Woman Faces Hate Crime Charge After Confrontation in Dark Parking Lot

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In April 2022, 28-year-old Evan Berryhill, the owner of a small clothing boutique in San Angelo, Texas, was confronted by two men in a dark parking lot near her apartment. The men, one of whom was a police dispatcher, allegedly threatened Berryhill, leading to a heated exchange where Berryhill used an offensive slur. The incident was recorded, and the video was later edited and shared online, sparking a wave of harassment and fake reviews that ultimately led to the collapse of Berryhill's business. The local prosecutor then charged Berryhill with a hate crime, but the charges were later dropped after her community raised funds for her legal defense.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing problem of online harassment and the potential for a single edited video to spark a manufactured mob that can devastate a person's life. It also raises questions about the role of law enforcement and prosecutors in these types of cases, and whether they are properly equipped to distinguish genuine public outrage from synthetic, orchestrated campaigns.

The details

According to reports, the confrontation began when Berryhill returned home from a night out with friends and was approached by two men in the dark parking lot near her apartment. One of the men, Taylor Oglesby, identified himself as a San Angelo police dispatcher, and the other, Charles Hardy, began filming the encounter. The men allegedly made comments about being more attractive to other men than Berryhill, leading to a heated exchange in which Berryhill used an offensive slur. Hardy later told police he did not wish to press charges, but the video of the incident was then edited and shared online by a serial cyber-bully named Danesh Noshirvan.

• The incident occurred on the night of April 12, 2022.
• Berryhill was charged with a hate crime by the local prosecutor in August 2022, after a four-month investigation.
• The charges against Berryhill were dropped in December 2022 after her community raised funds for her legal defense.

What they’re saying

What’s next

After the charges against Berryhill were dropped, her alleged 'victim' Charles Hardy was arrested for criminal mischief. Danesh Noshirvan, the cyber-bully who orchestrated the harassment campaign against Berryhill, has since been banned from TikTok and is facing federal court sanctions.