The Florida Bar has placed a staffer on administrative leave while it investigates messages sent to Miami Hurricanes defensive end Damon Wilson II after Miami’s 43-35 double-overtime win over Florida State last Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium.
Wilson II posted alleged racist remarks from a Tallahassee fan through Instagram direct messages, bringing the matter into public view after the rivalry game.
The account, @aye_its_kade951, is apparently owned by Kade McLendon. He initially attended Daytona State College, then transferred to Florida State University in January of 2022.
The following year, McLendon finished with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, according to LinkedIn. Upon graduating, he has been working as a Computer Technician at The Florida Bar, the organization for all lawyers licensed by the Supreme Court of Florida to practice law in the state.
“The Florida Bar is aware of the messages that were possibly sent from an employee’s social media account that contained inappropriate content and we have started an internal investigation into the matter.”
A second statement followed:
“The Florida Bar has put the employee Kate McLendon on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing,” it said. “The messages in question are not only ethically and morally reprehensible, but also violate our internal social media policy for employees. As the internal investigation continues, we are committed to enforcing our policies and procedures while making sure that any due process rights are protected.”
Wilson II is one of several college athletes dealing with racist messages on social media, and the issue has become increasingly visible in today’s NIL and transfer portal era, where players are often treated more like professionals than student-athletes.
On the field, Miami’s rivalry win featured a wild finish. In the second overtime, with Florida State needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion, Seminoles fifth-year quarterback Ashton Daniels hit Micahi Danzy on a 36-yard Hail Mary. The play was wiped away, though, after left tackle Xavier Chaplin was flagged for holding on Wilson II.
Wilson II transferred to Coral Gables from Missouri in the spring and has 3.5 sacks this season, which puts him among the Hurricanes’ sack leaders.
Miami is set to face Pitt this Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 p.m. E.T. and the game set to air on ESPN. The process involving McLendon remains ongoing.
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