Tuscaloosa, Ala. — In a remarkable legal decision on Thursday, an Alabama jury awarded a staggering $9.25 million to a former college basketball player. This came after The New York Times was found guilty of defaming him by erroneously reporting his presence at a deadly shooting incident in Tuscaloosa.
The player at the center of the controversy, Kai Spears, once a member of the University of Alabama men’s basketball team, launched a lawsuit against the Times in 2023. The lawsuit challenged a report that incorrectly claimed Spears was a passenger in a vehicle tied to the fatal shooting. The article relied on information from a source who had requested anonymity to divulge what was described as sensitive information.
Subsequent to the publication, the Times acknowledged this significant mistake by issuing an editor’s note and promptly amending the article.
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After an intense nine-day trial held in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, the eight-member jury reached their decision. Matt Glover, representing Spears, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing his belief that “this verdict will enhance the standards of journalism nationwide.”
In response to the loss in court, The New York Times is currently considering its legal recourse, as indicated by spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander.
“We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake,” Stadtlander said in a statement Thursday. “We thank the jury for its service, but believe the verdict and award of damages are contrary to law and not supported by the evidence.”
Three other basketball players from the school were present at the January 2023 shooting, which killed a 23-year-old mother. In the lawsuit, Spears claimed the inaccurate reporting had caused him emotional distress and forever linked him with a murder.
CBSSports.com noted that, after the story appeared, Spears took to social media and called the report of his appearance at the scene “100% inaccurate.”
“I have one thing to say — the report in the New York Times was 100% inaccurate and the writer had complete disregard for the truth,” Spears said. “I am trying to process and cope with these false statements that somehow have been published and then seen by so many. So thankful to Alabama Athletics for refuting it on my behalf.
“More than anything, I remain completely heartbroken by the tragic death that occurred that night.”
A Times article reporting on the verdict Thursday said the newspaper “had not lost a defamation lawsuit brought in the United States over one of its articles in more than 50 years.”
The article says Alabama law caps jury awards in certain cases and so the damages in this one will be adjusted downward by more than $2 million.