An employee with the Seminole County Clerk of Courts is on administrative leave over social media comments about State Attorney Aramis Ayala and her statements about the death penalty.

  • Seminole Clerk of Courts employee on administrative leave
  • Facebook comments related to State Attorney Aramis Ayala
  • Clerk of Courts said the investigation is ongoing

The employee, Stan McCullars, is on administrative leave after the court clerk said McCullars made inappropriate comments on Facebook.

A News 13 viewer shared a screen capture of the comments made by McCullars, in which he suggested Ayala should get the death penalty. McCullars works as an assistant finance director at the Seminole County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller's office.

"Comments like this that are racist and angry in nature don't represent our office," Seminole County Clerk of the Courts Grant Maloy said. "We have a very diverse office."

Maloy said McCullars has worked in the office for about one year.

"We're going to take a close look and decide what type of discipline should be appropriate for this situation," Maloy said.

Maloy said his office doesn't have a social media policy, but he said an employee handbook lays out expectations for acceptable behavior.

"All employees that work for our office are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, and this appears not to do that," Maloy said.

Maloy said McCullars has since taken down his Facebook and Twitter accounts.

"When I spoke to him this morning, I asked what was going on. He explained to me he took down the posts and apologized," Maloy said.

Maloy said he called State Attorney Aramis Ayala's office, and while he was not able to talk with Ayala directly, he did apologize on behalf of his office for McCullars' social media posts. He said Ayala's office informed him they are filing a complaint.

Maloy said he will likely decide on what disciplinary action to take within about a week.