The erroneous report
In 2023, The New York Times published a story that linked former University of Alabama basketball player Kai Spears to a fatal shooting near the campus. The article claimed Spears had been present at the scene, a claim that would later be retracted.
The piece, written by sports reporter Billy Witz, contained a factual error that identified Spears as the individual in a vehicle during the incident. The mistake was later uncovered during a civil trial, where Witz testified that the error was an honest mistake in reporting.
A tragic night
The shooting claimed the life of Jamea Harris and led to a separate criminal case involving former teammate Darius Miles, who was charged with capital murder for providing the weapon used in the attack.
Brandon Miller, who was playing for the Charlotte Hornets at the time, was in the car with Miles when bullets struck the windshield. Miller remained inside the vehicle during the gunfire, a detail that was initially misrepresented in the Times' coverage.
Correction and fallout
Months after the story ran, The New York Times issued a correction acknowledging the misidentification. The revision included statements from Alabama's athletic director and Spears's father, both of whom denied that Spears had been present at the shooting.
During the trial, the newspaper’s defense argued that the verdict was contrary to law and not supported by evidence, but the jury ultimately awarded Spears $9.25 million in damages, a sum that reflects the impact of the erroneous reporting on his reputation.