The Brief
- An Orlando couple received probation after chasing, harassing, and using racial slurs against a solar panel salesman.
- State officials emphasized that verbal hate attacks combined with physical threats cross into illegal criminal activity.
- The victim reported ongoing trauma and anxiety, expressing concern for his safety following the court’s sentencing decision.
ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando couple has been sentenced to probation after shouting racial slurs and chasing down a door-to-door solar salesman.
The hate speech
The backstory:
A judge sentenced Steven Wiley and Cheryl Pyle to probation following an assault conviction in Orlando, according to the State Attorney’s Office for the 9th Judicial Circuit. Solar salesman Antavis Johnson reported that he was working his neighborhood route when the couple confronted him at their home with slurs and hostility.
In a one-on-one interview with FOX 35, Johnson said he was fearful for his life at the time.
Prosecutors originally requested jail time for the assault on Johnson, but the judge chose probation instead.…