criminal charges against him were eventually dropped.
He said multiple people in the neighborhood have told him they've had run-ins with Officer Frascatore.
"I guess it's about time the light's coming to shine on them, and hopefully something good will come out of it," Diggs said.
Police said two British nationals were arrested in connection with the case. A third suspect is being sought.
Blake was shaken and stunned and said those involved should be held accountable.
"I'd like an explanation for how they conducted themselves. I think we all need to be held accountable for our actions, police as well," Blake said. "They're out there doing a very difficult job, and I even said that. I said: 'I know you guys are doing a tough job, and I respect that. I appreciate everything you guys do to keep us safe, but I think you have the wrong person here.' And they didn't want to hear it, didn't want to listen to that. I do think that most cops are doing a great job, keeping us safe, but when you police with reckless abandon, you need to be held accountable."
Blake is a native of Yonkers and retired after being eliminated at the US Open in 2013. He was a perennial fan favorite at the tournament.