Spike Lee has publicly apologized for contributing to the release of an elderly couple’s private address online, after facing intense criticism for his action on Twitter.
The acclaimed filmmaker forced a Florida couple to flee their home after he disseminated their address across the internet in a tweet. The Sanford address for Elaine and David McClain had been mistakenly connected to George Zimmerman, the man accused of shooting unarmed teen Trayvon Martin .
Fearing for their lives, the McClain’s have sought refuge in a nearby hotel. Some of the viral tweets had been accompanied with death threats.
Lee later deleted the tweet well after it was viewed, retweeted, and collected by his 240,000 Twitter followers:
“I Deeply Apologize To The McClain Family For Retweeting Their Address,” he tweeted on Wednesday. “It Was A Mistake. Please Leave The McClains In Peace. Justice In Court.”
Meanwhile, reports have surfaced claiming comedian, actress, and Green Party presidential hopeful Roseanne Barr actually tweeted Zimmerman’s real address; but quickly deleted it , as she tweeted, “vigilante-ism is what killed Trayvon. I don’t support that.”
