New York Times Loses First Defamation Suit in 50 Years

Brandon Sumrall / Getty Images The New York Times lost its first defamation suit in more than 50 years when a jury found it had defamed a former college basketball star. In 2023, the Times wrongly reported that Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men’s basketball team, was in a car with teammates at th

An Alabama jury awarded Kai Spears $9.25 million in damages after finding The New York Times defamed the former University of Alabama basketball player.

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.