{"id":2648263,"date":"2026-08-22T09:37:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T13:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-times-ordered-to-pay-college-basketball-player-9-25-million-for-defamation\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T09:39:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T13:39:41","slug":"new-york-times-ordered-to-pay-college-basketball-player-9-25-million-for-defamation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-times-ordered-to-pay-college-basketball-player-9-25-million-for-defamation\/","title":{"rendered":"New York Times Ordered to Pay College Basketball Player $9.25 Million for Defamation"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnew-york-times-ordered-to-pay-college-basketball-player-9-25-million-for-defamation%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2648263&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A defamation lawsuit involved The New York Times being ordered too pay $9.25 million to a former college basketball player, Kai Spears, after an Alabama jury found the newspaper falsely linked him to a murder scene. In 2023, The Times published a story claiming Spears was present in a vehicle during a shooting, but it was later clarified that the passenger was actually the team&#8217;s manager. Spears sued for defamation and invasion of privacy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/personal-injury-lawyer-finds-a-new-practice-area-suing-for-kids-harmed-by-crt-in-schools\/\" title=\"Personal Injury Lawyer Finds A New Practice Area: Suing For Kids Harmed By CRT In Schools\">claiming emotional distress<\/a> from the false reporting. Despite the Times issuing corrections, the jury deemed the damages justified, criticizing reliance on anonymous sources and flawed verification. The case highlighted legal standards,noting that while public figures require proving &#8216;actual malice,&#8217; private individuals like Spears only need to show negligence. The verdict marked The Times&#8217; frist loss in a defamation case in over 50 years and coincided with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/haley-says-gutting-doj-intel-agencies-needed-to-root-out-corruption\/\" title=\"Haley advocates for DOJ, Intel agencies overhaul to combat corruption.\">ongoing legal challenges faced<\/a> by the newspaper from other prominent figures, including a $15 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump for alleged reputation attacks. The article also touches on similar media settlements involving Trump with ABC, CBS, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-new-acting-attorney-general-jeff-rosen-recently-wrote-an-essay-on-foreign-influence-in-us-elections-this-tells-us-a-little-about-his-knowledge-of-whats-going-on-today\/\" title=\"The New Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen Recently Wrote an Essay on Foreign Influence in US Elections \u2013 This Tells Us A Little About His Knowledge of What...s Going On Today\">social media platforms<\/a> over various defamation claims.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The New York Times was ordered to pay $9.25 million this week to a former men\u2019s college basketball player, after an Alabama jury found he was defamed when the outlet wrongfully linked him to a murder scene.<\/p>\n<p>In March 2023, the newspaper reported that Kai Spears, a former walk-on player for Alabama, was sitting in the passenger seat of NBA player Brandon Miller\u2019s car during the shooting of Jamea Harris in Tuscaloosa.<\/p>\n<p>In reality, the passenger was the team\u2019s manager, not Spears, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2026\/08\/20\/kai-spears-new-york-times-lawsuit-defamation-settlement-alabama-basketball\/91396807007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to<\/a> USA Today.<\/p>\n<p>Spears filed a lawsuit against the outlet for defamation and \u201cfalse light\u201d invasion of privacy. He reportedly claimed emotional distress after seeing his name linked to a high-profile killing.<\/p>\n<p>The New York Times issued a correction and editor\u2019s note after the lawsuit was filed, but the jury didn\u2019t think that was enough to make Spears whole again.<\/p>\n<p>The outlet claimed that this was the first U.S. defamation lawsuit it\u2019s lost in over 50 years. The newspaper\u2019s attorney tried to frame it as \u201can honest mistake,\u201d but the paper was slammed in court for relying on anonymous sourcing and a faulty verification process.<\/p>\n<p>Spears\u2019 father, Christian, commented on the verdict to the outlet <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/alabama\/tuscaloosa\/jury-sides-kai-spears-nyt-defamation-trial-awards-9-25m-damages\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Patch<\/a>, saying, \u201cOur 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Washington Post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2026\/08\/20\/ny-times-loses-defamation-suit-brought-by-college-basketball-player\/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzg3MTk4NDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzg4NTgwNzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3ODcxOTg0MDAsImp0aSI6IjgyYzBmM2NiLTVjYTUtNDkzOS05MWE4LTA0ZjAxOTdiOTQzNCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9idXNpbmVzcy8yMDI2LzA4LzIwL255LXRpbWVzLWxvc2VzLWRlZmFtYXRpb24tc3VpdC1icm91Z2h0LWJ5LWNvbGxlZ2UtYmFza2V0YmFsbC1wbGF5ZXIvIn0.ARZT2kpdkQAtMJbXSIZSKQPVNUEPnMhpVDi6dnlxu08\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">covered<\/a> the historic loss, noting that in \u201clegal circles, the New York Times is synonymous with the standard for proving defamation. In the landmark Supreme Court case <em>New York Times Co. v. Sullivan<\/em>, a libel suit also brought in Alabama, the justices established that public-figure plaintiffs must prove \u2018actual malice\u2019 \u2014 that false information was published knowingly or with reckless disregard for the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to private individuals, however, plaintiffs only have to prove that \u201cthe information was false and published with negligence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The court found that Spears, despite his college basketball fame, is still a private figure.<\/p>\n<p>The New York Times <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.is\/B6yfV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">published<\/a> an article about the verdict and reminded readers that it\u2019s also facing a $15 billion defamation case from President Donald Trump, who accused the outlet of seeking to undermine his 2024 candidacy for the White House by disparaging his reputation.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has managed to start a trend and has media outlets on guard after settling for millions of dollars with top institutions.<\/p>\n<p>ABC News <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/abcs-decision-settle-trump-came-top-causing-internal-problems-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">settled<\/a> with Trump for $15 million in December 2024, after he sued George Stephanopoulos over statements regarding a civil trial verdict. He also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/another-one-bites-dust-cbs-settles-trump-infamous-kamala-60-minutes-segment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">settled<\/a> with CBS News for $16 million in July 2025, due to the editing of a \u201c60 Minutes\u201d interview with Kamala Harris.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, MS Now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ms.now\/opinion\/trump-media-tech-settlements-defamation-lawsuits-86-million\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reported<\/a> that the commander in chief settled for a combined $59 million from the parent companies of YouTube, Facebook, and X back in 2025, over the suspension of his social media accounts following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol incursion.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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