An eight-member federal jury in Alabama awarded Kai Spears $9.25 million in damages on August 20, 2026, after finding The New York Times defamed the former Alabama basketball player by incorrectly reporting he was present at a fatal 2023 shooting in Tuscaloosa, Alabama [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
The January 2023 shooting involved 23-year-old Jamea Harris. The Times published an article on March 15, 2023, by sports reporter Billy Witz that falsely claimed Spears was a passenger in the car at the scene. In reality, the passenger was Cooper Lee, a student manager for the Alabama basketball team who was not charged or implicated in the shooting [1, 2, 3, 4, 6].
Alabama’s athletic director and Spears’ father both denied the report shortly after publication. Spears filed a defamation lawsuit against The Times later in 2023. The newspaper issued an editor’s note in June 2023 correcting the error and acknowledging Spears was misidentified [1, 2, 3, 4, 6].
The nine-day trial took place in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Attorney Matt Glover, representing Spears, said the verdict "will improve journalism throughout the country" [1, 6].
The New York Times issued a statement expressing disappointment with the verdict, calling it an honest mistake and saying they are considering legal options, stating, "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" [1, 2].
Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men's basketball team before transferring to Marshall in 2024 and West Liberty in 2026, said, "the report in the New York Times was 100% inaccurate and the writer had complete disregard for the truth. 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" [1, 5].
Spears alleged the false report caused emotional distress and reputational harm by permanently linking him to a murder [1, 6]. His father, Christian Spears, said the jury decision made it clear to The New York Times that they were wrong [1].
The verdict marks the first time in over 50 years that The New York Times has lost a U.S. defamation lawsuit over one of its articles [1, 2, 3, 4, 6].
