NOLA Radio: Former WWL Host Seth Dunlap Has Changed Lawyers

Seth Dunlap

Court documents released this week provide a detailed look at the evidence bolstering allegations from WWL Radio and New Orleans police that former sports talk-show host Seth Dunlap used the radio station’s Twitter account to hurl a homophobic insult at himself before demanding nearly $2 million to settle complaints about a hostile workplace.

According to nola.com, police claim in the documents that Dunlap’s cellphone is tied to the derogatory tweet by a trail of digital evidence involving Twitter use logs, a unique number designed to identify a device's connection to the internet, and web searches that a detective considered suspicious.

As he's done before, Dunlap maintained his innocence when reached for comment Friday. His lawyer had previously been civil attorney Megan Kiefer, but on Friday she said she no longer represents him.

Dunlap, 35, said he is now represented by Billy Gibbens, a former federal prosecutor who specializes in white-collar criminal defense work.

Dunlap said he stands by his prior allegations that he was subjected to a homophobic work environment for years but was dissuaded from speaking up about the office culture. He also said he is still considering suing WWL Radio.

New Orleans police last week asked a judge to sign a warrant authorizing them to arrest Dunlap on a count of extortion. The judge rejected the request, saying that the alleged facts didn’t amount to extortion. Police have said their investigation remains ongoing.

Documents obtained through a public records request offer a glimpse into some of the information police have gathered.

Throughout the documents, the Police Department refers to the findings of a digital forensic firm run by John Conroy, which was hired by WWL Radio to look through its Twitter logs, among other information. The NOPD hasn’t said to what extent, if any, it has conducted its own investigation separate from that firm's probe.

The documents support a search warrant for Dunlap’s Apple iPhone 10, which the lead detective on the case, Denis James, successfully requested on Oct. 22. That was about six weeks after the Sept. 10 tweet calling Dunlap “a fag” was sent from WWL Radio’s Twitter account by someone using an iPhone.

The documents don't show what the inquiry into Dunlap's phone may have turned up.

In a statement to the NOPD, WWL's management said that Dunlap’s phone was in his possession when the tweet was sent. It cited surveillance video depicting Dunlap opening the door of his office shortly after the tweet was posted and showing his phone to a co-worker while appearing to talk about the tweet.

Dunlap suggested his relationship with WWL Radio became critically damaged when he proposed using the station's platforms to circulate an open letter he wrote to Saints quarterback Drew Brees over how hurtful it was to see the athlete appear in a video promoting "Bring Your Bible to School Day." The video was created by the group Focus on the Family, which makes no secret of its anti-LGBTQ beliefs.

Dunlap said the management of the station forbade him from doing that, citing its position as the Saints' official radio broadcast partner. So Dunlap went to his private Facebook page and posted the letter, which also discussed the difficulties he'd endured as a gay man in sports media.