Asher Vann, Plano, Texas teen ‘falsely’ accused of racial bullying wins $3.2M verdict after SeMarion Humphrey’s mom, Summer Smith launched social media campaign along with her lawyer, Kim Cole alleging that her son was victimized on account of her son being black.
A Texas jury has awarded a now 19-year-old teen $3.2 million after a classmate’s mother alleging in ‘viral’ social media posts the teen was a racist bully after tricking her son to drink pee during a prank.
Asher Vann, now 19, was accused of racially motivated bullying after he and several other eighth-graders were filmed duping their middle school classmate SeMarion Humphrey, who is black, into drinking his own urine during a birthday sleepover in Plano in 2021.
The classmate’s mom, Summer Smith, alleged at the time that her 13-year-old son was the victim of racially motivated bullying, including allegations that Vann and his cohort had hurled slurs at the boy along with shooting the boy with a BB gun.
Asher Vann files suit after smear campaign ruined his reputation
Vann later filed a lawsuit against Smith and her attorney, Kim Cole, alleging they ruined his life with a smear campaign that led to widespread public outrage. In the suit, the teen alleged the campaign to smear him as a racist led to his privacy being invaded along with him enduring severe emotional distress.
‘This wasn’t me doing a racist act. This isn’t me hating someone because of their skin color. This was me at an immature stage of my life at a sleepover for my birthday, doing immature, dumb things,’ Vann, who is now a college freshman, told WFAA.
‘It was immature. It was stupid. It was nasty. But that’s not who I am, and that’s not me today.’
Jury rules mom, lawyer must pay $3.2 million to teenager they accused of racial bullying
A Snapchat video of the 2021 incident went viral and attracted national media attention, igniting calls for the teens involved to be charged and expelled from school.
Police investigated the saga but never arrested or charged anyone.
Following Vann filing a suit against the mom and her lawyer, jurors sided with the teen, who ruled that Smith and Cole should pay the now 19-year-old $3.2 million in damages.
‘There was no winner in the end,’ Vann responded following the jury’s verdict.
Mom responds to ruling, insisting she only wanted to hold teen accountable
Asked if his reputation has been restored, the teen said, ‘no’, musing that he thinks it might never be repaired despite the verdict.
Smith said she plans to appeal the verdict on behalf of her son.
‘Defending my son was what I should have done. And I would defend my son still,’ Smith said. ‘I feel that the acts were vile. And I feel like that was my opinion of the act. The urinate in a cup, to put it to someone’s lips to have them drink it, is vile.’
Of note, the mother admitted she was ‘saddened’ about the abuse Vann has received over the years.
‘I never wanted anyone to threaten anyone at the school or anything. I simply wanted them to be held accountable in the proper way,’ the parent claimed.
Asher Vann hollow victory
Responded Cole to the ruling, ‘To me, the entire ruling runs afoul of anything decent or just.’
The attorney said there was no evidence presented that she disclosed Vann’s private information and said she never once mentioned his name.
Vann said he does not expect to collect the $3.2 million judgment — and said even though he prevailed in court, the incident has defined his life.
