CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Ross County Sheriff George Lavender has vehemently denied allegations that he used a racial slur in a recently surfaced audio recording. The recording, despite Lavender’s denial, has been authenticated by yet another forensic expert.
A news article published by The Guardian claims Lavender was caught on a secret recording saying, “If it were me, I would rather have a child out of marriage than one who is a n****r.” The clip, allegedly recorded surreptitiously, has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with many calling for Lavender’s immediate resignation. The Sheriff has denied the audio’s authenticity, while he has called it artificial intelligence.
The Guardian contacted five forensic audio experts, including one from London, England to authenticate the file. One such expert from Florida released a public report on the audio, saying it was real.
The Forensic Expert
Jim Stafford, ACI, ACE has issued a report on his forensic findings that the audio is real. The audio purportedly captures Lavender using a racial epithet to describe African American children and making disparaging remarks about a biracial child of his election challenger, Isaac Oberer.
Stafford, a renowned forensic expert with over 49 years of experience, provided a detailed report and affidavit authenticating the recording. Stafford, who leads Eclipse Forensics, has extensive qualifications in audio, video, digital, and mobile device forensics. His work has been instrumental in high-profile cases, including the Justin Barber case in 2005, and has been cited by the Florida Supreme Court.
“I am a certified, court-qualified expert in digital forensics and the analysis of data in the form of electronic files, computer programs, and mobile devices,” Stafford said in an interview. “I am also equally certified and qualified in audio forensics, video forensics, and image analysis. I regularly attend advanced training sessions in these disciplines. I have been a forensic examiner since 2005, and I have testified in state and federal courts as an expert witness many times in these disciplines.”
Lavender, currently running for reelection, sat down with the Chillicothe Gazette on Tuesday to address the accusations. He categorically denied making the statements, telling the Chillicothe Gazette, “That is not me in the video. I don’t talk like that.” Lavender, who claimed to have received threats since the audio surfaced, described the recording as a “blatant lie” and “uncalled for.” Lavender and his supporters have suggested the recording is part of an artificial intelligence attack against him.
“AI has limitations, and at some point, they’re going to overcome that but there’s some things you simply can’t do unless you get into military stuff, and the ordinary people can’t do that right now. That will eventually change, but right now, it is not possible for just anyone to create something like this,” Stafford noted. “Al is not magic. It is the result of many years of scientific research and development. It has limitations in capability now and in the near future …. with my knowledge and experience in the use of Al platforms I examined the Audio File. I found many locations where the word spacing speeds up or slows down. I found many places where the spacing between words change in a way contrary to a cloned voice. I found places where the pitch of the voice increased in a way contrary to a cloned voice. I also found places where the amplitude (volume) increased in a way contrary to voice cloning ability. An example of multiple characteristics as mentioned above occurs at [twelve seconds]. The speaker says “…about how Isaac has a biracial child. To me, I’d rather have a child out of marriage than one who’s a nigger. It’s stuff like this that keeps me awake at night.”
Stafford forensically examined the audio for multiple hours using state-of-the-art digital technology.
“In this passage the speech spacing changes, the amplitude changes and the speed of the voice changes, all contrary to what I would expect if this recording was a cloned voice. It is my expert opinion that this recording is not the result of voice cloning. The speech I hear is consistent with normal speech. I base this opinion on my training and experience as a Forensic Audio Expert.”
The Sheriff’s Response
Lavender refuses to grant an interview to The Guardian regarding the recording; instead, he sat down with another news organization in town. Lavender emphasized his commitment to serving all citizens equally, highlighting his own family dynamics in the interview. “As a father to a biracial child, I know how difficult it can be for some children of different backgrounds to feel accepted, which is one reason I would never talk that way about any children in the community,” he told the Chillicothe Gazette.
Public records obtained by The Guardian complicate Lavender’s assertion about having a biracial child. When Lavender announced his bid for Sheriff in 2008, he claimed to have three children. However, public records, including birth certificates and BMV records obtained by the Guardian, show that two of the children list another man as the biological father, and all three’s race are recorded as white or Caucasian on multiple government documents; their parents’ birth certificates and BMV records show the same.
The Sheriff has not denied having an illegitimate child out of wedlock with a female jailer, as heard on the recording.
Lavender has called for an investigation into the origin of the recording and vowed to prosecute those responsible if it is found to be fabricated.
On Thursday, Lavender released a statement on the Sheriff’s office’s social media — again — refuting the audio, denying its authenticity, and calling it the work of “internet trolls.”
“I take great pride in my service as a public official for the citizens of Ross County, Ohio. I am also proud of my family, friends, and the community I serve. One of the most challenging aspects of being a public official is when false statements are made about me and whether to respond to them when they occur. Such an instance occurred recently when an internet troll published false statements about me using racial slurs along with a recording that is most likely an Al generated fabrication and is most certainly not me,” Lavender said in the prepared statement. “I have never made comments like this and would never respond to such an abhorrent accusation but for the reality that attacks like this can have an impact on my family and the community I serve. I know that morally bankrupt liars who engage in internet-based attacks want nothing more than attention and to gain the satisfaction of a response. While I felt honor bound to address this matter, I do not intend to make any other public statements on it.”
Lavender did not return a request for an interview for this story. His challenger — Oberer — requested the audio be taken down and refused an interview, as well, citing that his family did not sign up to run for Sheriff, and that he did.