New York Times loses defamation lawsuit in Alabama

A 2023 article incorrectly reported that a University of Alabama basketball player was at the scene of a deadly shooting. A jury awarded $9.25 million in damages.

Posted Friday, August 21, 2026 11:23 am

Katie Robertson | The New York Times

An Alabama jury determined on Thursday that The New York Times defamed a college basketball player in a 2023 article that incorrectly reported he was at the scene of a deadly shooting in Tuscaloosa.

The eight-person jury awarded $9.25 million in damages, after a nine-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men’s basketball team, sued The Times in 2023, accusing it of libel and “false light” invasion of privacy.

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New York Times loses defamation lawsuit in Alabama

A 2023 article incorrectly reported that a University of Alabama basketball player was at the scene of a deadly shooting. A jury awarded $9.25 million in damages.

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