A misstep in the newsroom
The New York Times published an early March 2023 article that incorrectly placed former Alabama basketball player Kai Spears in a car with Brandon Miller on the night of the Grace Street shooting, a tragedy that claimed a young life. The story, which quickly attracted massive online attention, was later retracted after the paper acknowledged a series of procedural failures.
Deputy editor for Trust Mike Abrams told the court that reporter Billy Witz did not seek clearance from the newspaper’s standards department before the piece went live, a breach of the Times’ own editorial protocols. Internal emails revealed that senior editors, including Philip B. Corbett and Randal Archibold, voiced reservations about relying on a single anonymous source later identified as Source A, who later admitted the information may have been inaccurate.
The fallout extended beyond the newsroom. Christian Spears, the player’s father, testified that the erroneous report inflicted severe emotional distress on his family and tarnished his son’s reputation. Kai Spears, a freshman on the Crimson Tide roster, was subjected to intense scrutiny and even answered police questions without a car, a detail later clarified by former teammate Max Scharnowski.
Consequences and ongoing litigation
The Times issued a correction that was interpreted as a formal apology, but the damage to the paper’s credibility lingered. The story’s peak on March 16, 2023, generated roughly 159,000 page views, underscoring the appetite for sensational coverage. As the trial proceeds, additional testimony is expected, including from Coach Nate Oats and university officials, to examine the broader implications for journalistic accountability.