A New Jersey nurse is suing her hospital after claiming she faced retaliation for speaking out against a doctor who allegedly celebrated the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, sparking a broader debate over workplace ethics and freedom of expression.
The controversy emerged in the tense aftermath of Kirk’s assassination, an event that sent shockwaves beyond politics into workplaces nationwide, with reports of repercussions for teachers, firefighters, journalists, politicians, and even a Secret Service employee. Lexi Kuenzle, 33, has worked as a nurse for a decade, nearly two of those years at Englewood Health in New Jersey. She alleges that on September 10, shortly after news broke that Kirk was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University, a colleague—bariatric surgeon Dr. Matthew Jung—“cheered” in front of her, eight other nurses, and a patient on a stretcher.
“Oh, my God! That’s terrible! I love him!” Kuenzle recalls exclaiming—only to hear Dr. Jung respond, as she alleges:
“I hate Charlie Kirk. He had it coming. He deserved it.”
Kuenzle said she immediately challenged him:
“You’re a doctor. How could you say someone deserved to die?”
She later told the New York Post that Dr. Jung’s comments were “mind-blowing,” leaving her feeling both “angry and upset.” According to the lawsuit, Jung attempted to smooth things over by offering to buy lunch for the nurses, but the gesture did little to alleviate her distress.
After reporting the incident to hospital management and posting about it on social media, Kuenzle claims she was suspended without pay the next day and warned that termination was likely. Her attorney, John Coyle, emphasized her right to question the ethics of her colleague, writing that Kuenzle had “the audacity to question how Dr. Jung can comply with the Hippocratic Oath and the American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics while celebrating the murder of a non-violent Christian speaker on a college campus.”
The complaint accuses Englewood Health of multiple violations, including:
Retaliating against her for her Christian faith,
Creating a hostile work environment,
Breaching the Conscientious Employee Protection Act, and
Violating the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.
Kuenzle is seeking a jury trial along with unspecified damages.
Englewood Health told Fox News that both Kuenzle and Dr. Jung were suspended pending an investigation. A spokesperson clarified:
“Contrary to certain media reports, the nurse was not fired. Any reported suggestions that the nurse should seek other employment were not official or accurate statements from Englewood Health.”
As of Sunday, Dr. Jung’s profile no longer appeared on the hospital’s website.
Kuenzle, a vocal conservative, frequently shares pro-Trump content on Instagram, including images featuring an American flag and a cardboard cutout of the former president. GOP activist Scott Presler publicly defended her, dubbing her one of “Charlie’s Angels” and questioning whether Dr. Jung could treat patients fairly whose political beliefs differ from his. He asked:
“Would he treat them differently? Would he allow his emotions to cloud his judgment, as he did by saying such a statement in front of a patient?”
The case has already sparked intense reactions online, reviving debates over professional standards, free speech, and ethical responsibility in the workplace. Supporters argue that Kuenzle’s actions reflect necessary accountability, while critics suggest internal disputes should be resolved privately without public escalation.
At the heart of the lawsuit lies a fundamental question: should employees be punished for speaking out against a colleague’s inappropriate comments, or should such actions be legally and professionally protected? This case now stands as a potential precedent in defining the limits of workplace conduct, free expression, and the balance between personal ethics and professional responsibilities.