An Alabama jury awarded $9.25 million in damages Thursday after finding The New York Times defamed Kai Spears, a former University of Alabama basketball player, by incorrectly reporting he was at the scene of a fatal January 2023 shooting in Tuscaloosa.

The Times published a 2023 report citing an anonymous source claiming Spears was a passenger in a car involved in the shooting that killed a 23-year-old mother. The newspaper acknowledged the error days later with an editor's note. Three other Alabama players were actually present at the scene.

After a nine-day trial in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, the eight-person jury ruled for Spears, who claimed the inaccurate reporting caused emotional distress and permanently linked him to murder. His attorney Matt Glover said the verdict will improve journalism nationwide.

Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander expressed disappointment, calling it an "honest mistake" and stating the verdict is contrary to law. The Times reported it had not lost a U.S. defamation lawsuit over an article in over 50 years.