A professor who reached a settlement with the University of Alabama after being fired following the assassination of far-right commentator Charlie Kirk has cited a “conflict of interest” with her prior attorney over the settlement.
According to court documents, a settlement agreement between Candice Hale, a former English professor at Alabama was reached on June 12, prompting federal Judge R. David Proctor to dismiss the case without prejudice.
On June 16, Hale’s attorney, Kira Fonteneau, filed a motion to withdraw from the case, which was dismissed. Later that week, on June 18, Hale filed a notice of irreconcilable conflict of interest stating that she didn’t authorize the settlement terms, which in part led to her terminating Fonteneau for “unauthorized settlement negotiations.”
Hale alleged that she was fired over a social media post she made about Kirk’s death.
According to the complaint filed in October, Hale criticized Kirk’s commentary on marginalized communities and said she “does not mourn oppressors” in response to his death.