The New York Times has been ordered to pay $9.25 million in damages after a federal jury found the newspaper liable for defaming former college basketball player Kai Spears by incorrectly linking him to a fatal 2023 shooting.
The verdict came after a nine-day trial in the US District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, where an eight-person jury ruled in favour of Spears.
Spears was an 18-year-old freshman walk-on at the University of Alabama when the disputed report was published.
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Table of Contents
- Jury Rules in Favour of Kai Spears
- How the New York Times Reported the Error
- Spears Says False Report Changed His Life
- New York Times Defends Its Reporting
- Newspaper Issued Correction Months Later
- What the $9.25M Verdict Means
Jury Rules in Favour of Kai Spears
The lawsuit centred on a March 2023 article written by New York Times reporter Billy Witz.
The article incorrectly identified Spears as a passenger in a vehicle that was reportedly present at the scene of a January 2023 shooting that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.
Spears maintained that he was nowhere near the location when the shooting occurred.
After hearing evidence during the trial, the jury found in favour of the former Alabama basketball player and awarded him $9.25 million in damages.
The verdict represents a major legal setback for the newspaper.
How the New York Times Reported the Error
The newspaper’s report incorrectly named Spears as the individual connected to the vehicle at the centre of the story.
The person who was actually present at the scene was later identified as Cooper Lee, a student manager.
The error became particularly serious because the shooting resulted in a fatality and the report placed Spears in circumstances that could imply a connection to the incident.
Spears subsequently argued that the publication failed to properly verify the information before publishing it.
He said the report caused significant damage to his reputation and subjected him to intense online abuse.
Spears Says False Report Changed His Life
Following publication of the article, Spears said he received threats and hateful messages on social media.
He described being called a murderer and said some people even encouraged him to harm himself.
Speaking about the impact of the report, Spears said:
“I was not anywhere near the scene or vicinity at the time that took place.”
He also rejected the idea that the situation was simply an ordinary case of mistaken identity.
Spears said the experience caused him significant emotional distress because the inaccurate report was viewed by a large audience.
He also expressed sympathy for Harris and her family, stressing that he remained heartbroken over the tragic death.
New York Times Defends Its Reporting
The New York Times has expressed disappointment with the jury’s decision.
A spokesperson for the newspaper reportedly maintained that the publication’s report was an honest mistake and said the organisation was reviewing its legal options.
The newspaper also noted that it had not lost a defamation lawsuit in the United States in more than five decades.
The case therefore represents an unusually significant legal defeat for one of America’s most prominent newspapers.
The newspaper’s position contrasts with Spears’ legal team, which described the verdict as an important victory for accountability in journalism.
Newspaper Issued Correction Months Later
The New York Times eventually issued a correction in June 2023.
The correction clarified that the individual who had been present at the scene was Cooper Lee rather than Spears.
However, the correction came after Kai had already filed his lawsuit.
Kai argued that the damage caused by the original report could not simply be undone by publishing a correction.
By then, the story had already circulated widely and he said he had experienced harassment and threats online.
What the $9.25M Verdict Means
The verdict has attracted considerable attention because of the newspaper’s long-standing reputation and its history of successfully defending itself against defamation claims.
For Spears, the award represents recognition of the consequences he said he suffered after being wrongly connected to a fatal shooting.
The case also highlights the importance of accuracy when reporting on criminal investigations and allegations, particularly when individuals are publicly identified in connection with serious crimes.
In a statement previously shared on social media, Spears described the New York Times report as completely inaccurate and accused the reporter of disregarding the truth.
He also expressed gratitude to Alabama Athletics for publicly refuting the report on his behalf.
The New York Times has not indicated whether it will appeal the verdict.
For now, the $9.25 million judgment stands as a major development in Spears’ long-running legal battle and one of the newspaper’s most significant defamation defeats in decades.
For more background on the case and court proceedings, naturally link The New York Times to The New York Times.
