On the morning a newspaper story detailed criticisms of how Public Defender Matt Shirk's office handled the terminations of three female employees, Shirk sent a blistering text message to one of the men quoted in the story.
In an Aug. 25 story, A.L. Kelly told The Florida Times-Union he "could not deal with those folks (the Shirk administration) mistreating people and destroying their lives the way they did."
At 5:36 a.m. that day, Shirk sent a text message to Kelly, the former director of investigations, calling him a "no good backstabbing piece of garbage with ZERO integrity. ZERO."
Shirk questions Kelly's loyalty in the text message.
"And to think what I've done for you giving you a job paying $85k a year and it was about the most cushion job i (sic) could give someone. … And then when you left I paid out your leave time because of the friendship because i didnt (sic) have to and had not for many other employees. And this is how you repay me? This (is) how … much my family means to you?"
Shirk went on to say "I always knew you were a lier (sic) but I could deal with it. But you are something else."
The text message was among thousands of documents released Wednesday by the Rogers Towers law firm, which is handling the huge volume of public records requests that have been submitted since the story published. The law firm is providing pro bono services.
There was no response from Kelly in the documents released.
Kelly resigned July 15 in an email to Shirk, which said Kelly had been trying to reach the public defender for about four weeks.
Before Kelly sent the email, he texted Shirk and asked him to call him. Shortly after Kelly sent his resignation email, he texted Shirk again. "Mr. Shirk, was not sure you got my email so I wanted to also send a text. Please let this notification be a tender of my resignation."
Shirk's response said, "I'm very disappointed that you would choose a text message to leave our office. I'm frankly very upset at lots of things that have happened in the last month."
Again, he questions Kelly's loyalty. "I've always thought of you as 1 of my closest friends. And when I've needed a friend the most this last month you were somewhere else."
Kelly responded by saying he had been loyal to Shirk and that he would not do anything to hurt Shirk's family. "You got my word, don't let the wrong people lead you down a path of destruction … I am here for you."
A week later, on July 22, Shirk texted Kelly: "Hey buddy, I'm really upset how things have turned out between us. Can we meet later this week to talk?"
Kelly said he would "love to."
The next text message came on the morning the story published.
Allegations against Shirk and his office include inappropriate relationships with employees and potential public records laws violations. Gov. Rick Scott appointed State Attorney Bill Cervone of Gainesville as special prosecutor to investigate Shirk's office.
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