A Texas student’s life was drastically altered by a hate hoax involving Summer Smith, the mother of a black acquaintance, and her lawyer, Kim Cole. On January 22, a Texas judge ruled in favor of Asher Vann, awarding him $3.2 million in legal fees and damages from Smith and Cole.
A Mother’s False Claims
In March 2021, Smith claimed her Black son was bullied by white peers at school. She highlighted serious accusations, including that her 13-year-old son, Semarion Humphrey, faced racial abuse, was forced to drink urine, shot with a BB gun, and intimidated into silence.
“This isn’t just bullying; it’s beyond evil,” Smith stated during a press conference.
During this time, Cole claimed that the alleged incidents at a sleepover were racially directed and that slurs were hurled at Humphrey. The two generated considerable media attention, calling for justice and even gathering thousands of signatures on a petition.
In light of public backlash, the Plano Independent School District and local police started investigations into the claims. The then-Plano Mayor condemned the alleged behavior, labeling it “abhorrent.”
Smith’s initial narrative garnered attention, raising approximately $120,000 through GoFundMe for therapy, private schooling, and other expenses linked to “Justice for Semarion.” However, reports later indicated that very little of this fund actually went towards Humphrey’s education; instead, it was spent on personal luxuries.
Meanwhile, Vann, the white student accused of the supposed attack, faced severe backlash, including death threats and community protests at his home. “It was terrifying,” he recalled, noting the extent of the fear he lived with.
In a twisted turn, Vann and his friends were subjected to criminal charges, which were ultimately dismissed due to a lack of evidence.
A Father’s Pursuit of Justice
Asher’s father, Aaron Vann, filed a lawsuit against Smith and Cole for launching a campaign of falsehoods that caused significant emotional distress and invasion of privacy.
- He accused them of fabricating stories for attention and financial gain.
- The lawsuit claimed they published Asher’s personal details with harmful intent.
- It described their actions as recklessly inciting public outrage and resulting in extreme distress for Asher.
The case proceeded to trial in October, where a jury found that Smith and Cole’s fabricated story had devastating effects on Vann’s life.
Judge Benjamin Smith ordered the defendants to pay over $3 million for their actions, along with additional legal fees. Smith intends to appeal, asserting her original account is the truth, while Cole did not provide any comment.
This isn’t the first legal success for the Vann family, as they previously sued the Plano Independent School District for wrongly disciplining Asher amidst Smith’s false claims, a matter that a court found violated his rights.
