Alabama jury awards former basketball player Kai Spears $9.25 million in defamation case

A federal jury in Tuscaloosa found The New York Times liable for defamation after a 2023 article incorrectly named former University of Alabama walk‑on Kai Spears as being present at a fatal shooting. The story cited an anonymous source and was later corrected with an editor’s note. After a nine‑day trial before an eight‑member jury, the court awarded Spears $9.25 million in damages. Spears was represented by attorney Matt Glover. The newspaper’s spokesperson expressed disappointment with the verdict.