Princeton U. professor accuses police of lying, making threats

Princeton University president also weighs in on his concern over the arrest of African-American Studies professor

PRINCETON - The Princeton University professor who said she was mistreated during a weekend arrest on Tuesday accused Princeton police of lying and threatening her but declined to elaborate in her first interview since making national headlines.

File photo. 

"FYI: The Princeton Police Chief is lying about my arrest,'' Imani Perry, African American Studies professor, wrote on her Facebook page.

In the same post, Perry later wrote: "My position is this: even if everything they said were true they would still be wrong. The fact that they're lying makes me fearful of what other lies they will tell."

Contacted by telephone on Tuesday, Imani declined to elaborate. 

"Many of the details he (Police Chief Nicholas Sutter) shared aren't true," Perry said. "I'm not going to go through them right now because I'm going to talk with a lawyer later today, but many of the details just aren't true.

"I don't know if the arresting officers just told him things that were not true, but it was really astonishing to hear when just an apology would do," Perry said.

Princeton U. professor claims mistreatment in parking ticket arrest

Sutter in published reports on Monday said that Perry was stopped by police on Saturday for driving 67 mph in a 45 mph zone and officers found a warrant for her arrest stemming from two unpaid Princeton parking tickets. 

On Tuesday, Sutter again said Perry was clocked at 67 mph on Mercer Road in a 45 mph zone.

She was stopped by police around 9:30 a.m. Officers found the outstanding warrant and that she was driving on a suspended Pennsylvania license. She was arrested, searched and handcuffed, the chief said.

"I don't think the facts are in dispute,'' Sutter said. "I think its more whether our policy is right or wrong, that there's a question on whether the greater policy on warrants is justified.''

Perry was taken to the police station and handcuffed to a steel bar, "as every arrestee is,'' and she was released on $130 bail, Sutter said.

"I realize the policies or procedures can upset people," Sutter said. "I get that and I'm completely symptethic to it. But from my persepective, this is how everyone is treated -- every single person who has this exact situation."

The Princeton police internal affairs bureau began investigating Perry's arrest, but Sutter called them off, preferring instead to have the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office look into it.

Sutter said he hopes the move will add a layer objectivity to the probe.

"If we did something incorrect, it'll come out in that investigation,'' he said.

Sutter said he doesn't expect any wrongdoing will be found. He said he has reviewed the dash camera footage and the police report and found nothing unusual. 

As for Perry's post saying she was threatened by an officer, Sutter said she was contacted Monday by the Princeton police internal affairs office -- prior to the chiefs order to stand down -- to tell her requests from news media for dash camera video of the arrest were coming in and that it may have to be released.

The incident has attracted the attention of Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber, who penned a letter to the Daily Princetonian, the college newspaper. 

In it, Eisgruber said college community members have been "shocked'' buy the arrest of Perry, who he described as a "respected scholar and beloved teacher."

Eisgruber said he was equally concerned that a male officer searched Perry before her arrest and that she was handcuffed while at the police station. 

"We welcome an investigation not only of the treatment of Professor Perry, but of the underlying policies, practices, and protocols that were applied," Eisgruber said. "We share with the town a commitment to fair treatment of all members of our community and of making the entire Princeton community as welcoming, respectful, and inclusive as possible."

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.