Summarised by Centrist
A largely non-White jury in Texas has awarded US$3.2 million to a White teenager after finding that a mother and her lawyer went too far in publicly accusing him of a racially motivated assault.
The case stems from a 2021 sleepover in Plano, where 13-year-old Asher Vann was accused of assaulting a Black classmate and subjecting him to racist abuse.
The allegations were taken to national media, described as a hate crime, and amplified by activists. A GoFundMe campaign raised about $120,000 for the accuser’s family.
Police investigated, and minor charges were initially filed, but a grand jury declined to indict. All charges were later dismissed. No criminal convictions followed.
Vann’s family then filed a civil lawsuit against the boy’s mother, Summer Smith, and her attorney.
Because the statute of limitations had expired for defamation in Texas, the claims instead focused on intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy.
After hearing the evidence, the jury found that Smith and her lawyer had publicised private information and portrayed events in a way that caused severe emotional harm. Both were held liable.
The verdict ultimately turned on whether the legal thresholds for emotional distress and privacy invasion were met.
The judgment is under appeal, and it remains unclear how much of the award, if any, will ultimately be recovered.
