Jury Awards Former Alabama Basketball Player $9.25m in Defamation Case Against New York Times
A federal jury in Alabama has awarded former University of Alabama basketball player Kai Spears $9.25 million after finding that The New York Times defamed him in a 2023 report. The article wrongly identified Spears as a passenger in a vehicle linked to the shooting death of Jamea Harris. Spears, then an 18-year-old freshman walk-on, said he was nowhere near the scene and faced intense online harassment and threats after the report was published. The newspaper later corrected the report, identifying student manager Cooper Lee as the person who was in the vehicle. The Times said it was disappointed by the verdict, described the error as an honest mistake and is considering its legal options. Spears said the verdict reinforces the need for accurate reporting and accountability when false claims cause serious harm.
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