Fayette County superintendent denies writing threatening email at center of investigation

Fayette County Superintendent Demetrus Liggins on Monday denied fabricating a threatening email or sliding it under the door of a district employee who is also a state lawmaker, according to Liggins’ attorney.

The email has become the center of an investigation into Liggins’ conduct that recently led to his paid administrative leave.

Hannah Wilson, an attorney for school employee and state Rep. Adrielle Camuel, D-Lexington, said after criticizing the school district publicly, Camuel received an email purported to be from an attorney hired by Liggins that threatened legal action against people who defamed Liggins.

“I have spoken with my client. He denies fabricating the email,” said Ed Massey, Liggins’ lawyer. “In fact he says that numerous copies of this email and others were randomly left around the district office. He further denies this is the document slid under the door. Anyone could have fabricated this email given the tensions within the district.

“That is the purpose of the Board’s investigation.“

The email purported to have been sent to Liggins by lawyer Heather Gatnarek, with the firm Kaplan, Johnson Abate and Bird. It said the firm had met with Liggins and determined that some of the widespread criticism of his leadership amounted to defamation.

The law firm later confirmed the email was not written by Gatnarek. The email was written May 15 but was printed four days later.

The school board placed Liggins on paid administrative leave June 10, but have not said why. In addition, the Fayette County Board of Education has hired a law firm to investigate, but has not confirmed what the investigation is about.

Wilson said Monday Camuel has not filed a lawsuit against Liggins or the district, but hasn’t ruled it out.

“We are still evaluating the facts of the situation and any potential claims. I cannot elaborate further on that at this time,” Wilson said. “I don’t see how this email could be read as anything but an act of intimidation and retaliation. Especially knowing that it was forged and considering the way it was delivered. It’s clear to me that he wanted to silence her.”

“At this time, we have only put the District and Dr. Liggins on notice of potential claims relating to the retaliatory email,” Wilson also said.

WKYT, the Herald-Leader’s reporting partner, published a video of Liggins slipping a piece of paper under Camuel’s door at central office.

According to a June 11 letter to Liggins obtained by the Lexington Herald-Leader under the Kentucky Open Records Act, Liggins was placed on administrative leave “pending review and resolution of information the Board received this week regarding your employment.”

The letter also informed Liggins he can’t access district email or computer systems. He also isn’t allowed on FCPS property or at FCPS sponsored events unless he gets prior approval, according to the letter from FCPS Board of Education Chairman Tyler Murphy.

Wilson said she is not aware of a criminal investigation into Liggins’ alleged conduct or if anyone else received a similar email.

Lexington Police Sgt. Bige Towery said the Lexington Police Department currently has no investigation “involving Demetrus Liggins.”

‘May not be a pathway forward’ between Liggins, FCPS

Meanwhile, Massey said it’s unlikely there is a path forward for Liggins in Fayette County Public Schools.

“We will continue to seek a resolution to the problem. It appears that there may not be a pathway forward for Dr. Liggins in Fayette County,” Massey said. “ However, he is still under contract and we have to work through the legal process that exists.“

Liggins has faced scrutiny and backlash over his handling of the district’s finances for more than two years. Earlier this year, the district announced its finances had been misstated for decades. It’s preliminary budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 includes the elimination of 120 positions, cuts to staff work days and a short-term $95 million loan to help boost the district’s anemic cash flow.

Camuel, along with multiple elected state leaders and FCPS employees, has criticized and raised concerns about the district’s financial mismanagement and the loss of jobs.

This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 12:05 PM.