Prankster' blamed for Bible verse that offended gays fired from airport job

By Juan C. Ortega
Sun-Sentinel.com
Posted May 7 2007, 2:55 PM EDT

 

FORT LAUDERDALE A self-described prankster was fired on Monday for playing a Bible verse over the public address system at the international airport last week that offended a gay couple, a company official said. Broward Mayor Josephus Eggelletion Jr. and Bob Bielek, interim director of the county aviation department, identified the prankster as Jethro Monestime, 23, a skycap who has worked for Superior Aircraft Services at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport for about a year.   The officials said investigators talked with Monestime Sunday night and said he admitted playing the verse over the P.A. system twice. Monestime said it was a prank and that he had downloaded the verse onto his cell phone, then played it over the intercom. He said he was not aware a gay couple was in the airport terminal and said that was just a concidence and had no ill intent. County officials said BSO will turn over the results of its investigation to the Broward State Attorney's Office to determine if any charges should be filed. Dan Pyne, co-owner of Superior Aircraft, said Monestime was fired on Monday. Pyne said he did not know Monestime personally, but said the skycap's co-workers said he was a good employee. Pyne also said co-workers described Monestime as a devout Christian. The unauthorized announcement quoted from Leviticus 20:13, which, depending on the translation of the Bible, states that: "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death." Eggelletion apologized for the incident Friday after a gay couple complained they heard the Biblical passge while in the baggage area of Terminal 3 around 12:45 a.m. last Tuesday. Anthony Niedwiecki, a 40-year-old Nova Southeastern University law professor, and his six-year partner, Waymon Hudson, were in a baggage claim area with a few other people and were frightened by the announcement. Niedwiecki said the verse was shortened and instead said, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, they must be put to death." "It wasn't a prank to us. It was a death threat," Niedwiecki said. Still, Niedwiecki said the two were glad officials are sure they found the culprit and now want Monestime to at least be fired.