Recent grad convicted; alleges mistreatment

Recent University graduate and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist Ian Blake was convicted of disorderly conduct at a court hearing at the Philadelphia Police Southwest Detective's station. But Blake contends that he was mistreated by the police officer who arrested him and he plans to mount an appeal. In court, in front of Judge Robert Blasi, Officer David Carroll testified that on May 2 at about 2:50 p.m. he was called to Van Pelt Library to respond to a complaint that a woman's wallet had been stolen. Carroll said the woman believed that Blake was the individual who took the wallet. Carroll explained that he approached Blake and asked to speak with him, but Blake raised his voice and spoke "very nasty" to the officer. Carroll also said that Blake pushed him into the library office. But Blake tells a different story. Blake claims that Carroll told him to go into the stacks, but Blake said he was unwilling because of Carroll's "reputation." "I was very reluctant to go into the stacks with Officer Carroll because of his reputation," Blake said Tuesday. Blake added that Carroll pulled him into the stacks and shoved him 3 or 4 times and told Blake that he was under arrest. He also said in court that he was arrested under false pretense, because a woman, who had been sitting next to him at a computer lab in Van Pelt, claimed he had stolen some items out of her wallet. University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said he couln't comment on the case. University Police Chief George Clisby was unavailable for comment.

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