Dec. 31--Lake County Undersheriff Ray Rose has settled a lawsuit against a former deputy who Rose claimed had defamed him with Facebook comments.
John Krempotic, of North Chicago, issued a written apology Wednesday as part of the settlement, saying he posted things that were untrue, and that Rose's "service history speaks volumes about his dedication to the community. ... I wish him well and I hope all of you will join me in wishing him success."
The settlement also included an undisclosed financial award that Rose said would cover his attorney fees. Krempotic described it as "minimal."
The episode dates back to comments that Krempotic, who retired as a sheriff's deputy in 2007 and unsuccessfully ran for the office's top job last year, made to his 831 Facebook followers. According to the lawsuit, the posts referred to Rose as "schizophrenic" and "corrupt" and claimed he had been thrown out of Quonset Pizza in Waukegan.
Rose sued, saying he had never been in the establishment, let alone tossed out of it, and on Wednesday Krempotic admitted he got his facts wrong.
"Unfortunately, it was untrue," he said. "I relied on third party information and it was erroneous."
Krempotic contended, though, that public figures ought to expect to be criticized.
"I feel the right to free speech is very important," he said. "It's one of the foundations our country was built upon, and I stand by that. If you're a public person you're going to take some stones. That one statement is what hung me up and it cost me."
Rose said the posts affected his credibility on the job and undermined reforms he was attempting to put in place at the sheriff's office. He has never met Krempotic, he said.
"Just because you're on Facebook, you don't have license to put out false information about someone," Rose said. "(You) still have to respect what and who you're talking about. You can't cross that line between what you think free speech is and slander and defamation."
Krempotic said that after the lawsuit was filed, he began to conduct himself differently on social media.
"I've restrained myself in several areas and am making sure that any information I do receive is bona fide," he said. "Before I say anything on various topics, I'm going to make sure the information is correct, No. 1. And I'll try to tone it down so it's not insulting or injurious to people."
jkeilman@tribpub.com
