The NYPD has released surveillance video of James Blake's takedown by an undercover officer and it's easy to see why the tennis star is angry about it: The video shows the former US No. 1 calmly waiting for a car to the US Open outside Manhattan's Grand Hyatt hotel when the officer suddenly slams him to the ground and cuffs him, the New York Daily News reports. Blake—who got a standing ovation when he appeared on the big screen during a US Open match last night—says the officer "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," the Daily News reports.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner William Bratton have apologized for what police say was a case of mistaken identity, and Blake says he hopes the "unfortunate incident" will help change the relationship between the police and the public. The officer involved, who has been identified as James Frascatore, has been placed on desk duty, NY1 reports. Frascatore has been accused of using excessive force before and was the subject of no fewer than five civilian complaints during a seven-month period in 2013, reports WNYC, which investigated him at the time as part of a series on police misconduct. (More James Blake stories.)
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