The New York Times has been dealt a stunning courtroom defeat after a federal jury found the newspaper defamed a former University of Alabama basketball player by wrongly placing him at the scene of a deadly shooting.
It marks the first time in more than 50 years that the Times has lost a defamation lawsuit in the United States over one of its articles — and the jury made the mistake an expensive one.
Kai Spears was awarded a staggering $9.25 million in damages Thursday after jurors sided with him following a nine-day trial in federal court in Alabama.
The case centered on a March 2023 Times article that incorrectly reported Spears was riding in a car connected to the January 2023 shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris in Tuscaloosa.
Spears was just an 18-year-old freshman walk-on for the Crimson Tide at the time.
The Times relied on a confidential source described as someone familiar with the investigation to place Spears at the scene. But that information turned out to be wrong. Spears was not there.
His father quickly pushed back against the explosive report, and the newspaper eventually corrected the story. The Times acknowledged that another person — a student team manager — had actually been inside the vehicle.
But for Spears, the damage had already been done.
He sued the newspaper in 2023, arguing that the false report had caused him emotional distress and permanently tied his name to a murder he had nothing to do with.
His attorneys turned the trial into a larger battle over accountability in journalism.
“You have the opportunity today to change the way journalism works at The New York Times,” attorney Matt Glover told jurors during closing arguments.
The Times insisted the report was simply a mistake.
“There was a mistake, an honest mistake,” attorney Michael Bell argued in court.
The jury ultimately wasn’t persuaded.
After roughly five hours of deliberations, the eight-person panel found the Times liable for defamation and false light invasion of privacy, awarding Spears $9.25 million. Roughly $7.5 million of the verdict reportedly came in punitive damages.
The reporter responsible for the original story acknowledged the error during the trial and apologized to Spears.
The Times said it was disappointed with the decision and was reviewing its legal options.
“We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake,” Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said, adding that the newspaper believes the verdict and damages are not supported by the evidence.
For one of America’s most powerful newspapers, however, the verdict represents a rare and potentially embarrassing legal blow — particularly at a time when trust in major media institutions remains a deeply divisive political issue.
Spears appeared to mark his courtroom victory with a message of faith.
After the verdict, he shared James 1:17 on Instagram, a Bible verse declaring that every good and perfect gift comes “from above.”
For Spears, the multimillion-dollar verdict may finally offer something he has sought since the story first appeared three years ago: public vindication.
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News Should Always Impartial And Truthful And Never Broadcasted Without Completely Checked For Authenticity Or Be Subject To Severe Penalties And/Or Criminal Charges !!!Sent from my iPhoneOn Aug 21, 2026,
Actual unbiased journalism has long since died at the Times. We may have freedom of the press, so far, but we only have commentary today, not actual journalistic reporting unless it is found on internet blogs or by independent journalist. I read the Times for years, but no longer. It’s become little more than a checkout counter newsprint rag. More creative writing than actual trustworthy content.