I listened to the NPR interview with the attorney (also a Harvard prof.) representing Gates. Here's the link -
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundown...n.php?prgId=46
It sounds as if the police did the right thing in responding to the call, but for WHATEVER reason, went over the line once Gates had complied and shown identification, which the police obviously accepted since they did not arrest him for breaking and entering. Ogletree (the lawyer) strikes me as having the right take on this - he's not threatening some huge lawsuit, but wants to use this incident as an opportunity to teach police how to better interact with the public in similar situations.
eta - I never considered the fact that the door had been messed with(and that the police didn't deal with that at all) before reading
http://angryblackbitch.blogspot.com/ - And I've got to remark that I'm somewhat amazed the police didn't know with whom they were dealing, or at the very least consider that arresting a Harvard professor for "disorderly conduct" given that he had cooperated and done what the officer requested would NOT turn out well. My brother is a police officer, and no one is more sympathetic than I to the legitimate concerns of an officer while doing his/her duty - but looking at the definition of "disorderly conduct" and the officer's report, I'm stumped.
I am reminded of when, 7 mths. preggers, I locked myself out of my house in searing Houston heat and had to climb in a back window. The cops came after a neighbor called - but not for 30 minutes! I wasn't mad at having to explain myself, but I was a bit perturbed at the response time. If I HAD been a burgler, I could have been on the road with time to spare by the time they showed up!