The New York Times Loses Defamation Lawsuit Over Basketball Player Kai Spears

The New York Times faced defeat in a defamation lawsuit, with an Alabama jury ordering the newspaper to pay millions in damages. The case, brought by former college basketball player Kai Spears, involved a 2023 report linking him to a fatal shooting.

Jury Verdict And Damages

After a nine-day trial, the jury determined that Spears, who was 18 and a freshman walk-on for the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide, was owed $9.25 million in damages. The lawsuit stemmed from a March 2023 report by New York Times sportswriter Billy Witz, which incorrectly identified Spears as a passenger in a car involved in a January 2023 shooting resulting in the death of Jamea Harris.

The Times had issued an editor’s note in June 2023, acknowledging the error after the lawsuit was filed.

Error In Reporting

The editor’s note began by explaining that the original article misidentified the person with Brandon Miller, a Crimson Tide star player, at the scene of the shooting. Although the newspaper included responses from Alabama’s athletic director and Spears’s father denying Spears’s presence, no other changes were initially made. The lawsuit led to further investigation, revealing the actual person present was Cooper Lee, a student manager, not Spears.

Appearing in court, Witz admitted his reliance on an anonymous source who incorrectly identified Spears. He described the source as a ‘high-level person, professional’ who had access to detailed case materials. Witz ultimately acknowledged the mistake from the witness stand, emphasizing the story’s error.

Legal And Media Impact

The case marked The Times’s first loss in a U.S. defamation lawsuit over its articles in over 50 years. The Times expressed disappointment in the verdict, exploring legal options, while Spears’s legal team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The New York Times continues to examine how this case might affect its reporting standards moving forward.