ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis newscaster has apologized for what he called an unintentional racial slur while referencing Martin Luther King Jr., nearly two weeks after the same phrase cost another broadcaster his job.

KTVI-TV’s Kevin Steincross said during Thursday’s 5 a.m. broadcast that an upcoming tribute would honor “Martin Luther Coon Jr.” Steincross apologized during the 9 a.m. broadcast, saying he has “total respect for Dr. King, what he meant and what he continues to mean to our country.”

KTVI says managers spoke with Steincross and believe the phrase was inadvertent and not reflective of his “core beliefs.” Vice President of News Audrey Prywitch says no additional discipline is planned.

Jeremy Kappell called a park named for the slain civil rights leader “Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Park" during a broadcast earlier this month. Kappell was terminated from his position as a meteorologist at WHEC-TV (Channel 10) for a his on-air use of a racial slur while referring to Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park. Kappell claims that he was speaking fast, “crunched two words together” by mistake and meant no ill intent.

Kappell said the phrasing was unintentional.

Since his firing, community debate heated up surrounding Mayor Lovely Warren’s statements on the incident and Kappell’s handling of the situation. WHEC said it fired Kappell before Warren issued her statement. But Warren and City Council President Loretta Scott called for Kappell to be fired.

"It is beyond unacceptable that this occurred. There must be real consequences for the news personality involved and also for the management team that failed to immediately apologize and address the slur," the statement from Warren and Scott said.

Outside voices, including King’s daughter Bernice King and NBC Today Show meteorologist Al Roker, weighed in and said that Kappell shouldn’t have been fired.

WCLEVELAND@Gannett.com

Includes reporting from the Associated Press.

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