Here’s a Look Inside the NYPD’s Investigation of James Blake’s Arrest
(DNAINFO) Murray Weiss — The three NYPD detectives involved in tennis star James Blake’s arrest have been grilled at least three times and been brought back to the Grand Hyatt to re-enact their roles in the incident, DNAinfo New York has learned.
The Sept. 9 confrontation on East 42nd St. ignited a national firestorm, with Blake calling for the firing of Officer James Frascatore, who tackled and handcuffed him, and the mayor and NYPD commissioner issuing apologies..
DNAinfo New York has obtained details of the intensive NYPD Internal Affairs investigation into Blake’s “mistaken” identity takedown outside the Grand Hyatt two weeks ago, which was captured virtually from start to finish on at least three video tapes collected by the NYPD.
Officer James Frascatore, who joined the NYPD four years ago and was working with the three detectives that day, told his story to the Civilian Complaint Review Board last week during a grueling and “somewhat contentious” two and a half hour session, sources say.
The CCRB repeatedly asked Frascatore to explain his actions during the now infamous one-minute takedown, a recording of which was released by the NYPD to quell rumors that Blake was brutalized and kept in cuffs for hours.
Frascatore has yet to be quizzed by IAB, but his appearance will ostensibly bring the probe to a conclusion.