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This tweet was posted by Spike Lee on Wednesday evening.
Film director Spike Lee has apologized to a Florida couple and agreed to pay their expenses for fleeing their home after they were harassed when he retweeted an address that was described as the home of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain who shot Trayvon Martin.
"Spike Lee did the right thing," the couple’s lawyer, Matt Morgan, tweeted. "The McClain’s claim is fully resolved. Thank you Spike!!!"
David and Elaine McClain, a couple in their 70s whose home is about four miles from where Martin was killed, told CNN that besides apologizing as they requested, Lee agreed to pay the cost of them having to leave their home temporarily.
No dollar amount was revealed. Elaine McClain described the apology as sincere.
The mistake by Lee, who has 250,000 Twitter followers, forced the McClains to flee to a hotel when reporters and hate mail began showing up at their home.
Elaine McClain has a son named William George Zimmerman who previously lived at the address.
Technolog: How did Spike Lee get it wrong?
"He definitely owes a big apology," McClain told the Orlando Sentinel on Wednesday. "All this is really scary and it's a shame. There's no reason they put our address out there without checking to see who lived there."
Late Wednesday, Lee made the apology via Twitter, saying he deeply apologized and urged people to "leave the McClain's [sic] in Peace."
Some Twitter members have been sending Lee angry and often racist tweets in response to his sharing of the address, many of which he has retweeted.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
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Only a devout racist would put the innocent in fear for their lives. A major lawsuit should follow.
I agree with the mjor lawsuit - hope it moves forward. There should also be a movement to make inciting an incident by using race a criminal offense. Someone innocent is going to end up hurt.
Spike Lee ought to just keep his big-fat-mouth shut! He is a producer that just got lucky......lucky that millions of idiots filled the theaters to see his boring over-hyped crap movies. What's wrong with America?
Dear Mr. Lee i hope yo u feel good about yourself picking on poor defenceless old people in your racist attempt to cybor bully another. I will call it like it is.. Sorry. your actions have affected Innocent people and all you can do is say Sorry. HHMMM I wonder if that you be good enough for you in the case of the shooting. Would you forgive that man if he say woops im sorry ??
He's made a couple movies,1 good one.HAH!Go back to your courtside bladouche seats and stfu
Spike Lee is like every other pompous Hollywood Idiot. From the New Black Panthers to guys like Lee putting a bounty on people....sounds like people need the Florida "Stand Your Ground" Law. So where is the "Justice Department now when "Home Delivery" means delivering vigilante (excuse Spike "STREET") justice instead of pizza. The Three Stooges... Lee, Sharpton and Jackson fit that title perfectly
this is outrageous. criminal charges should be filled against him for this action as well as anyone who retweeted is message.
Another known douche bag in Hollywood retweeted it. Will Smith.
That really sucks. I used to love will smith but now that I know he is a racist I guess I won't be seeing anymore of his movies.
As bad as all this is getting, what would have happened if someone burned down the house, the asked questions later? I mean the guy has a $23,000 bounty on his head now from the Black Panthers (It was on Anderson Cooper, the new amount). All Spike Lee has to do is say "My Bad". I feel sorry for BOTH families, because I dont think justice will be served for anyone in this "3 Ring Circus" anymore!
When is he going to apologize for all the crappy movies he has released?
he needs to be sued, i know i would sue him. he put that family in fear for their lives. he is one of the biggest racists on this planet. i am white i am appauled by the injiustice that the Martin family is having to endure, but tell these bandwagon jumping nujobs to stay away from the case. it already has enough exposure to the point that the government has gotten involved. it will get justice for the Martins.
another actor that should've kept his mouth/posting shut..
if these people get hurt or harmed in any way.. I hope this clown is charged..
another black racist.. and people follow him.. sheep.
What an idiot. The couple should press criminal charges.
So..I used to have a lot of respect for Spike Lee. Seemed like he was a "smart" activist for a lot of good causes. Come to find out he is acting like a Hypocritical racist bigot just like Sharpton, Jackson and Bobby Rush. What a waste of talent.......Idiot.
Spike Lee was wrong..............period!!!!! Thank God no one was hurt as a result. I'm glad he apologized to the innocent family even though it may not seem to many of us that it wasn't enough.
typical self rightous bigget loser.....he is the one that is a racist pig, with people like him and sharpton, in the media, it is only getting worse than it is getting better.
Racist swill.
Lawsuit? Homeland Security should be involved!
AG99 No harm done? I agree with most of your comments but this couple were in their 70's and don't this deserve this kind of BS from a racist clown. How do you put money on the fact he could have endangered their health?
The family should sue the hell out of Lee, he put their lives in danger.
This is typical double standard that appies to white people but not to black people. If any white person would have done this and zimmerman or this couple were black, the person sending out the address would have been charged with violating both of these people's civil rights, maybe even a hate crime. Since spike is of entitled pigment, it's a "oh, my bad! never watch this racists, no talent hack's films anyway but you're not being honest if the shoe was on the other foot, the very least would have happened is cnbc wouyld have interviewed every race monger they could find. His intentions were not pure so he should be arrested!
Perhaps it would have a different perspective if someone tweeted Spike Lee's home address to about 250,000 white supremacists. The only ones who even look at Spike are racists, and so maybe a few thousand KKK guys at his front door would be an interesting show. I think he ought to invite those p— — — — a— — — — Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson over for drinks one evening at the same time. They all need to go!
what is the purpose of revealing someones address ??? clearly he is looking for people to do violence against zimmerman and his family. clearly he is fanning the flames of racial discontent and is not only hoping that black people react violently but he is counting on it !! It is irresponsible to whip people up and judge the zimmerman family guilty as a whole and call on people to dole out emotionally charged punishment.
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING ????
What if one of his Spike's minions does not get the tweet to leave this family in peace and they return back to their home and harmed is inflicted in Tupac style to this innocent couple? Well i feel that the time to take down the bl-acks is coming soon!
I salute everyone on this site for pointing the finger at Spike Lee and denouncing him for the hate monger that he seems to be. A big thank you to all people of all race and color who see this type of aggressive behavior as the most damaging thing within our country. There should be zero tolerance for a black racist, just as there is for a white one.
it has been going on over 3 years with our community organizer in charge. this just was the one thing to light the fire he has kindled with class envy and hatred for whites. we should call him the closet racist just like al sharpton but he left long ago. thats why he has a show on msnbc. the dumb and hate network!
i hope you feel the need to open your checkbook to repair the damage the pain and suffering you caused. you scared to old people almost to death. maybe we should prosecute you for yelling fire in a movie house. what do you think spike?
isnt this akin to "Spit Lee" inciting a crime by telling the world where to "fidn" this guy? shouldn't he be held liable or even put in jail? isnt the same as trying to have someone murdered?