President Barack Obama has backed down from a statement that police had "acted stupidly" in arresting a black scholar.
The president made a surprise appearance in the White House press briefing room on Friday shortly after he spoke by phone to Police Sergeant James Crowley, who arrested Henry Louis Gates, a prominent scholar of African-American studies at Harvard, last week.
The case became a media frenzy, with Professor Gates accusing Sgt Crowley of racist behavior and threatening a lawsuit.
The incident began when police received a call from a neighbor that a man appeared to be breaking into the Gates' house.
Professor Gates entered the house through the back door after finding his front door was jammed.
He was apprehended and held for disorderly conduct after accusing Sgt Crowley, of racism.
Mr Obama said he continued to believe that the arrest was "an overreaction," but said "Professor Gates probably overreacted as well".
He revealed that he had spoken to Sgt Crowley on the telephone, and described him as an "outstanding police officer and a good man".
