Jury says The New York Times defamed Alabama player
AP News • • sports
Key Points:
- An Alabama jury awarded $9.25 million in damages to University of Alabama basketball player Kai Spears after finding The New York Times defamed him by wrongly reporting his involvement in a fatal shooting.
- The Times had published a report citing an anonymous source that Spears was a passenger in a car linked to the January 2023 shooting, but later issued a correction acknowledging the error.
- Spears sued the Times in 2023, claiming the false report caused emotional distress and unfairly associated him with the murder of a 23-year-old woman.
- The Times expressed disappointment with the verdict, calling it an honest mistake and indicating they are reviewing legal options, while Spears’ attorney said the decision could improve journalism standards nationwide.
- The Times has not lost a defamation lawsuit in the U.S. over its reporting in more than 50 years prior to this case.
