Knox County Commission punts on denouncing threats against LGBTQ community

Knox County officials spent a lot of time Monday talking about their support for the LGBTQ community, but ultimately delayed voting on a strongly worded response to a detective who delivered a hate-filled sermon earlier this month.

The Commission voted unanimously to move the resolution to next week's voting meeting with no recommendation, saying members didn't receive a copy of the resolution until late Monday afternoon, though they said they would support it.

The sermon by Detective Grayson Fritts, reported first by Knox News, called for state violence, including execution, of LGBTQ people. The county has come under sharp national criticism for its shuffling response to Fritts, who was approved for a buyout and is no longer on duty, but remains part of the Sheriff's Office until July 19.

The resolution says freedom of speech is a “fundamental right,” but says the Commission rejects the calls for violence.

Read more: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/politics/2019/06/17/grayson-fritts-knoxville-knox-county-commission-lgbtq-community/1475150001/
(Knoxville News Sentinel)