NYT defamation verdict awards $9.25 million to Kai Spears
By The BriefBrief
An Alabama jury found The New York Times defamed University of Alabama basketball player Kai Spears by incorrectly reporting he was at the scene of a fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa. The eight-person jury awarded $9.25 million after a nine-day trial in federal court, following the Times’ later correction.
WHO:Kai Spears; The New York Times; eight-person jury
WHAT:A jury awarded $9.25 million in a defamation case over an incorrect New York Times report about Spears being at a fatal shooting scene.
WHEN:Aug 20, 2026
WHERE:Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
WHY:The jury found the Times’ story incorrectly placed Spears at the scene of a fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa.
