spike-lee

 

Film director, Spike Lee, is in the news again. This time for a costly backlash surrounding a tweet sent out to millions regarding the Trayvon Martin situation.

 

An elderly couple in Florida says they experienced a lot of hate mail and unwanted media attention because of Spike Lee. Elaine and David McClain claims in their lawsuit that Spike’s tweet included their home address. Spike’s tweet was based off of the address information that one of his followers tweeted, which he assumed was the address of George Zimmerman. However, Mrs. McClain says that address was in fact theirs and someone confused the two because she has a son who’s last name is Zimmerman and middle name is George. Strange coincidence, right?

 

elaine-david-mcclain

 

 

Well, although Spike and the couple originally reached a settlement agreement of $10,000 back in 2012, the McClain’s lawyer insists that the hate mail, emails, and an ongoing media presence outside of their home. Therefore, an apology at this point is simply not enough.  Court documents details their reason for the lawsuit.

 

“As the legal, proximate and direct result of Defendant’s negligence, gross negligence, recklessness, conscious indifference, and/or willfulness, plaintiffs were required to temporarily relocate,” reads the court filing. (via Smoking Gun)

 

Although the court documents didn’t list a specific amount in which they seek. But it is believed that the nature of this case could end up costing Spike Lee up to $1.2 million.

 

During Spike’s sit down with Oprah Winfrey on Sunday night’s episode of the”Next Chapter”, he vaguely talked about the case but knows that his actions were “stupid”.

 

“I don’t know what my intention was,” Lee told Winfrey. “But angry is not a justification for stupidity.

 

“There’s nothing I can say that can defend what I did. It was stupid.”

 

Watch Spike Lee’s response to Oprah about the tweet below:

 

 

Spike Lee on His Trayvon Martin Tweet: “I Did a Stupid Thing”

 

 

Source: NY Daily News/Oprah.com