Retired tennis star James Blake says he was slammed to a Manhattan sidewalk and handcuffed by a white cop in a case of mistaken identity, reports the New York Daily News. The 35-year-old Blake, who has a black father, suffered a cut to his left elbow and bruises to his left leg as five plainclothes cops eventually held him for 15 minutes Wednesday outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan.
“It was definitely scary and definitely crazy,” Blake said. “In my mind there's probably a race factor involved, but no matter what there's no reason for anybody to do that to anybody.” Blake, on his way to make a corporate appearance for Time Warner Cable at the U.S. Open, said none of white cops identified themselves. Blake was turned loose when a former cop recognized him and alerted the arresting officers.