FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — In a story July 9 about two Florida public defenders who were fired after anti-Palestinian comments appeared on their Facebook pages, The Associated Press reported erroneously that both Bruce Raticoff and Gary Sheres had been disciplined for similar conduct in 2005. Only Raticoff was involved in that incident and disciplined; Sheres was not.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Public defenders fired for anti-Arab online posts

2 public defenders in South Florida fired for anti-Palestinian remarks on Facebook

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Two South Florida public defenders have lost their jobs after derogatory remarks about Palestinians appeared on their Facebook pages.

Broward County Public Defender Howard Finkelstein told local television stations that Bruce Raticoff and Gary Sheres were fired Tuesday after comments on Facebook referred to Palestinians as “filthy swine” and “cockroaches.”

The remarks were written under a post which claimed Palestinians were celebrating the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens.

Raticoff said a relative used his Facebook account to make the comment. He told television stations that he has a right to free speech.

Sheres said he was referring to the Palestinians accused of killing the teens.

Raticoff had been disciplined in 2005 for an inflammatory email which included the language “extreme Muslims.”

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