An Alabama jury on Thursday found The New York Times liable for defamation, ordering the newspaper to pay $9.25 million in damages to former University of Alabama basketball player Kai Spears. The verdict concludes a nine-day trial that centered on an erroneous March 2023 Times article that incorrectly placed Spears at the scene of a fatal shooting.
"We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake." — New York Times spokesperson
The incident in question occurred in January 2023, resulting in the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris. At the time of the Times' report, Spears was an 18-year-old freshman walk-on for the Alabama basketball team. The article, penned by longtime Times sports reporter Billy Witz, falsely identified Spears as being present in a vehicle with Alabama basketball star Brandon Miller at the scene of the shooting. The New York Times has since acknowledged that Spears was misidentified and was not present, stating the actual person in Miller's car was Cooper Lee, a student manager for the team.
The jury's decision marks a rare and significant legal defeat for The New York Times, which, according to its own reporting, had not lost a U.S. defamation case involving one of its articles in over 50 years. The substantial award of $9.25 million reflects the jury's finding that the newspaper defamed Spears by publicly associating him with a homicide scene he was not involved with.
During the trial, reporter Billy Witz testified about his reliance on anonymous sources. He stated that one primary source, referred to as "Source A," was considered highly credible due to their "job title and by virtue of their access to the transcript, videos and impound photos," suggesting extensive knowledge of the case. However, Witz also acknowledged that a second anonymous source was far less certain in their identification, reportedly stating, "I can tell you it’s a White guy on the basketball team, I just don’t remember his name."
Despite initial denials from Spears' father and Alabama's athletic director regarding Kai Spears' presence at the scene, The New York Times initially stood by its report. It was not until after Spears filed his federal defamation lawsuit that the newspaper issued a full correction. In a June 2023 editor’s note, the Times stated that the original article had "misidentified" the individual in Miller's car and confirmed that Spears was not at the scene. The note concluded, "The Times regrets the error in the initial report." Witz himself acknowledged the error during his testimony, stating, "Yes, the story had a mistake, no question."
The verdict has elicited a strong reaction from The New York Times. A spokesperson for the newspaper expressed disappointment, stating, "We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake." The spokesperson further indicated that the newspaper believes "the verdict and award of damages are contrary to law and not supported by the evidence," and confirmed that the Times is reviewing its legal options, signaling a potential appeal.
For Kai Spears, the verdict represents a significant personal and legal victory, offering redress more than three years after his name was inaccurately linked to a deadly crime. The case underscores the profound impact of journalistic accuracy on individual reputations and the legal accountability faced by media organizations for errors in reporting. The outcome is expected to generate discussions within the media industry regarding source verification, fact-checking protocols, and the balance between investigative reporting and the potential for defamation.
