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Prosecutor Calls Drug Addict Comment "Poor Choice of Words"  May 22, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando - Assistant Orange-Osceola County State Attorney Kenneth Lewis is apologizing for comments on his Facebook page. But in a press conference Thursday he said the comments don't mean he can't be fair in the courtroom. [Photo: Prosecutor Ken Lewis faced a barrage of questions from reporters while State Attorney Jeff Ashton looked on. By Amy Green] Among the comments was a Mother's Day post urging drug addicts to get sterilized. Lewis says he thought only his friends could see the post, and in the future he'll choose his words more carefully. "I used a poor choice of words in using the term 'crack hoe' instead of drug addict." Lewis says he doesn't feel he embarrassed his office. He also says the media should report on drug addiction instead of policing the words of those people trying to make a difference. Orange-Osceola County State Attorney Jeff Ashton says he believes the comments are offensive, and he strongly disagrees with them. Ashton says Lewis won't be reprimanded because the Constitution protects free speech. "I am not reprimanding him because I believe the First Amendment gives everyone the right to offend me. He has the absolute constitutional right to offend me, to make me mad, to make me disagree with him vehemently. And our country cannot survive if people with power censor other people." Ashton says his office will look into ways to separate employees' personal social media activities from their taxpayer-funded jobs. |
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