Despite Disher’s apology, grand jury issues indictment

An apology appearing in today’s edition was not enough to stop the wheels of justice for a Waffle House waiter accused of spitting in the food of a police lieutenant.

The defendant, Homer Disher, 18, was indicted Friday by the Warren County grand jury on charges of adulteration of food and retaliation for past actions. He could face anywhere from one to eight years for the felony offenses if convicted. He remains free on bond awaiting his day in court.

He is accused of spitting in a plate of food being served to McMinnville Police Lt. John Morgan. The veteran officer said he saw the teen spit in his food and then hand the box of hashbrowns to him, telling him to “enjoy this.” Morgan said seeing the act made him physically ill for days afterwards and makes him suspect it wasn’t the first time Disher had spit in someone’s food. Disher has been fired by Waffle House. He later told investigators he spit in the food because Morgan had pulled over a vehicle in which he was a passenger, although no citation was given during the traffic stop.

The indictment comes despite defense hopes that Disher’s actions did not fit the wording of the law. During preliminary hearing, defense attorney John Partin had argued the adulteration of food law was put in place for things such as poisonings and that since nothing was put in Morgan’s food to make him ill, the law did not apply in Disher’s case. The attorney also argued his client could not be retaliating when no citation was given during the traffic stop since there was nothing to retaliate for. However, the grand jury did not agree in returning the indictments.

The indictment comes even as a letter to the editor of the Southern Standard, which can be found on page 4-A in today’s edition, was received from Disher, apologizing for his actions. Disher reportedly apologized to Morgan prior to the public apology in today’s paper.