Jury: New York Times defamed Alabama basketball player

Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men's basketball team, won a $9.25 million defamation judgment against The New York Times after a jury found the newspaper falsely reported he was at the scene of a fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa. The Times published a story citing a person familiar with the investigation who said Spears was a passenger in a car involved in the January 2023 shooting.

An eight-person jury delivered the verdict after a nine-day trial in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Spears sued the Times in 2023, claiming the inaccurate reporting caused him emotional distress and forever linked him with a murder. Matt Glover, Spears's attorney, said he believed the decision would "improve journalism throughout the country."

The Times said it was reviewing its legal options. "We're disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake," spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said.

Three other basketball players from Alabama were present at the shooting, in which a 23-year-old mother was killed.