Times corrected story days later after acknowledging error
A federal jury in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Thursday awarded $9.25 million to University of Alabama men’s basketball player Kai Spears, finding that The New York Times defamed him by reporting he was a passenger in a car involved in a fatal shooting in the city, according to the Associated Press.
The lawsuit centers on a Times report that, citing “a person familiar with the investigation,” indicated Spears was a passenger in the vehicle involved in the shooting. The Times reported that the source had spoken “on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.”
Days after the original publication, the Times issued an editor’s note acknowledging the error and corrected the story.
Spears filed the defamation suit in 2023. The eight-person jury returned its verdict after a nine-day trial in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
Matt Glover, an attorney for Spears, said he was pleased with the decision and believed “this verdict will improve journalism throughout the country.”