TUSCALOOSA — An Alabama jury awarded Kai Spears $9.25 million in damages after finding The New York Times defamed him. The jury found the newspaper liable for defamation and false light invasion of privacy.

The verdict was delivered after a nine-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The eight-person jury deliberated for five hours before reaching the decision on Thursday, August 20, 2026.

In March 2023, The New York Times published a report stating Kai Spears was a passenger in a car involved in a fatal shooting. Reporter Billy Witz authored the article, which cited an anonymous source who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Witz testified that the anonymous source was a high-level professional with access to case transcripts, videos, and impound photos. He also testified that a separate anonymous source told him the person in the car was a White guy on the basketball team but did not remember his name.

On the witness stand, Witz conceded that the story contained a mistake. The shooting occurred in January 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and killed Jamea Harris, a 23-year-old mother.

Former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles and Michael Lynn Davis were charged with capital murder in connection with Harris' death. Davis was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Spears sued The New York Times for defamation in 2023. He claimed the inaccurate reporting caused him emotional distress and linked him with a murder. After the original story appeared, Spears posted on social media that the report was 100% inaccurate.

The New York Times issued a correction and editor's note in June 2023 acknowledging the error. The editor's note stated that Alabama’s athletic director and Spears’s father had denied Spears was present at the scene after the initial publication.

The newspaper stated it had not lost a defamation lawsuit in the United States over one of its articles in more than 50 years. Spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said the company is reviewing its legal options.

"We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake," Stadtlander said in a statement. "We thank the jury for its service, but believe the verdict and award of damages are contrary to law and not supported by the evidence."

Matt Glover, an attorney for Spears, said he was pleased with the decision. During closing arguments, Glover said, They were chasing a headline at the expense of a child.

"This verdict will improve journalism throughout the country," Glover said. Christian Spears, Kai Spears' father, said the family was thankful for the verdict.

"Our goal was a simple retraction from The New York Times," Christian Spears said. "Instead, the Times defended its inaccurate article and continued to distort facts rather than acknowledge the harm they caused, acting as if its power made it untouchable. The Alabama jury made it clear to the New York Times that they were wrong to do what they did."

Why It Matters

The verdict ends a more than 50-year streak during which The New York Times had not lost a defamation lawsuit in the United States over one of its articles. The case shows the legal risks associated with reporting on criminal investigations using anonymous sources, particularly when those reports link individuals to violent crimes.

The substantial financial penalty reflects the jury's finding that the newspaper failed to verify information before publication, despite denials from the subject's family and university officials. The adjustment of damages under state law demonstrates the interaction between federal jury verdicts and state statutory caps on civil liability.

Timeline

Kai Spears played for the University of Alabama men's basketball team as a walk-on guard starting in 2022. The shooting occurred in January 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, killing Jamea Harris, a 23-year-old mother. Three other University of Alabama basketball players were present at the shooting, and the person in the car with Brandon Miller was Cooper Lee, a student manager, not Kai Spears.

Lee was not implicated or charged in the shooting. Spears earned a scholarship and played during the 2023-24 season at Alabama. Kai Spears sued The New York Times for defamation in 2023.

What's New

A federal jury in U.S. District Court in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Thursday, August 20, 2026, sided with former Alabama basketball player Kai Spears in his defamation lawsuit against the New York Times Co. awarding him $9.25 million in damages following a trial that lasted nearly two weeks. Matt Glover, attorney for Kai Spears, said during closing arguments, 'They were chasing a headline at the expense of a child.' Charlie Stadtlander, a spokesman, said, 'We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake.

The person in the car with Brandon Miller during the shooting was Cooper Lee, a student manager for the team, not Kai Spears. The New York Times had not lost a defamation lawsuit in the United States over one of its articles in more than 50 years prior to this verdict. After the original story appeared, Kai Spears posted on social media that the report was 100% inaccurate.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the characterization of the jury's decision and the motivations behind The New York Times' defense. Christian Spears stated that the Times acted as if its power made it untouchable and distorted facts, while desk_web reported the factual outcome of the jury siding with Spears. Regarding the damages, desk_web and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama verdict both cite the $9.25 million figure, though the context of the award differs in narrative focus.

The description of Kai Spears varies, with desk_web identifying him as a former Alabama basketball player and Tuscaloosa Police Department charging documents referencing former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles in a different context. Wikidata identifies Kai Spears as a college basketball player for Alabama and Marshall. The duration of the trial is described as nearly two weeks by desk_web, while U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama court records specify a nine-day trial. Christian Spears emphasized the goal of a retraction and the harm caused, whereas the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama verdict focused on the legal finding of defamation and the monetary award.