A Florida Bar employee was placed on leave for allegedly sending messages to a University of Miami football player that included racist and threatening remarks.
The direct messages were sent on Instagram after Miami beat Florida State 43-35 in double overtime Oct. 17. The player, Damon Wilson II, shared a screenshot of some of the messages on his Instagram account with the caption, “Glimpse into the life of a black student athlete.”
A statement from the Florida Bar, the organization of all lawyers licensed by the Supreme Court of Florida to practice law in the state, confirmed an investigation and named the employee, Kade McLendon.
"The Florida Bar has put employee Kade McLendon on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing," a Florida Bar spokesman said in an email to The USA TODAY Network-Florida. "The messages in question are not only ethically and morally reprehensible but also violate our internal social media policy for employees. As the internal investigation continues, we are committed to enforcing our policies and procedures while making sure that any due process rights are protected."
Who sent the messages to the University of Miami player, what did they say?
Kade McLendon, a Florida State graduate, has been a computer technician at the Florida Bar since June 2024, according to his LinkedIn account.
It’s believed McLendon sent 12 messages to Wilson, which he then shared. Several messages said McLendon hopes Wilson gets “raped” and that he is going to “beat” and “kill” Wilson’s family, while other messages express racist views.
“Stupid ni**er,” read one message.
“You’re the type of people that should be forced to the back of the bus,” read another message.
“literally hope you are raped so brutally it hurts,” read a message.
Who is University of Miami football player Damon Wilson II?
Wilson transferred this year to Miami from Missouri where the defensive lineman earned second team All-Southeastern honors. His college career started at Georgia.
USA TODAY Network-Florida left messages for Wilson.
Michelle Spitzer is a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the network’s Rapid Response reporter, she covers Florida’s breaking news. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida Bar staffer on leave for racist messages sent to UM football player