Faces Charges for Homophobic Airport Message

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL  --  A Fort Lauderdale Airport worker who has admitted to using the airport's loudspeaker system to issue a homophobic message has been fired and is facing criminal charges.

Jethro Monestime, 23, a luggage attendant employed by Superior Aircraft Services, admitted Monday that he played a taped recitation of a verse from Leviticus condemning homosexuality.

Superior Aircraft Services quickly fired Monestime after the incident, but the Broward County Sheriff's Office says it is investigating the case and may file charges against Monestime even though it at this time is unclear what charges are being considered.

Monestime offense could possibly fall under Homeland Security if it turns out that he used his airport pass to illegally gain access to the room where the loudspeaker system is located.

The Old Testament verse Monestime played says: "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," but Monestime says the whole thing was a prank and that he is not a religious zealot.

"I just want to apologize to everybody who was involved, especially the couple," Monestime told the Sun-Sentinel. "I didn't think it was going to hurt anybody."

Waymon Hudson and Anthony Niedwiecki, a gay couple returning from a trip to Chicago, heard the message on the airport loudspeaker system while waiting for their luggage.

Niedwiecki, 40, issued a formal complaint to airport authorities and says he is not convinced the tape was broadcast as a prank.

"It was a death threat," he told the Sun-Sentinal. "I appreciate the fact that police followed up on this."