An Alabama jury awarded former University of Alabama basketball player Kai Spears $9.25 million in damages after finding The New York Times liable for defamation and invasion of privacy. The lawsuit stemmed from an erroneous 2023 report linking Spears to a fatal Tuscaloosa shooting.
The eight-person jury reached its decision after a nine-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, concluding that the newspaper defamed Spears and placed him in a false light through a disputed 2023 article.
The litigation traces back to reporting published shortly after the Jan. 15, 2023, fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Harris on The Strip in Tuscaloosa near the university campus. Darius Miles, then a Crimson Tide basketball player, was charged with murder in the incident and remains awaiting trial, while his associate Michael Davis was convicted of capital murder on May 9, 2025.
Billy Witz’s Reporting, Anonymous Sources, and the 2023 Correction
The story falsely identified Spears—then an 18-year-old freshman walk-on—as a passenger in teammate Brandon Miller’s car when it arrived at the scene carrying the weapon used in the shooting.
Photo: APR
During the trial, Witz testified that his reporting relied primarily on an anonymous individual he described as a high-level person, professional with access to case files, transcripts, and photos, according to Tuscaloosa Patch. Witz also noted a second anonymous tipster told him, I can tell you it’s a White guy on the basketball team, I just don’t remember his name, as detailed by Foxnews. On the witness stand, Witz conceded, Yes, [the story] had a mistake, no question.
Spears filed his defamation and invasion of privacy lawsuit in May 2023, stating the publication of false information exposed him to severe online hostility and death threats. Weeks after the initial legal filing, on June 2, 2023, the newspaper appended a lengthy editor’s note clarifying that the person present in Miller’s car was not Spears, but Cooper Lee, a student manager for the team.
Legal Precedent and The New York Times Response
Media analysts and legal observers noted the rarity of the outcome. According to The Washington Post and APR, the verdict marks the first time in more than 50 years that The New York Times has lost a defamation lawsuit brought in the United States. The newspaper’s last major defamation defeat came in the landmark 1964 Supreme Court ruling AL.com, which established the actual malice standard for public figures—though that judgment was ultimately overturned unanimously by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake. 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. We are reviewing our legal options.”
Charlie Stadtlander, Times spokesman, via The Washington Post
While the lawsuit initially sought $75,000 in damages to account for reputational harm and security concerns, the eight-person jury significantly escalated the financial penalty following the nine-day trial, settling on the $9.25 million figure.
Reactions From the Spears Family and Legal Team
Following the verdict, Christian Spears, Kai’s father and former athletics director at Marshall, expressed relief that the legal battle concluded with a clear vindication for his son.
Photo: Patch
“Our goal was a simple retraction from The New York Times. 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.”
Kai Spears, who left Alabama following the 2023–24 season to play at Marshall before transferring to West Liberty University—a Division II program in West Virginia where he is listed as a senior guard—also released statements regarding the outcome.
“Our son Kai, the walk-on from Pittsburgh who earned a scholarship at Alabama, did not back down, and neither did the jury. Their verdict is a reminder that no institution, regardless of power or reach, is above accountability.”
Christian Spears, via Patch
Spears thanked his legal counsel, naming attorneys Stephen New, Matt Glover, and Ginger Buck for managing the case through the federal court in Tuscaloosa. As representatives for The New York Times evaluate their appellate options, the verdict stands as a rare and substantial jury award against a major national news organization in a modern defamation trial.
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Daniel Richardson is the Editor-in-Chief of Archysport, where he leads the editorial team and oversees all published content across nine sport verticals. With over 15 years in sports journalism, Daniel has reported from the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, NFL Super Bowls, NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tennis tournaments. He previously served as Senior Sports Editor at Reuters and holds a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Recognized by the Sports Journalists' Association for excellence in reporting, Daniel is a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). His editorial philosophy centers on accuracy, depth, and fair coverage — ensuring every story published on Archysport meets the highest standards of sports journalism.
