Pretext arrests are really about plausible deniability. Even today on fact-checking websites like Snopes, the arrest is not fully labeled an incident of racist harassment. They were actually gambling, goes the logic.
Sgt. W.A. Scotton said saxophonist Jacquet had the dice in his hand as the troop of officers walked in. The troop confiscated the dice and $185 in cash. Then they agreed to wait until the first show was over before taking the performers to the police station.
Snopes if anyone cares:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ella-fitzgerald-arrested/
Was there any evidence of money changing hands, or merely playing a dice game was enough?
Snopes said the Houston Post reported:
Looks like the pic posted here has been mirrored.
http://blog.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/files/legacy/EllaArrestPOST2aSmall.jpg
https://cdm17006.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/images/id/4509/
There is another write up on it: https://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vol-8-no-1-Illinois-Jacquet1.pdf
Wonder how many of the cops and their bosses regularly got together to play poker…