FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A Panhandle sheriff has demoted his undersheriff after the man requested and received an unusual late-night hearing to secure his son's quick release from jail on a misdemeanor battery warrant.

The Northwest Florida Daily News reported that Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson demoted Bill Chapman to major after Chapman arranged the 11 p.m. first-appearance hearing for Greg Chapman earlier this month.

Chapman wrote a letter to sheriff's office employees apologizing for allowing a personal issue to interfere with is judgment.