A Miami news-station producer found herself out of a job mere days after celebrating her second work anniversary at the station after being caught hurling the n-word at her neighbor over an argument about street parking.
According to the Miami Herald, 49-year-old Robin Cross, who was working with WSVN-TV, had been a figure in South Florida news for most of her adult life. Then, last week, her neighbor’s son sent the station a letter and video evidence of the incident, which soon went viral.
Less than a week later, Cross was fired.
“After conducting a thorough investigation, WSVN has terminated a 7 News producer who was caught on cellphone video using a racial slur,” Lily Pardo, a spokesperson for the station, said in a statement. “WSVN will not tolerate any kind of discriminatory language or behavior.”
In the video, Cross can be heard arguing with her neighbor, retired car dealer Robert Fenton, after he confronts her for parking her car near his driveway.
“You don’t fucking own the road,” Cross can be heard saying before going on about how street parking is illegal and how other cars could get hit.
Cross told the station that she “just lost it” after “years of bullying,” noting that the issue had been boiling up for years.
In the video, Cross can be heard continuing to rant, saying to Fenton, “Yes, I used the word ‘fucking,’ if you haven’t heard it before. Except for your fucking son who’s dating a fucking nigger.”
As she walks away, Cross can be heard saying, “Finally, I said it out loud.”
Still trying to figure out how you “just lost it,” but you apparently had that word building up in your chest to the point where it was a relief to say it.
At any rate, it turns out that Fenton’s son, Avery, who is a lawyer, often visits his father with his girlfriend, a doctoral student who is black.
“I’m glad WSVN did the right thing, and this puts the matter to rest as far as I’m concerned. I hope she will act with more care and thoughtfulness with the people around her in the future,” Avery Fenton told the Herald. “Everybody is owed dignity and respect. This was an issue of human decency, and I was just looking for WSVN to do the right thing.”