League: NCAAM Sport: College Sports Country: United States Category: Rumors

Jury awards Kai Spears $9.25 million in defamation case against The New York Times

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 21, 2026, 11:36 AM

Last updated Aug 21, 2026

Jury awards Kai Spears $9.25 million in defamation case against The New York Times

Summary

An Alabama jury ruled on August 20 that Kai Spears, a former men's basketball player at Alabama, was defamed by The New York Times. The jury found the newspaper liable for inaccurately linking Spears to a fatal shooting incident in Tuscaloosa, where it reported he was a passenger in a car involved in the crime. Testimony revealed the true passenger was a team manager, not Spears. Following five hours of deliberation over two weeks of hearings, the court awarded Spears $9.25 million in damages for the harm caused to his reputation.

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Key Details

•Jury ruled in favor of Kai Spears on August 20, 2026.
•Spears awarded $9.25 million in damages.
•The New York Times reported incorrectly about Spears' involvement in a shooting.
•Spears was misidentified as a passenger in a car during the incident.
•The actual passenger was a team manager, not Spears.

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