Bullitt County Jailer Paul Watkins is heard using racial slurs and other demeaning language in the hour long recording that was filed as evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit lodged against Watkins in state court last year by two former employees, WDRB-TV reported.
“I’m saying this, like, to you all. I don’t say this in public,” Watkins said. “See, my granddaughter’s married to a f****** n***** and he is a n*****. There’s a thing — there’s a difference between a black guy and a n*****, and this bastard…”
“Among other slurs,” according to WDRB-TV, “Watkins is heard using the ‘N-word’ six times in the nearly 64-minute recording.”
The conversation took place March 3 between Watkins, former Bullitt County Sheriff Dave Greenwell and a mutual acquaintance. Greenwell, who recorded the conversation, told WDRB that Watkins asked to meet with him to seek support for his reelection campaign.
Watkins declined to comment, but his attorney, Carol Petitt, said he made the comments while “enduring a period of significant personal stress.”
Former jail employees Grace Smith and Carl Reesor have said in a lawsuit that Watkins’ racist and sexist language created a hostile work environment.
Watkins has previously been accused of racism by former employees who claim an atmosphere of racism at the jail created a hostile work environment.
“He’s extremely racist,” Smith said in an interview last year. “He tried to hide it, but when you’ve been racist for a long time, you don’t hide it very well … The jailer was a force to be reckoned with. He didn’t believe in following rules.”
“These inappropriate comments in no way reflect how Jailer Watkins considers the individuals mentioned and he sincerely regrets the descriptions and comments used,” Petitt said in an email.
By the Associated Press and WDRB.com
