New York Times Liable in Defamation Case Involving Former College Basketball Player

An Alabama jury ruled against The New York Times in a defamation lawsuit, requiring the publication to pay millions in damages to Kai Spears, a former college basketball player. Spears, who was a freshman walk-on player for the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide, was wrongly linked to a fatal shooting in a 2023 report.

After a nine-day trial, the jury decided Spears deserved $9.25 million in damages. The lawsuit arose from a March 2023 article by New York Times sportswriter Billy Witz. The article mistakenly identified Spears as being in the car at the January 2023 shooting where 23-year-old Jamea Harris died.

Despite a lengthy editor’s note published in June 2023 acknowledging the error, the New York Times faced litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The note stated that information from a familiar source erroneously included Spears’ name. The article maintained error even after Alabama’s athletic director and Spears’s father publicly denied Spears’ involvement.

On the eve of trial, Spears filed new information leading editors to confirm the real person present was team manager Cooper Lee, not Spears. The Times expressed regret over the misreporting.

The Times regrets the error in the initial report.

Billy Witz, reporting for The Times since 2008, based his article on unnamed sources. One source, described as professional with extensive case knowledge, misidentified Spears. Another source recalled the suspect as a white basketball team member, but without naming Spears directly.

The case led Witz to admit on the stand there was an undeniable mistake in the story.

The Times, which has rarely lost defamation cases in the United States recently, expressed disappointment with the verdict. A spokesperson noted, “We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake.” The publication is considering legal options following the decision.

The legal team for Spears did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the outcome of the case.